Saif Ali Khan arriving late on Bullett Raja sets affected the filming schedule, recalls Tigmanshu Dhulia; ‘I was under a lot of pressure’

Saif Ali Khan was an unexpected choice for Tigmanshu Dhulia’s 2013 film Bullett Raja, and in a recent interview the director reflected on his experience working with the actor. Dhulia noted that the shooting schedule became chaotic; he explained that they had limited time to shoot due to the shorter daylight hours during winter. He also pointed out that Saif was not punctual during the shoot and that they were under a lot of pressure.

Dhulia told Mashable India about his experience: “The experience was very good. It could have been better if I had more time. The shoot was scheduled for 75 days but it wrapped up in 102 days. I was under a lot of pressure.” Tigmanshu elaborated on what went wrong: “We shot in winters so we had less daylight. Saif didn’t reach on time. Otherwise, the experience was good.”

In the same conversation, the director indicated that he prefers actors who surrender completely and leave their problems behind during a shoot. He indicated that he wants actors to be his friends while working with him, and emphasized that they must be willing to let go of arrogance or baggage. He explained that when actors surrender, the process becomes much more manageable.

Bullett Raja also starred Sonakshi Sinha and Jimmy Sheirgill. Set in Uttar Pradesh, the film explores the connections between the mafia and the political landscape of the state. Vidyut Jammwal, Chunky Pandey, Ravi Kishan, Gulshan Grover and Raj Babbar played supporting roles.

Unfortunately, the film received poor reviews from critics and underperformed at the box office. Since then, Tigmanshu Dhulia and Saif Ali Khan have not worked together on any projects.

Saif’s upcoming project is Devara, which stars him opposite Jr NTR and Janhvi Kapoor. The film, which is being shot in Telugu, is slated for a pan-India release on September 27, 2024. He is also roped in for Siddharth Anand’s Jewel Thief- The Red Sun Chapter, which is being produced by Anand under his banner, Marflix Pictures, in association with Mamta Anand. The film is being directed by Robbie Grewal and will also feature the talented Jaideep Ahlawat in a pivotal role.

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