Amid Don 3 row, Saif Ali Khan says Farhan Akhtar ‘was born to direct’

5 min readMumbaiJun 13, 2026 04:31 PM IST

Saif Ali Khan praised Farhan Akhtar's directorial vision.

Released 25 years ago, Farhan Akhtar’s debut directorial Dil Chahta Hai changed Hindi cinema forever. A coming-of-age story that captured the aspirations and friendships of a generation, the film continues to enjoy cult status even today. Fans frequently revisit the film and often urge Farhan to make a sequel, hoping to discover what became of Aakash, Sid and Sameer long after the credits rolled. While a sequel may not be on the horizon, Saif Ali Khan recently reflected on his experience of making the film and recalled the unforgettable time the cast and crew spent together during the shoot.

‘Farhan Akhtar was born to direct’

“Making Dil Chahta Hai was a lot of fun. It was insane. I think it was the most fun because it was Goa, and we were very young,” he told Variety India. He added, “We shot on the beach and we partied as well. I remember we tried almost every restaurant in Goa. And because we were all so young, we had the energy to eat, drink, party and then come back for a shoot.”

Speaking about the atmosphere on set and how the film was completed in exactly 105 days as originally planned, Saif credited Farhan’s effortless approach to filmmaking. “We were laughing most of the time because Farhan wore it all very lightly. It was like he was born to direct, with the ease with which he was on a set. There was no tension, really. We were just told to know our lines. No figuring it out once you get there. Just learn your lines and then the rest was great fun,” he added.

Saif Ali Khan initially rejected DCH

While Saif’s portrayal of Sameer remains one of the most loved performances of his career, not many know that the actor had initially turned down the film because he was unhappy with the length of his role. In a 2001 interview with journalist Nilufer Qureshi, when asked why he had refused to star in Dil Chahta Hai, Saif said, “I’d said no because I was hardly there in the second half. Dimple asked me to reconsider my decision. Javed (Akhtar) saab assured me that he’d look into things.” However, the film’s eventual success changed his perspective. Saif admitted that the length of a role was far less important than its impact.

“I’ve realised that the length of a role isn’t important. I signed on just because of the two scenes in the restaurant and in the car. I knew Sameer wouldn’t be forgotten. I worked very very hard. Though I did expect a response, I didn’t imagine it would be so overwhelming,” he said. He further added that the appreciation he received for the role felt like “winning an Oscar.” “Even co-stars who hadn’t kept in touch have called. It feels good when your work is appreciated.”

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Don 3 row

Saif’s praise for Farhan comes at a time when the actor-filmmaker is navigating one of the most challenging phases of his career following the shelving of Don 3 after its lead actor, Ranveer Singh, allegedly exited the project just days before filming was scheduled to begin. As reported earlier by SCREEN, Excel Entertainment subsequently approached the Producers Guild of India seeking compensation for losses incurred during the film’s pre-production. Multiple rounds of mediation involving senior industry figures reportedly failed after the production house sought Rs 45 crore in damages, while Ranveer is said to have offered Rs 10 crore along with a discount on a future collaboration.

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The dispute was later escalated to the Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE). Claiming that Ranveer had failed to respond to multiple notices, the film body issued a non-cooperation directive against the actor, effectively discouraging its members from working with him until the matter was resolved. The directive was revoked on June 3.

A few months ago, Farhan addressed the uncertainty that often accompanies filmmaking during an interview with The Hollywood Reporter India. “What I’ve learnt is expect the unexpected. You can’t take anything for granted until it’s on film. You realize at some point there’ll be a period that would come that would be a bit challenging. You’ve had it good. It’s okay, just take it in your stride. I inculcated a lot from the experiences of people who came before me. There will be these moments which will come along that’ll be challenging creatively and existentially. You’d wonder, do I have what it takes?”