Saif Ali Khan admits that the ‘Adipurush’ controversy was 'unsettling'; says “you need to stay away from religion...'

The 2023 released ‘Adipurush’ was one of the most highly awaited movies in the entertainment world. Despite the money and efforts invested in the making of this movie, the film faced a lot of criticism. Bollywood’s Nawab, Saif Ali Khan played the antagonist role of Raavan in the movie, and a case was filed in Uttar Pradesh against him and the director Om Raut by an advocate alleging that the actor and filmmaker have hurt the religious sentiments.This controversy took an uglier turn when Saif in one of his statements suggested that the character of Raavan would be depicted as more ‘humane.’
Though he did retract the statement later, the damage was done. Reflecting on the same incident, Saif Ali Khan in a conversation with India Today mentioned that the entire episode of ‘Adipurush’ backlash was ‘unsettling.’ He mentioned he wasn’t aware that the issue would go to such an extent and he as well as the movie and makers will face so much flake. Taking note of the incident he emphasized that one must be careful about what one is saying.
“There was a case and some kind of decision taken up by the court that said an actor is responsible for what he says on screen. I know a lot of people are not free to say or do whatever they want. We all have to police ourselves slightly and be a bit careful; otherwise, there could be trouble,” said the actor.
When it comes to topics surrounding religion, politics, or other sensitive subjects, it is very important to be very careful with the choice of words one uses. “There are certain areas like religion that you need to stay away from. We are not here to make trouble.”
Saif also recalled his experience of playing a politician in the series 'Tandav' and said the show ran into a fair amount of trouble. "So, you learn from the job. You need to be away from these areas,” he added.
He explained that as an actor he aims to bring people together irrespective of caste and creed. However, his words did highlight that actors and filmmakers need to be more sensitive while dealing with certain subjects.