Wait! Saif wants a massage

At a promotion for Love Aaj Kal, Saif was charming and witty. But sensitive? Bah! The Chhote Nawab took two hours off to pamper his sore back while reporters could only grind their teeth and gnaw off their pens

Not even the sight of Saif Ali Khan's waxed chest and startlingly young face could make up for the excruciating two-hour wait at PVR Cinemas last afternoon.

The actor-producer, who scurried into the Gold Class auditorium to promote Love Aaj Kal, had kept reporters waiting from 12.30 pm to 2.30 pm because he was getting a massage for a sore back.

If only he'd heard one of the PVR worthies placate us with: 'His flight is delayed, you know', even as an insider revealed that the star was running late because he'd made an unscheduled stop at the five-star gym and salon to pamper his body temple.

"Sensible eating, yoga and weight training," came the rehearsed response. "Forty is a good age though when I entered the industry 20 years ago, I thought they'd tell me to pack up and leave when I touched forty! The idea is to look young by investing in your looks. Anil Kapoor and Amitabh Bachchan are inspiring examples."

Cringe factor out

Is forty also the cue for the Chhote Nawab to turn conservative? "My company will make family films that you can watch with your mother and sister," he declared, adding that his productions would be free of the "cringe" factor. No passionate smooches; only chaste and correct kisses. That certainly will keep Kareena happy, won't it? "We are thorough professionals and we respect each other's work," he replied, huffily.

Were the vibes he shared with Deepika on the sets of Love Aaj Kal also 'chaste' and 'correct'? "I've never been one to socialise with my co-stars. I never chat them up on the sets because I believe in giving them their space and privacy. I haven't interacted much with Deepika but her work in the film is phenomenal. She's left her stamp on the role. No one else could have played it to such perfection," he replied.

The wisecracks and witty repartee were missing, perhaps because of the sore back and long ride around town, but Saif gamely admitted that the film industry had sorted him out. "When you use dirty toilets and eat greasy food on the sets, your character is formed. The film industry is a taxing place to be in and cinema is taxing business," he observed.

So much to do...

Once he's done with promoting his first production and wrapping up Qurban, a Karan Johar film on terrorism, Saif's hoping to explore his other talents. "I want to play the guitar which I find very liberating. I'm learning to speak French fluently, which I am justu00a0 two months away from. I'm reading an eight-part graphic novel on Buddha by an author whose name I can't recall right now, and I'm dreaming of producing a Spaghetti Western or a period film."

On the horizon is a stage show in Houston, USA, which he claims he's dreading and a European holiday, which he'll treat himself to just after his birthday, before plunging into Agent Vinod with Kareena. Of immediate concern is the release of Love Aaj Kal minus too many cuts.

"I'm meeting so many associations and boards that I've lost count! It wasn't the Censor Board, which asked for some dialogue cuts, but the Cultural Heritage Board that had some concerns about the use of the word 'sardar'. I understand their concerns because Sikhs have been caricatured in movies in the past. But the character of Veer Singh in Love Aaj Kal is portrayed as an honourable, sweet and committed man," he explained.

Missing Deepika

Why aren't Deepika Padukone and Rahul Khanna accompanying him on his promotional tours? "We decided that the lead actors would promote the film. I would've loved to bring Deepika along, because of her Bangalore connection, but she's ill. Also, I am at a stage in my career when I can take a month off to do what I want to do while the others can't do that just yet."

Clearly, he's enjoying his role as producer. "At the office, I'm surrounded by pretty girls, whom we've hired by the dozen," he quipped. On a more serious note, he said acting in Being Cyrus had kindled his interest in film production. "It was a small-budget film with an international feel to it. That set me thinking. And when Eros approached me with the idea of making a film, we got rolling. Love Aaj Kal is the ideal subject because it's a contemporary love story on evolving relationships in an era when there are huge pressures on the woman in the relationship."

And what of rumours on his double role? "No double role, please. I play Jai, the commitment-phobic modern guy who can't handle the pressures of a long-distance relationship. He is counselled by Veer Singh, Rishi Kapoor, who owns a coffee bar in London. The twist is that I also play young Veer Singh. I promise you the movie is not as confusing as I sound," he says, before rushing off to the restroom with a bunch of cameramen in hot pursuit.

Pooja vs Saif: Bangalore babe wins
While TV crews and shutterbugs paced PVR Gold Class, waiting for Saif to arrive, there was drama of another kind happening on the ground floor. Petite Pooja Gandhi, clad in a canary yellow halter, and Vijay Raghavendra were shooting for Gokula, surrounded by star-struck fans and burly policemen.

The motley crowd downstairs was oblivious to Saif's imminent arrival, as they tracked Pooja's every move and blocked the camera at times. One of the policemen, who came to investigate where the TV crew was going, took in the plush red carpet inside Gold Class and the giant-sized bouquet on the table, and walked off clearly unimpressed by some Bombay boy who didn't hold his unwavering gaze like the well-endowed Pooja did!

He's like the wind
Ten minutes of Saif Ali Khan was all waiting fans got at Reliance Hypermart.

RJ Prithvi, MC at the event, was trying hard to keep the waiting crowd fruitfully occupied. So, he picked a few people from the crowd who could meet Saif and ask him questions.

And then it happened. Saif's silver Mercedes rolled in at 4.20pm and the crowd surged towards him, making it difficult for him to get out of the car.

When he got to the dais, it was clear that this was a man in a hurry. He spoke rapidly, mouthing rehearsed platitudes.

And then, he picked out one person from among The Chosen and autographed her jeans, which she had won on a contest conducted by Radio One.u00a0

Another round of thanks and Saif was ready to go. It was 4.30pm.

After he left, Prithvi distributed audio CDs of Love Aaj Kal, autographed by Saif, to The Chosen. Ah well u2026 what's that they say about half a loaf?

Inputs by Michelle Wilfred

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