Sooraj Barjatya reveals Saif Ali Khan was stressed and insecure on Hum Saath Saath Hain sets, had to be given sleeping medicine: ‘He would mug his lines…’

“Saif would be very nervous during Hum Saath Saath Hain shoot. This is the phase before Dil Chahta Hia. When films don’t work, actors are a little (shaken), so he would be nervous and had such a big part for the first time, that too opposite such big actors. He would keep himself under a lot of pressure. He would work too hard and mug all the lines, repeatedly,” Barjatya said in the video shared by Rajshri Production’s YouTube page.

The director recalled filming the song “Suno Ji Dulhan” from the film and said Saif was unable to do it in one take, prompting him to talk to his then wife, Amrita Singh, and coming up with a unique solution.

“Once, we were filming the song Suno Ji Dulhan, where Saif had to copy Alok ji, Mahesh Thakur. When the shoot started, he had to do 5-6 retakes. I thought Saif was a natural actor, he should get it right in one time, this was comedy too. I asked Amrita, his wife, that why is he not able to do it. She said, ‘He doesn’t sleep, keeps looking at the mirror and thinking that this is how he would do it.’ I told her just give him some medicine and make him sleep.

“So she secretly gave him a medicine and he slept. Next day, he woke up and gave a one-take shot! I told him you are a natural actor, sleep well and you would be able to do it! He benefited with Hum Saath Saath Hain and then of course, Dil Chahta Hai happened and then Saif became Saif,” he added.

The film centered on a joint family, who grow apart after a misunderstanding. Hum Saath Saath Hain was one of the biggest hits of the decade.