Saif says that audiences like to see him and Karena work with different actors

Saif Ali Khan, who is basking in the success of Cocktail (released recently), took time out to talk about his movie, his equation with Deepika Padukone and most importantly, about his last production Agent Vinod with Movie Chakkar. Although Agent Vinod was one of the biggest openers for Saif, it was panned a lot in the media. But then the Chote Nawab kept his counsel to himself and now with Cocktail starring Deepika Padukone and Diana Penty raking in good initial numbers (41.75 crore net till Monday), Saif speaks out. “I guess Sriram Raghavan likes to make less commercial films when compared to people like Abbas Mustan. Sriram is a wonderful director. There is no lesson to be learnt as it was a different type of film. Having said that, people felt that the film should have had more songs and fun. There is also a perception that the character should have been more like the character in the Pungi song.” So how do you take hits and flops? “Over the years I have become philosophical. I like to make films which I like and now for me the journey is more important.” Coming to the higher numbers most films are grossing, Saif feels that, “Business is growing and one should expect that from all the future projects.’ On the title Cocktail, he says, “That was the working title writer Imtiaz Ali gave us and we could not find anything more appropriate in Hindi, so it was better to have a good English word than something bad in the national language.” Saif also accepted that English titles generally work as “the film targets a more urban audience”. When asked as to why he did not cast Kareena Kapoor as the lead, Saif said, “I think the audience prefers to see us work with other actors and for this particular project, director Homi Adajania felt Deepika fitted the bill.” Lastly, on his personal equation with Deepika he said, “She is very kind sweet and easy to work with, and we have got to work together in many movies by chance.”