- Saif Ali Khan was the chief guest on NDTV's Jai Jawan Independence Day program in Uri
- He performed his 2012 hit songs Ole Ole and Pungi for the Indian Army jawans
- Saif played guitar and ate lunch with soldiers, making pooris in the kitchen
Cricket, guitar and books: Can you imagine Saif Ali Khan without these three things? And if there's a Saif Ali Khan, can playing guitar be far behind?
Saif Ali Khan spent a day with the Indian jawans in Uri as the chief guest on the 2026 edition of NDTV's Independence Day flagship programme Jai Jawan, and he did all that he knows best.
The Haiwaan actor set the stage on fire with his OG '90s hit Ole Ole and the chartbuster Pungi from Agent Vinod, also starring Kareena Kapoor.
From the 2012 film Agent Vinod, picturised on Saif Ali Khan and sung by Mika, the song became a rage for its catchy tune and the actor's antics. It was composed by Pritam and penned by Amitabh Bhattacharya and Neelesh Misra.
Calling himself a trendsetter for putting a whiskey glass on his head, Saif Ali Khan shared an anecdote with the Indian Army soldiers.
"The shoot was interesting. The choreographer told me some moves and then asked me to do the rest on my own. So that was all improvised. And if you remember, the song starts with a whiskey glass on my head. And that became so famous in Animal when Bobby Deol did it. But actually it all started from this song. It was a trendsetter," he told NDTV's Meenakshi Kandwal.
Saif also ate lunch with the jawans. He cooked pooris with them in the kitchen.
The actor also soothed the soldiers' minds by playing guitar.
He visited the Kaman Aman Setu on the Jhelum river, which was built by the Indian Army within six hours.
Kaman Aman Setu, also known as the Bridge of Peace, is located in the Uri sector of the Baramulla district in Jammu and Kashmir, India. It sits directly on the Line of Control, serving as the last border point connecting the Indian side to Pakistan-administered Kashmir.
A passionate cricket buff, Saif Ali Khan also played cricket with the soldiers.
"Cricket is another bonding sport. When you play with people, it makes you respect them on a different level. I had a lot of fun," he said.
Dressed in a bulletproof jacket and riding the Casper vehicle, Saif Ali Khan trekked, shot at the gun range, and called the experience "tiring" but exciting.