Saif Ali Khan has long been associated with some of Bollywood’s most loved romantic comedies. However, the actor now believes that the traditional romcom genre no longer connects with audiences the way it once did. In a recent interaction with Hindustan Times, Saif shared his thoughts on the changing landscape of romantic comedies in Indian cinema and explained why he feels the genre has gradually lost its place in mainstream storytelling.

Saif Ali Khan says romcoms are a “failed experiment” in Indian cinema, but admits he still loves them

Reflecting on his own career, the actor said, “I loved doing romcoms, but I feel they were like an anomaly in Indian cinema which might have even started and finished with me in a sense. I think romcoms are a failed experiment, although a beautiful one.”

Saif further explained that audience expectations from love stories have evolved significantly over the years. According to him, modern viewers are now looking for emotional depth and relatability rather than stories centered around privileged urban confusion.

“There is something going deeper in the Indian society which is the want for a love story,” he said, before adding, “A romcom is technically this confused privileged guy who has everything on his plate, but is still confused, so people don’t really connect with it now. They wonder what is his problem.”

The actor also admitted that age and life experience change how audiences perceive such characters on screen. Sharing a humorous anecdote involving wife Kareena Kapoor Khan, Saif revealed, “My wife said to me that things must be sorted now in your head, you can’t be playing these confused men.”

He jokingly added that perhaps the next generation should now carry the romcom legacy forward. “Ibrahim Ali Khan should do more of it now, it’s our family business,” he said with a laugh.

Despite his observations about the genre’s decline, Saif made it clear that he still holds romantic comedies close to his heart and remains open to doing another love story in the future.

“I loved those movies and they mean a lot to me. I had a great time working on them. I would love to do a love story, or even a comedy that ends in romance. Now, I feel I can do another romcom, there is still one there in me,” he shared.

Apart from discussing romantic comedies, Saif also commented on the increasing intensity and violence seen in modern storytelling, particularly in action films. According to the actor, the shift reflects the times audiences are currently living in.

“Why that is happening, I don’t know but it is happening, and for that, there is a more intense kind of narration required,” he said. “The same story is being told in a much more intense narration now. It’s not just enough to tell the story, it has to shake you up, punch you a bit and sometimes maybe even put you off.”

On the professional front, Saif Ali Khan is currently being seen in Kartavya, which recently released on Netflix.

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