Saif Ali Khan recalls being humiliated by his aunt for dancing at weddings, says social media and paparazzi have diluted stardom

At a time when several A-list actors like Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan and Ranveer Singh are increasingly visible at high-profile weddings—dancing, performing, and becoming part of viral moments—Saif Ali Khan has chosen to stay away.

And his reason, as he explains, has less to do with judgment and more to do with personal comfort, age, and the changing meaning of stardom.Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, Saif made it clear that he doesn’t look down upon actors who perform at weddings. “If you see yourself as an entertainer, and if there is no family connection or an aunt to humiliate you for doing it, then it’s fine,” he said candidly.

‘Don’t tell me you are dancing at this wedding’

Reflecting on his younger years, Saif admitted that he did take up such gigs—but one particular incident stayed with him.

Recalling a wedding performance in Mumbai, he shared, “I was dancing at a wedding once in Bombay and my aunt, my father’s sister, who is quite a regal lady, came backstage and said, ‘Don’t tell me you are dancing at this wedding.’ So there is a bit of that.”Coming from a royal lineage, Saif acknowledged that navigating the space between being a movie star and belonging to elite social circles has always been complicated.

“That dichotomy between being a movie actor and also being a member of that society that’s having the wedding… there is sometimes a disconnect,” he said, adding that a star should ideally maintain a certain distance. “The platform should always treat you as a star.

You shouldn’t be too close to…”

‘You shouldn’t do films for money’

When asked whether dancing at weddings somehow corrupts an actor, Saif disagreed. “No, in fact, it should be great because what shouldn’t happen is you shouldn’t do films for money,” he said, offering a nuanced take.He even recalled enjoying a wedding performance abroad. “I danced at a wedding in Portugal and it was amazing. There was this stage in this guy’s wonderful villa. Something about it makes it feel alright when it is abroad and done in a certain way,” he explained. However, he admitted that performing at weddings in India can feel different. “There is something about doing it in Haryana that’s a little more public or a little more intense.

I just feel you should be discerning about how much of yourself you give out.”Saif also acknowledged that he understands why actors continue to accept such appearances. “It’s great when a billionaire comes to town and he wants 20 actors to perform. We have all done it at Ramesh Bhai’s wedding or somebody and got paid a bomb,” he said.But for him, that phase has passed. “Maybe today, it doesn’t fit into things that I am massively comfortable doing, but that’s just me.

I’m sure other actors like that.”

Saif reflects on social media and paparazzi

The actor went on to reflect on how constant visibility—especially through social media—has diluted the value of stardom. “I just feel in today’s time with everything on Instagram, which I think is so dangerous in a sense, that you are diminishing all the time by just being seen here or by doing that,” he said.According to Saif, mystery still matters. “People are not surprised to see movie actors anymore.

But I think of an Ajay Devgn, who is still sometimes a slightly more private kind, and I am excited to see him on film because the currency has become that little distance.”

Saif also pointed to paparazzi culture as another factor affecting a star’s value. “Even the paparazzi—bless them—every time you’re shot by them, I feel you have been diminished because you are seen yet again and not always in the most exciting way,” he said.