When Kareena revealed Saif’s reaction to Vidya Balan’s The Dirty Picture: ‘He’s afraid I’d want to do something similar’

Kareena Kapoor spoke about her now-husband, actor Saif Ali Khan in a 2012 interview, when she was asked about Vidya Balan’s Dirty Picture. The 2011 film was a biographical musical drama inspired by the life of late Silk Smitha, known for her was bold films. Kareena had said Saif had not ‘even watched it’ and was dodging her every time she had asked him to watch the film with her. Kareena added he was ‘perhaps afraid’ that she would want to do a similar film. Also read: The Dirty Picture had been a very humbling experience, says Vidya Balan

Vidya Balan, who essayed the character of Reshma in The Dirty Picture, had made her Bollywood debut with Parineeta (2005). The film also starred Saif and Sanjay Dutt, among others. Kareena Kapoor had revealed Saif’s reaction to Vidya’s The Dirty Picture, when asked if she would work in a film like it.

“Vidya Balan is definitely the hero of 2011… I don’t know if I would have taken the risk (to do a film like The Dirty Picture), but even if I did I would have balanced it out by making sure there is a Salman Khan or Shah Rukh Khan in the film so that even if the film flops there is something that will balance it,” Kareena had told India Today, adding, “I don’t know, may be I should ask Saif Ali Khan this. He hasn’t even watched it. Everytime I ask him to watch it he says yeah yeah; perhaps he’s afraid that I’d want to do something similar.”

The Dirty Picture, based on the life of late south Indian actor Silk Smitha, was directed by Milan Luthria. The movie chronicled the life of Vijayalaxmi, popularly known as Silk Smitha, who was known for her bold roles and dance numbers, and had appeared in more than 200 films. She died at 33 in 1996.

Speaking about her role in The Dirty Picture, Vidya had told new agency PTI in a 2011 interview, “People think Silk was bold only because she used to dress up or pose in certain way… but this was one part of her fearlessness. Some even felt she was shameless but I don’t think she was. Today, girls are in complete command of their life and sexuality… they are unapologetic and take pride in whatever they do. Silk was like that back then, which is why she was misunderstood and people exploited that.”