When glimpses from the peppy track 'Jaadu' in 'Jewel Thief - The Heist Begins' dropped online earlier this month, it generated online brouhaha over actor Jaideep Ahlawat's smooth dancing moves. “It's all about stealing hearts,” says Jaideep, casually. His co-actor in the heist thriller, Saif Ali Khan chips in and says, “People are always pigeonholing actors and expect certain things from certain people. A person is capable of so many things. Jaideep is an amazing dancer. While it's nice to surprise people, I am not particularly surprised.” 'Jewel Thief - The Heist Begins', which streams on Netflix from April 25, pits Saif against Jaideep as they engage in a game of one-upmanship over the theft of a red diamond priced at Rs 500 crore. Saif essays the role of Rehan Roy, a charming and cunning thief, while Jaideep is Rajan Aulakh, a cool and calculated mafia boss. Talking about Jaideep's casting, Saif says, "When we wanted a deadly Rajan Aulakh, Jaideep would transform into that. While working with him, I was reminded how much an actor can commit to creating a character. He lost weight, dyed his hair and dressed up for the role," says Saif. Both co-producer Siddharth Anand and Saif, who had been talking about this project for a while and reworking the script, knew they needed someone like Jaideep for that role. "We were apprehensive if he would do something like this that seemed to be out of his comfort zone. Still, we decided to ask Jaideep, hoping that he would look at it as a challenge," says Anand. But not only was Jaideep confident that he could pull it off, but he also brought so much more to the role. Jaideep, a Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), Pune graduate, has won accolades for his performance in movies such as Raazi (2018), An Action Hero (2022) and Jaane Jaan (2023) and series such as Paatal Lok Season 1 (2020) and Season 2 (2025). He has established himself as one of India's finest actors with his portrayal of Inspector Hathiram Chaudhary as he fights his inner demons as well as criminals in Paatal Lok. While his performance in Three of Us marked with subtlety, he is riveting as an enigmatic math teacher in Jaane Jaan. Talking about his collaboration with Saif, Jaideep says, “There is a bucket-list of actors one wishes to work with. Saif is amazing in so many films that I knew it would be a great learning experience. He has suggestions for everything from the lighting to the look on the sets. I want to have the kind of energy and involvement he has even after 30 years of work. Complacency can be harmful for an actor.” Saif has an explanation for his deep involvement with different aspects of filmmaking. “A film is forever, for the rest of your life. It is such a privilege to be in front of the camera. While working with Jaideep. I was reminded of the intensity of commitment as well as the basics, such as how to enjoy creating the look of a character or be mindful about small actions.” Saif has featured in several Indian movies, including Dil Chahta Hai (2001), Hum Tum (2004) and Omkara (2006), apart from much talked about series like Sacred Games (2018-19) on Netflix and Tandav (2021) on Prime Video. Even as the two lead actors of Jewel Thief expressed their deep admiration for each other, Ruchikaa Kapoor Sheikh, director of Original Films, Netflix India, has a “rider”. She said, “This camaraderie does not exist in the film. The way they go after each other in the film, makes you realise that they are great actors. The love and energy they share for each other transforms into a different energy on screen.” She calls the new Netflix release, which is directed by Kookie Gulati and Robbie Grewal, “a classic heist story with a fresh narrative and formidable cast”. While Saif has played a range of diverse characters – including Agent Vinod – over the decades, he still finds it exciting to be part of a caper or thriller. “It's my dream to do different kinds of movies. But there is something about these movies (thrillers and action dramas) if you get it right with background music, lighting, hair-makeup and the cast, it can be magical. That's what we're doing – trying to create a series of those moments,” says the Ek Hasina Thi (2004) actor. Speaking to The Indian Express earlier, Jaideep had expressed his desire to play larger-than-life characters. “My character in Jewel Thief is larger-than-life. It was good to play that because people tag you as a 'serious actor' and jump to the conclusion that you can't shake a leg. So, I wanted to try something new on screen,” he says. Saif believes that one should take “risks” while choosing a film or character without being “reckless”. “We should strive to be as creative as we can, keeping the constraints and commerce in mind,” Saif says. How tough is it to cast for multi-starrers and get two powerhouse performers together? “Some 10 years ago, if someone said we have a two-hero idea, I would not even hear it because here I knew the casting would be tough. However, times have changed and people are seeing merit in collaboration,” says Anand, the director of popular entertainers such as Salaam Namaste (2005), War (2019) and Pathaan (2023). Jewel Thief is the first offering of his production house Marflix Pictures, which he has co-founded with his wife Mamta Anand.
