We want to show that Indian Muslims also feel patriotic: Saif Ali Khan on Phantom

The Bollywood star says he is looking forward to Phantom's release because it's an 'important' film

Bollywood star Saif Ali Khan says his character of an Indian Muslim in Phantom has a crucial undercurrent because he wanted to show that Indian Muslims also feel patriotic about their country.

"We haven't stressed much that he is an Indian Muslim, but according to me, it holds substantial importance as an undercurrent influence. Director Kabir Khan, I, and producer Sajid Nadiadwala are all Indian Muslims. So in a way, we wanted to show that Indian Muslims also feel patriotic," the actor said speaking to IANS.

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"Phantom is an important film and I am looking forward to it,” he added.



When speaking about issues that the film is currently facing in Pakistan the actor said:

"Something gets banned automatically. We try and show reality in films. The world has become such a disturbed place so reality has become more interesting than fiction. It is good to have factual base, it makes things exciting."

Focus News reported that the actor spoke about the pressures Pakistani authorities are facing regarding the release of Phantom:

“I know the censor board chief in Pakistan… he is a balanced guy and he also wants to be progressive, but he must be having his own pressures. His government might be making some laws… making things difficult, I don’t know how much control he has. But situations are not easy between two countries.

“It is not difficult to get back, we are trying to make a realistic kind of a movie on Kashmir. May be from their side they make a movie which we might ban… who knows,” he said.

Read: I find it funny that a 'wanted terrorist' can go to court in Pakistan: Saif Ali Khan



Saif plays Indian Army captain Daniyal Khan in the film, which also stars Katrina Kaif.

About his character, he said: "He is terminated from the army as he is accused of cowardice. He stays in Kashmir in a depressed state, having differences with his father and others.

"After numerous attacks, RAW thinks we are not responding enough and we need to hire a crazy person to go there and attack.

"He accepts as he wants to regain his respect and prove his worth to his father. His journey in the mission and if he is successful or not is what the film is about," he said.

Saif also said that Phantom director Kabir Khan has similarities with veteran director JP Dutta in capturing the rugged essence of the country.

"Kabir Khan is like JP Dutta sahab. I think there are no other directors who can showcase India's ruggedness on the big screen. The manner in which the shots of Himalayas were taken or the one showing the rugged landscape of India are brilliant since he (Kabir) knows about these things and is interested too," he said.

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"Every film is just like the personality of the director and Kabir's personality is exactly like this," he added.



JP Dutta is well-known for depicting war and turmoil in films such as Border, Refugee and LOC Kargil. Similarly, all of Kabir Khan's films have also had themes based on terrorism, war and cross-border disputes.

Sharing his experience of working in the film, Saif said, "Kabir made me work extremely hard especially in places such as Beirut and in the Middle-East.

"When I picked up a conversation with one of the guys I was doing my action sequence with, he told me he is with the Hezbollah. Half the junior artistes and local supporting actors in the film belonged to some sort of an extremist faction. Kabir had met them somewhere, I guess. For most part of our shoot, I was just hoping no one shoots us", he added.

The film is set to release on August 28.