Some actors can act, some can follow directions. I don’t know if this is an adage or not, but it should be. Especially considering how these kind of artistes are few and far in between. Saif Ali Khan, who is getting ready for the release of his upcoming feature Laal Kaptaan, certainly falls into this category.

If you don’t believe me, take a look at his filmography. From doing (and mostly failing at) your typical potboilers like Pehla Nasha, Yeh Dillagi, Main Khiladi Tu Anari, Tu Chor Main Sipahi in his 90s to moving on to more meatier roles in the 2000s Kya Kehna, Dil Chahta Hai, Rehna Hai Tere Dil Mein, Kal Ho Naa Ho, Ek Hasina Thi, Hum Tum, Being Cyrus, Omkara among others; it is safe to say that Saif has come a long way.

But who should one credit his remarkable career graph to? Sure, the man can act. But he needs motivation in form of a solid screenplay and an able director. This is not to say that Saif cannot perform, but he needs a push from a crew of talented figures. In fact, Saif himself had accepted that he would not have risked opening his second innings with something as experimental as the 2001 Farhan Akhtar directorial Dil Chahta Hai.