Bollywood film star, Kareena Kapoor Khan, who has extended her London vacation by a couple of days, in a recent interview with TOI talks about the two men in her life currently — husband, Saif and her Bajrangi Bhaijaan co-star, Salman Khan.
Are you happy that you have managed to extend your holiday for a wee bit? Yes, I am. When I come back to Mumbai, I will get headlong into the promotions of Bajrangi Bhaijaan. From August, I shoot back to back for two films continuously for four months. So, I'm happy with every extra day, or for that matter, hour that I get to spend with Saif. On this trip to London, I also had mom, dad, Lolo, her two children, Saif and Ibrahim with me. I love family time because it keeps me grounded. It makes me feel stable. Besides routine stuff like sight-seeing and shopping, what else do Saif and you do on vacation? The best habit that Saif has got me into is reading. Quite often, both of us sit down in the same room and read. He says we must let our books take us into another world. I recommend everyone should try that. Believe me, that is such a wonderful thing.
What is the thing you like best about Salman? The nicest thing about Salman is that I'm pampered on his set. And what I envy most about him is that his fans are fiercely loyal to him. Salman has God's hand on him.
How was the experience of working with Kabir Khan? I have worked with a gamut of filmmakers in 15 years. And I have made a conscious decision to work with new filmmakers. I was excited about working with Kabir, especially considering he had just finished shooting a film with Saif. And then I started to shoot a film with him. When Kabir called me for Bajrangi Bhaijaan, I just felt the energy was right. Kabir makes commercial big-budget movies with a sense of direction, story and purpose. His films are not mindless. There is drama, emotion and the nicest thing about Kabir is that he has always worked with gorgeous people.
Everyone is busy promoting their films on social media. How come you do not do that? The reason why I am not on social media is because despite my not being on any online platform, my fans keep me alive on it. Social media is a great platform to connect with your fans but it is also an added responsibility. Between work and Saif, I have my hands full.
So, if you have a message for a friend from the industry, then how do you communicate? I don't need social media to convey my messages. For e.g. Priyanka is on my BBM. So, we message each other. Alternately if I have a message for her I will pick up the phone and call her. There is no need for me to put it on social media. I'm old school, writing a note or picking up a phone on a friend or a colleague is so much more charming and warm. When you talk of friendship or staying connected with your friends in the industry, what's the harm in picking up the phone and talking to each other.
Saif is picking and choosing his films with a lot more care now, right? Saif has an amazing gut instinct. I keep telling him he should do what he wants. He is a marvellous actor. If he sticks to the cinema he believes in, the sky is the limit for him.