Has Kareena taken over Saif’s career?

The star-wife is reportedly micro-managing her husband’s career, albeit from behind-the-scenes

Krishnan M 

Film wives are an ambitious lot. After all, their husband’s career is their currency in society.  Big and small actors are happy to hand them the reins and sit back.

Like Pankaj Tripathi’s dates-schedule is handled by his wife, Mridula.  And, she has openly said to industry walas, “There are times when I threaten to give up his diary because it is quite a challenge.  But he has more faith in me than I have.’’ Pankaj has also told the media that he cannot even imagine what he would do without Mridula’s efficiency.  “She manages my schedules so effortlessly.  But I know it’s a challenge and I’m indebted to her for life.’’

Now Kareena Kapoor Khan is in another league.  She’s a sought-after actor in her own right and she also efficiently juggles the roles of a star-wife, mother, model, etc.

It needs to be stressed that Kareena’s calling card is not, ‘just Mrs. Saif Ali Khan.’  She has her own acting career to handle.  But insiders have observed that every time her husband ‘feels stuck’ or it appears like he has hit the pause button, the missus comes forward with her ingenious thinking.

A quick flashback.  An insider said, “In 2014, when Saif and his partner Dinesh Vijan were struck by the seven-year-itch and broke up their partnership at Illuminati, Bebo moved into the driver’s seat and made sure that Saif was protected. Dinesh moved forward to make Maddock Films; Saif focussed on his acting career.’’

For the last few years, Saif’s career has plateaued. He has been having the occasional super-hit like Tanhaji, where he played the antagonist but he has also delivered many duds like Vikram Vedha, Adipurush and indifferent films like Jewel Thief on OTT.  

Though he awaits the release of one of his most ambitious, crime-thrillers, Haiwaan, directed by Priyadarshan, where he plays the hero and Akshay Kumar plays the villain, Saif seems to be a bit lost.  His Kartavya that released on OTT, got polarised views, and this didn’t really help the Nawab as much as it should have. 

And, here comes the twist.  A short time ago, Saif ditched his agency run by his close-mate of many years, Afsar Zaidi and moved to a rival, more busy talent agency.  It is rumoured that one of Zaidi’s ex-staffer made this happen. And behind all this quick-thinking is reportedly the sharp acumen of Kareena, who knows she has to pull out all the stops to make her husband soar again.

Besides the talent agency, Saif has also made some other strategic changes and got himself a new support staff.  Once more, people are applauding Bebo’s ‘thinking-on-her-feet’ formula.

Like the adage goes, behind every successful man, is a woman who thinks quick and acts fast. Do I hear other star-wives quickly taking tips from the Begum of Bollywood?  Well, they should.