'It wasn’t because of his girlfriend': Director, who worked with Sunny Deol, Amrita Singh, clarifies why Saif Ali Khan was dropped from his first movie

Before becoming one of Bollywood’s most dependable and experimental stars, Saif Ali Khan faced a rocky start in the film industry. In the early 1990s, he was still finding his place and was often seen as a charming “chocolate boy” rather than a serious performer. One of the biggest setbacks in his early career was his exit from his debut film, Bekhudi, a controversy that continues to be discussed even today.

For years, rumours suggested that director Rahul Rawail, who is know for movies like Love Story, Betaab, Arjun, Dacait, had asked Saif to choose between his girlfriend and the film. The story implied that the young actor was removed because of his personal relationship. However, Rawail has now set the record straight, dismissing the claim entirely.

Why Saif Ali Khan was removed from his debut movie?

In a recent conversation with SCREEN, the filmmaker clarified that the girlfriend angle was completely incorrect. According to him, Saif’s understanding of the situation was mistaken. He explained, "No, that’s wrong. Saif was wrong about it. He was irresponsible. He did not turn up for the shooting, which really stressed me out. At that time, he used to do that a lot. But he has done very well. I’m very happy with him. He’s changed over the years. When I’m working, I expect people to do their work."



Rahul also shared that he is known for being strict on set and expects discipline from his team. When he commits to a project, he expects everyone involved to show the same level of seriousness. In his view, it was not about personal matters but about work ethic.

For the unversed, Saif was originally cast opposite Kajol in Bekhudi. After his removal, he was replaced by Kamal Sadanah. The incident marked a difficult phase for the actor, who later opened up about the experience.

Speaking on Koffee With Karan Season 8 with Karan Johar, Saif recalled that he was told his attitude needed improvement and that he had to be more committed. He said he believed he was doing fine at the time, but the director felt otherwise. Saif also shared that after being dropped from the film, some other opportunities he had lined up gradually disappeared. He remembered being told that his career might be over before it had even properly begun.



Despite the setback, Saif did not give up. He made his official debut with Parampara, directed by Yash Chopra, in 1993. Over the next three decades, he reinvented himself repeatedly, moving from romantic roles to intense dramas and even negative characters.

Today, Saif Ali Khan has reunited with Akshay Kumar in Priyadarshan's upcoming 2026 movie Haiwaan. It's a Bengali-based biopic.