Happy Thursday, and you know what that means – a brand new episode of Koffee With Karan Season 8! This time, the spotlight was on the charming mother-son duo, Sharmila Tagore and Saif Ali Khan, who added their own flavor to Karan Johar’s chat show. Sipping on coffee, they dished out laughs, anecdotes, and some heartwarming moments.
Saif got real about his past marriage and divorce with Amrita Singh, while Sharmila Ji spilled the beans on why she skipped out on Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani. The episode also took a trip down memory lane into Saif’s early career days, his live-in relationship with Kareena Kapoor Khan, and much more. So, let’s kick back and dive into the top 6 moments from the tenth episode of KWK8!
Here are the top 6 highlights from Koffee With Karan 8 tenth episode
1. Sharmila Tagore explained why she opted out of Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani
In the midst of their chat, Karan Johar steered the conversation towards the intriguing fact that Sharmila Tagore was his first choice for the role eventually portrayed by Shabana Azmi in his recent directorial venture, Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani. Unfortunately, the collaboration couldn’t materialize, and the filmmaker expressed his regret, expressing hope for a potential future project together.
Shedding light on the circumstances, Sharmila Ji shared, “This is at the height of Covid. They hadn’t really grappled with Covid at that time. They didn’t know the vaccine… We were not vaccinated. You know, after my cancer. So, they didn’t want me to take that risk.”
2. Saif Ali Khan and Sharmila Tagore discuss his marriage and divorce with Amrita Singh
The Kuch Kuch Hota Hia director brought up Saif’s spontaneous marriage to his ex-wife, Amrita Singh, at the tender age of 20, all without informing his parents. He probed about the family’s reaction and whether panic ensued.
Sharmila Ji shared her side of the story, recalling, “Actually, I was visiting Mumbai for something, so Saif came to meet me and said, ‘I’ve something to tell you.’ And then he told me. I don’t remember exactly what I was doing, but I was quiet, and he says, ‘Amma, your color is changing. You’re looking different.’ I said, ‘We’ll talk about it later.’ After he left, I rang up Tiger (Saif’s father). There was also a long silence on that part. Then we left it at that.”
She continued, “The next day I called him and said, ‘I’d like to meet her.’ We had tea. We chatted. I liked her, but still, quite shocked.”
Reflecting on breaking the news to his mother, Saif recalled that a tear fell from her eyes, and she expressed feeling hurt, saying, “You have really hurt me.” He then opened up about his decision to get married suddenly at such a young age. He explained, “You know, it was kind of like running away from home, in a sense. There were so many things going on, and I found a kind of security and an idea that this is safe. And it feels great. I thought, you know, I could make a home out of that.”
The Adipurush actor also admitted that marrying at 20 was young, and circumstances changed. Despite this, his ex-wife was a great support, and they share a respectful relationship as co-parents to their two children Sara Ali Khan, and Ibrahim Ali Khan. He also appreciates how Amrita, like everyone else, made an effort to foster a positive dynamic and recalled how she had their children dressed up for his and Kareena’s wedding.
3. Saif Ali Khan reveals the reason behind his replacement in Bekhudi
In the episode, the Tanhaji actor shared insights into his supposed debut film, Bekhudi, where he was initially cast opposite Kajol but got replaced. Explaining the situation, he said, “Well, actually Rahul Rawail had signed Kamal Sadanah first and then replaced him with me, thinking perhaps this kind of casting is a little… And then, you know, I don’t want to blame him, but he did chuck me out of the movie. He said, ‘You’re quite good. People will think it’s because you’re not good, but it’s because I want you to be more committed and more professional.’ I thought I was, but he didn’t think so.”
4. Sharmila Tagore discussed the reception of her ’60s bikini shoot
The iconic actress opened up about her famous bikini shot from the ’60s, sharing that the reactions weren’t what she anticipated. She said, “During the shoot, the photographer was slightly worried. I just thought I looked very nice. What really hurt me later was that everybody interpreted it in such a way, that I was upwardly mobile, trying to catch eyeballs. I didn’t feel like that. I just thought I’d make a very nice….”
She continued, “But when it came out in the magazine, I was in London, so I was unaware until Shaktiji (Shakti Samanta) called me and said, ‘Will you come back quickly? There are terrible things happening here.’ He gave me a dressing down, saying, ‘If you want to be in the public eye, this is not the way to go.’ I used to live alone, and I was very upset with all this, completely opposite of what I thought would happen. So I sent a telegram to Tiger, and he said, ‘I’m sure you are looking very nice.'”
5. Sharmila Tagore admires Kareena Kapoor for her simplicity; shares she and Saif were in a live-in relationship
Sharmila Ji shared a delightful aspect she admires about her daughter-in-law, Kareena Kapoor Khan – her simplicity and straightforwardness. Recalling an incident, she said, “I had friends over, lots of people from Delhi. These two came and were sitting there. I casually said, ‘What’s happening.’ She (Kareena) said, ‘When Saif woke up in the morning, he told me this,’ giving the impression that they are living together. This is Delhi, and these are my friends of my age.”
This prompted her to reflect on the changing times. Sharmila Ji noted that when she was living with her husband before marriage, even if we assume everyone knew about it, she wouldn’t openly discuss it in a room full of people. Kareena, however, spoke about it so naturally, showcasing her simplicity and directness.
6. Gulzar was dismayed to find Saif Ali Khan returning home too late during his stay at his residence
An intriguing anecdote surfaced about how the Dil Chahta Hai actor stayed at his guardian Gulzar’s house in Mumbai after a hair commercial. Saif shared, “I stayed there for a couple of days, and then I went out. We were 20 or 19. Somebody said, ‘Let’s go out. Mumbai is so much fun and everything.’ We came back a little late, or rather a little early in the morning. Gulzar Sahib was up. I was horrified to see. He was in a crisp white Kurta-pyjama, looking very fit and well like he always does. Playing the sitar and doing riyaaz (practising). He was horrified to see me coming home at this time.”
Saif further disclosed that upon his arrival, Gulzar’s daughter, Meghna Gulzar, had relocated from the house due to a prior warning that “this guy is coming.”
