Celebrity Interview: Saif Ali Khan ...

By Subhash K. Jha, Indo-Asian News Service

Mumbai, April 15 (IANS) Saif Ali Khan, who

recently underwent an emergency appendectomy in Kuala Lumpur, says it

is high time he tied the knot with his long-standing girlfriend

Rosa.

"I think we should get married. My mom thinks we should," Saif told

IANS in an interview.

Currently he is in Los Angeles as part of a concert but he is not

allowed to perform and is feeling guilty about it.

"At the end of every show I don't even break into a sweat. That's

how little I am doing for the tour. And I ask myself, what the hell am

I doing?"

Saif is excited about his face appearing on an Australian stamp.

"I'm excited about it. I've ordered 50 of those stamps. I'll probably

frame one in my study."

Excerpts:

Q: Is Rosa with you in LA?

A: She's joined me from England. I think we should get married. My

mom thinks we should.

Q: Saif, how are you coping with the concerts after your

operation?

A: I am doing okay. I have been jetlagged. I haven't performed much,

so it's a bit depressing. They are paying me well, so here I am on

stage. I didn't have to come for the concerts. But I did because I

wanted to.

In fact, Sushmita (Sen) mentioned it on stage. She said something

very cool. She said the show would have been finished if I hadn't come

along. I am not dancing... Maybe I'll play the guitar in my next

concert. There's some hectic travelling. But I am relaxed.

Q: You are feeling guilty?

A: Yeah... At the end of every show I don't even break into a sweat.

That's how little I am doing for the tour. And I ask myself, what the

hell am I doing? I had seen how hard Shah Rukh Khan worked during our

Temptations tour. I know it isn't my fault if I had surgery.

But they really love me out here. When I see the audiences' response

I am like... 'Wow!' They probably feel sympathetic towards me for

limping to LA after surgery.

Q: That surgery was sudden!

A: You can say that again! It wasn't laser surgery. The surgeon used

a knife on my stomach. But it was really good surgery. I can't think of

a better place than Malaysia to fall ill. The hospital was unbelievably

clean, like a five-star hotel. Also not expensive... not that it

mattered at a time like that. But when I saw the hospital bills, I

didn't baulk.

Q: Your face has been put on an Australian stamp...

A: I don't think it's a big deal. They just captured a particular

moment from the Commonwealth Games, and I happened to be part of that

moment where India is being represented. I looked up the other stamps

on the Internet, which have been released for the occasion...It wasn't

like they decided, 'Let's put Saif Ali Khan on the stamp'.

I just happened to be there. But yes, I'm excited about it. I've

ordered 50 of those stamps. I'll probably frame one in my study. But it

isn't like Satyajit Ray being felicitated for his contribution to

cinema or something.

Q: But the spoilsports say, why him?

A: The spoilsports - that's a good one - don't realise they weren't

celebrating an Indian star but the spirit of India. So these

spoilsports can just put their fangs away. But it's great fun. Someone

asked, why not Rani (Mukerji) and Ash (Aishwarya Rai)? I said I am much

sexier.

Q: The spoilsports also think you shouldn't have charged huge money

at the Commonwealth Games.

A: First of all, it wasn't huge. It was what one normally gets paid

to perform at a televised event. And if they didn't want stars, they

could have got routine dancers for a much lesser price. No one pays you

until they think you are worth it. And these people didn't even argue

about the money. Perhaps this is the first time we got paid for a

government-sponsored event. Maybe that's bothering some people. Not me,

though.

Q: Did you enjoy doing the bhangra with Rani?

A: Oh yes! It was one helluva spectacle. I thought it would be just

an ordinary stage performance. But when I got to the stage in Melbourne

I saw 800 dancers. This was the same playing field where my grandfather

and father had played cricket. So it was an unbelievable

experience...with an unbelievable amount of people.

Q: Do you still regret not being a cricketer?

A: Not any more. I used to regret it until recently. But cricket was

never a serious career option.

Q: Until recently you were seen as a frivolous hedonist in your

close circle.

A: That I still am...okay, no longer so. It's time for me to get

serious.