In a recent interview, Saif Ali Khan revealed that he has stopped dancing at billionaires' weddings because it makes him uncomfortable.
Celebrities gracing billionaires' weddings are a common occurrence, especially in India. These days, however, the trend is to not only invite celebrities as guests but also as entertainers at every wedding event. The most recent example of this was when we saw A-list stars, including Varun Dhawan, Janhvi Kapoor, Madhuri Dixit, and Jennifer Lopez, performing at billionaire Rama Raju Mantena's daughter, Netra Mantena's, wedding a few months back in Udaipur.
While most Bollywood celebs have gotten accustomed to this, actor, Saif Ali Khan, in a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter India, revealed that he is not too comfortable dancing at such weddings, especially after his aunt once humiliated him for doing so.
Dancing at billionaires' weddings is a sure-shot way of going viral these days, especially if it's a renowned Bollywood celebrity. Despite this, actor, Saif Ali Khan has taken a step back from performing at weddings. While it felt pretty natural to him when he was younger and was only starting out in his career, now it feels less fitting. He recalled a memorable moment, or should we say a humiliating one, from a wedding he danced at back in the day, during an interview with The Hollywood Reporter India. He said:
"I was dancing at a wedding once in Bombay and my aunt, my father’s sister, who is quite a regal lady, came backstage, and said, ‘Don’t tell me you are dancing at this wedding’. So there is a bit of that. You can’t, you know, but if you see yourself as an entertainer, and if there is no family connection or an aunt to humiliate you for doing it, then it’s fine.”
While he doesn't have anything against actors who willingly perform at billionaires' weddings, Saif clarified that his discomfort mainly stems from the blurred lines between being a guest and a performer. This is because many times an actor might also be part of the same social circle as the wedding guests. On the off chance that this happens, rather than the event feeling celebratory and respectful, it starts feeling intrusive. He said:
"That dichotomy between being a movie actor and being also member of that society that’s having the wedding, there is sometimes a disconnect. The platform should always treat you as a star."
In comparison to India, Saif noted that his comfort levels while performing at a wedding abroad change significantly. He recalled having a wonderful time while dancing at a wedding in Portugal, which was set in a beautiful villa and also had a proper stage. However, when it comes to more local places like Haryana, he feels that something about that is “a little more public or a little more intense.” According to him, one should be a little more discerning about how much of themselves they give out.
When asked whether dancing at a wedding somehow ruins an actor's image or reputation, Saif strongly disagreed. He said that it's completely fine, and that what shouldn't happen is that an actor “shouldn't do films for money.” Furthermore, claiming that he completely understands why actors take on such appearances at weddings, he concluded by saying:
"It’s great when a billionaire comes to town, and he wants 20 actors to perform. We have all done it at Ramesh Bhai’s wedding or somebody and got paid a bomb. Maybe today, it doesn’t fit into things that I am massively comfortable doing, but that’s just me.”
What are your thoughts on Saif Ali Khan feeling humiliated by his aunt after performing at a billionaire’s weddings?
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