Jun 01, 2026 5:00pm IST
‘You Have To Make It And Release It Quickly’: Saif Ali Khan On ‘Kartavya’ And Staying Ahead In The Streaming Race (EXCLUSIVE)
Saif Ali Khan’s latest gritty cop drama, “Kartavya,” produced by Red Chillies Entertainment, is streaming exclusively on Netflix. It quickly claimed the No. 1 spot. Yet, while the actor is thrilled with the global love pouring in, he is also refreshingly candid about the film's journey to the screen and the valuable lesson it taught him about the relentless pace of modern cinema.
For Khan, the film's success is a relief, but also a stark reminder of how fast the creative landscape moves. "The beauty of our industry is that it doesn't stay still for very long. So you can't sit on a film or an idea for too long and expect it to be unique. You have to get on with it—make it quickly and release it quickly if you can. Because if you wait around too long, someone will beat you to it. It's a lesson."
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"They have such great titles and such high viewership that most well-publicized films that they release do trend at number one,” Khan explained. "So, apparently, it's not a very big deal. But if you stay there for a while, then it's great."
“Kartavya’s” chart-topping status has brought global validation, with Khan receiving encouraging reviews and calls “from actually all over the world.” However, having been a streaming pioneer in India since “Sacred Games,” a show that Khan featured in, the actor isn't blinded by algorithmic success. He acknowledges that Netflix's massive reach means well-publicized films naturally trend at the top initially, but the real test is longevity.
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