Saif Ali Khan compares 'Haiwaan' director Priyadarshan to his father Tiger Pataudi: 'Both cricketers and both lost an eye but...'

Saif Ali Khan is gearing up for the release of 'Haiwaan', directed by Priyadarshan and co-starring Akshay Kumar, where he plays a visually impaired musician and martial arts coach. In a candid chat, Saif spoke about drawing parallels between his director and his late father, cricketer Tiger Pataudi, and him being called Gen Z.Talking about Priyadarshan in an interview with the Hindustan Times, Saif Ali Khan said, "Priyadarshan is like Clint Eastwood: senior and calm. He reminds me of my dad. Both cricketers and both lost an eye but great in their professional space. Priyadarshan gives you just one take so you have to make quick decisions as an actor, and he wraps up shoot in time every single day."Despite not being on social media, Saif Ali Khan is often the subject of viral memes, with old interview clips and humorous moments frequently doing the rounds. Reacting to a viral clip where netizens thought he was seeking his own blessings, Saif laughed and said, "It was a huge poster of myself, so I was just wishing the film and me good luck. I am childlike and a little mad. I've been in the profession for 35 years, so I was a very different person at 21-22 years old when I made statements that are going viral now."Saif Ali Khan will be reuniting with Akshay Kumar with 'Haiwaan' for the seventh time. Directed by Priyadarshan, the film also features Saiyami Kher, Shriya Pilgaonkar, Boman Irani, and Jisshu Sengupta. The movie is an official Hindi remake of the 2016 Malayalam suspense thriller 'Oppam', starring Mohanlal. Reportedly, the Malalayam icon will be making a cameo in the Hindi remake.The film is set to hit theatres on September 11, 2026.