Saif Ali Khan Says He's Not Like Sacred Games' Sartaj: 'Never Wanted To Drink Phenyl'

Saif Ali Khan on the promotional poster of Sacred Games 2. (Image courtesy: sacredgames_tv)

Actor Saif Ali Khan, who reprises the role of Inspector Sartaj Singh in the second season of Netflix show Sacred Games, told mid-day that he is unlike his onscreen character, whom the 48-year-old actor described as 'suicidal.' When mid-day asked Saif if there are any similarities between him and his onscreen character, the actor jestingly said, "I have never been as down and out as Sartaj. He was contemplating suicide. (The fate of) my films has never made me want to drink phenyl." The second season of Sacred Games will air on Netflix starting August 15.

Sacred Games arguably saved Saif's dwindling career. After four back-to-back box office duds - Rangoon, Chef, Kalakaandi and Baazaar - Saif found success in Sacred Games. But being in the 'rat race' was never his aim. The actor told mid-day, "Being in the rat race is the worst thing one can do to himself. I was discussing with Kareena (his actress wife Kareena Kapoor) that I want to model my career on the lines of Tom Hardy's, who shifts between playing the villain in Batman to doing a top-notch show (Taboo). At this stage of my career, I want to be inimitable. I am developing a range where I am juggling serious stuff and comedy."

Apart from Saif Ali Khan, actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui also returns to the show as Ganesh Gaitonde while actors Kalki Koechlin, Ranvir Shorey and Pankaj Tripathi are the new additions to the ensemble cast of the show. Anurag Kashyap and Neeraj Ghaywan have co-directed Sacred Games 2.