Saif Ali Khan Nearly Quit Race Over Confusing Script, Say Abbas-Mustan: 'He Didn't Understand...'

News18

19-07-2025

Abbas-Mustan reveal Saif Ali Khan almost quit Race and five major stars rejected the film for its complex plot, calling it 'a hammer to the head.'
Filmmaking duo Abbas-Mustan, known for their stylish thrillers and unexpected twists, recently opened up about the casting chaos behind their 2008 hit Race. Despite the film's eventual blockbuster status, getting a lead actor on board wasn't easy. In fact, several major Bollywood stars of that era turned it down—because the plot was just too complex.
'Every character in the first Race was grey," the directors shared in a chat with Lucky Bisht on YouTube. 'Five of the biggest stars heard the story and told us they couldn't understand it. One even said it felt like being hit in the head with a hammer. They didn't want to be part of something they couldn't wrap their heads around."
Eventually, their producer suggested they try Saif Ali Khan, who at the time was seeking to shed his romantic-hero image. But even Saif wasn't fully convinced. 'He didn't understand the script either, even after reading it four or five times," Abbas-Mustan admitted. 'But he told us he'd do the film if we gave him great songs."
However, the twist came off-screen first—Saif even tried to quietly back out. 'He later went behind our back and tried to get out of the film," the directors revealed with a chuckle.
Known for keeping their audiences guessing, Abbas-Mustan said they always aim to 'play with the audience's mind." And their efforts were acknowledged by none other than Amitabh Bachchan himself. They recalled a memorable conversation when Bachchan said he had watched Race on a flight: 'I sat stunned for three hours after watching the film. You did a great job."
Adding a dash of humour to the behind-the-scenes drama, Saif once shared during an East India Comedy interview how co-star Bipasha Basu had one day casually revealed on set that she had just seen a film called Goodbye Lover—and that it had the exact same plot as Race. When confronted, Abbas-Mustan sheepishly admitted that it was indeed their 'inspiration."
Race went on to become a major franchise. Saif returned for Race 2, while Race 3 starred Salman Khan and was directed by Remo D'Souza. A fourth film with Saif reportedly reprising his role is currently in early discussions.
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