Faisal Saif

Faisal Saif
Born	(1976-04-27) April 27, 1976 Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
Occupation	Film director, screenwriter, Film critic

Faisal Saif (Arabic: فئصل سئف‎), Born on 27 April 1976 in India is a film director, film critic and writer. He mostly chooses controversial themes and stories for his films and rose to popularity with the movies Jigyaasa, Main Hoon Rajinikanth and Amma. He frequently collaborates with Kavita Radheshyam, Sunil Pal, Milind Gunaji, Shibani Kashyap in his films.

Career

Saif believes in making films that are mostly on the lines of reality cinema. His works include Jigyaasa (2006), that brought him into limelight as a controversial film maker. Saif first approached Mallika Sherawat to play the title part in Jigyaasa but later the part went to Hrishitaa Bhatt. The press and media in India did claimed that Jigyaasa was supposed to be based on the life of the sex symbol Mallika Sherawat^[1] but Faisal denied it.

Saif started his career as an independent music video director. He directed videos for Catrack Music and Vital Records.

Saif made his first feature film Come December in 2003 which received International award from Indianapolis LGBT Film Festival in best story telling.^[2] He then made Jigyaasa in 2005 which was a very high publicized film of 2006. He made Psycho Thriller Paanch Ghantey Mien Paanch Crore with Pakistani supertar Meera as her second come-back feature film in Bollywood which got listed under The Times of India list in Bollywood's Top 10 Bold Film category of 2012.^[3]

Faisal is also Co-Editor in Global Movie Magazine and a Film Critic and Feature Writer for Bollywood under many News Portals. He shared special regards with veteran Film maker late Rituparno Ghosh. During his interview and creative sessions with Ghosh while he directed Chitrangada: The Crowning Wish in 2012, Saif discussed a transgender character which he later incorporated in his upcoming multilingual film Amma. The character is played by Rajpal Yadav.^[4]

Controversy

On 17th Sep 2014, Tamil superstar and cultural icon Rajinikanth moved the Madras High Court to stop the release and screening of the film Main Hoon Rajinikanth directed by Saif^[5] stating that various press releases, video releases, web articles, posters and information from other sources about this film revealed that the producer had lifted/exploited the super hero image of Rajinikanth from various movies by including in the forthcoming feature film.

Saif, after filing counter to the case denied the allegation about the film being a biopic on the superstar, He also stated he hasn't used any names/image/likeness/caricature and the case being filed on the film is baseless and done with lack of knowledge ^[6]

On 3rd February 2015, Madras High Court ruled out the decision in favor of Tamil superstar Rajinikanth and restricted Faisal against using the actors name in his upcoming film. Saif, however agreed finally to change his film's title ^[7]

Bigg Boss Wild Card Entry

Faisal Saif in September 2014

After superstar Rajinikanth imposing an objection on the film Main Hoon Rajinikanth, Saif along with American Reality T.V star Kim Kardashian was rumored to enter the Controversial Indian show Bigg Boss season 8 as a wild card entry ^[8] But Saif denied it by praising the show and it's format, He also made clear neither he is going on the show, nor he will be changing his film Main Hoon Rajinikanth's title^[9]

Why would I be a wild card contestant when Rajinikanth has proved the world that I am a strongest contender? Coming to Bigg Boss, well, it's a fantastic show with some fabulous people behind it. I am personally a huge fan of the show but I am not going for it. Neither I am going to the Bigg Boss house, nor I am changing the title for my film. I am at this moment very much occupied with both my films Main Hoon Rajinikanth and Amma.

American Reality T.V star Kim Kardashian who was entering the show to promote her fragrance brand, however cancelled her trip to India and also apologized on her Instagram and promised to reschedule the trip. Kim was supposed to make a guest appearance for few hours on the show by introducing Faisal Saif to the other contestants. Kim was traveling all the way from Australia to India but she could not sort out her visa issues on time^[10]

Filmography

As Director and Writer

As Writer

References

External links

• Faisal Saif at the Internet Movie Database
• Faisal Saif Interview On Scribble King
• Faisal Saif Interview On Say What News