Renaissance Man, Indian James Bond – these are but some of the sobriquets that have been awarded to actor Saif Ali Khan, largely because of his uber cool persona and style. His fans do swear by his style and personality and now with him endorsing a new brand of eyewear, his fans have an option to following his style.
You&Eye Magazine: You’ve been called Renaissance Man and the Indian James Bond. Do you think they go with your overall image?
Saif Ali Khan: I don’t know whether an actor should even have an image because an image can sometimes stereotype you. An actor should actually have an image only of being a good actor.
You&Eye Magazine: But isn’t a star’s image the most important aspect of his or her persona and income?
Saif Ali Khan: There are many aspects to a star’s income really… events, magazine covers, etc, which lead to you being a brand ambassador and people wanting to invest in you.
You&Eye Magazine: You’re not often seen sporting a lot of accessories, are you?
Saif Ali Khan: Honestly, I like to wear interesting watches and dark glasses; the rest of my attire is simple, T-shirt and jeans. But sunglasses are probably my favorite accessory. I think I have around 30 pairs, though I keep losing pairs on and off.
You&Eye Magazine: 30 pairs? Wow. Any other confessions about your eyewear?
Saif Ali Khan: You know… celebrities wear sunglasses a lot. I know I do. Probably conscious of being stared at. Like after long-haul flights when you’re not looking as good as you should, then sunglasses help!
You&Eye Magazine: So coming to eyewear, what were your initial thoughts about the Image eyewear brand that you are currently endorsing?
Saif Ali Khan: Frankly, I wasn’t sure how good they were going to be. But I was pleasantly surprised … there were many Image sunglasses that I would wear myself! In fact, I pinched a couple of pairs! Reading glasses and sunglasses – they are really nice, tasteful, and they’re quite well made. I wear them.
You&Eye Magazine: Your last movie, Race 2, was quite a box office hit. You must have been thrilled that it made to the Rs 100 crore league?
Saif Ali Khan: It would have been nice we could have made it to the Rs 150 crore league. We could have capitalised on the franchise, because the opening was very strong. But still, 100 crore is not bad.
You&Eye Magazine: Your look in recent movies – slicked hair, toned abs and sunglasses, is very James Bond. Intentional?
Saif Ali Khan: I think as an actor I should portray the look that’s needed for my character. If it calls for a pinstripe suit with aviator sunglasses for the look of a businessman, or a tuxedo with square acetate frame spectacles for a sauve secret agent, I can and must pull that look off. Anyway, one can change one’s look instantaneously with the right kind of eyewear. So why should I not experiment? Especially now that I am actively endorsing Image Eyewear!
