Overview
- Saif Ali Khan told Variety India this week that makers of Homi Adajania’s 2012 film asked actors including Ranbir Kapoor and Imran Khan to play the male lead before he accepted the role.
- He said producers struggled to find a hero because Deepika Padukone’s character Veronica was the most powerful part on the page and described the role as 'delicious'.
- Saif added that he stepped in after others declined and spoke fondly of working with director Homi Adajania on the film that helped raise Deepika’s profile.
- The comment comes as Cocktail 2 was released in June 2026 starring Shahid Kapoor, Rashmika Mandanna and Kriti Sanon and has so far drawn mixed reviews and modest early box-office receipts.
- The renewed coverage casts the 2012 film as a turning point for Deepika Padukone and highlights how a strong female lead can shape casting decisions and a film’s long-term legacy.