Stars Should Be Looking Down From Galaxy, Not Standing In Same Queue As You: Saif Ali Khan

“The age of privilege is threatening to be over. It’s scary because we don’t understand anything else. We all grew up reading about positions of power, the World War, the Queen of Britain, the Pope, such titles of privilege. But the more Arab Springs take place, you see a middle class obliterating the hierarchy of royalty and creating its own. Social media, Instagram is also making them more available, people like Carey Grant or Mr Bachchan.

“And to be a star and be in a queue in an airport is a curse. Because you don’t get paid enough to fly private so you are attacked and people will want to take selfies. And it’s too intrusive. I dislike selfies. There’s something very aggressive about it. Kids I never say no to, that’s more innocent. But stars you know, they should be up there, they should be looking down from the galaxy, they cannot be standing in the same line as you (laughs out loud). Or change the word for it, call it ‘representative of people’ or something, become a communist, it’s what we are after all. And everyone asks stars but no one asks industrialists or politicians where the money is coming from.”

 “When I found out about my National Award for Hum Tum, I was having breakfast in my bed in London. Mom called me and asked me to take the first flight back. I told her I didn’t want to because I’d have to buy my own ticket. Also, I have my father’s blood in me, so I thought I didn’t deserve it — although I think differently about it now. I did come back and it was nice.

But there is also a story with the Padma award. I had asked my father if I could use the family letterhead. And he said to use the letterhead while I am alive is to denigrate it, like the Padma Awards have become. And a week later, they gave it to me. So I called him and told him I don’t think I deserve it, there are so many people senior to me. So he said, ‘I don’t think you are in the position to say no to the Government of India just yet.’ So I went.”