14 years later, Saif Ali Khan admits his 'mistake' with 'regressive' Cocktail

Saif Ali Khan has no fond memories of his role in Cocktail. At least not when it comes to the choices behind it. The actor, who played Gautam in the 2012 romantic comedy and also produced the film, has now called his decision to take on the part an "inevitable mistake", admitting that the script itself made a "slightly regressive" choice.

Speaking to Gulf News, Saif said he didn't take up Gautam because he was particularly excited by the character. He did it because he was producing the film and wanted to get it made.

"I did the part because we were producing it, it was an inevitable mistake, 100 per cent that was a mistake, and that was a slightly regressive script choice. Otherwise, it was a breezy fun entertainer. I didn't do it for the role, I did it so the film could get made. You do things for various reasons. I knew fully well that the exciting role is the Veronica part but it's one of those things you do anyway," he said.

In hindsight, Saif's assessment of Cocktail is hard to argue with. When the film arrived in 2012, it was packaged as a stylish, contemporary take on friendship, love and modern relationships. Deepika Padukone's Veronica was the film's undeniable showstopper: bold, uninhibited, messy and unapologetically herself. The performance became one of the most memorable of her career, while the film's soundtrack, glossy locations and breezy energy made it a box-office success.

But Cocktail hasn't aged quite as well as its songs have.

The biggest problem lies in what happens to Veronica. The film introduces her as the kind of woman Hindi cinema has rarely been comfortable with: she drinks, parties, speaks her mind, embraces her sexuality and lives on her own terms. The story eventually treats those very qualities as problems to be corrected.

Gautam may be attracted to Veronica's free-spirited personality, but when it comes to choosing a partner, the film steers him towards Meera - the quieter, more traditional woman. Veronica's journey becomes one of heartbreak and redemption, while Meera's conventionality is ultimately presented as the more desirable choice.

That makes the film's "modern" packaging feel increasingly deceptive. Cocktail looked like it was challenging the familiar Bollywood heroine, but its emotional conclusion fell back on a very familiar idea: the wild woman can be fascinating, but the good woman gets the man.

The franchise got another chance recently with Cocktail 2, but the second film failed to recreate the original's magic, falling short both critically and commercially. Whatever nostalgia the first film still carries, the follow-up couldn't turn it into a meaningful comeback.

More than a decade after Cocktail first arrived, Saif's candid admission has therefore added an unexpected footnote to the film's legacy. Gautam may have been the male lead on paper, but even Saif knew where the real excitement was.

The film was directed by Homi Adajania.- EndsPublished By: Vineeta KumarPublished On: Sep 11, 2026 16:16 ISTRead more | Is Gujarat in Pakistan?: Paresh Rawal's blunt defence of National Film Awards move