Social media is dangerous for someone like me, says Saif Ali Khan

PTI, Sep 27, 2024, 1:49 PM IST

Mumbai: Actor Saif Ali Khan says he doesn’t want to engage with negativity and that’s why he stays away from social media.

Khan, who is absent from popular social media platforms like X and Instagram, said they consume too much time of a person that can be utilised for doing something more concrete.

“Personally, I think it’s too time consuming. Sometimes I surf Instagram, and I spend half an hour reading the most inane things. And my wife said I’m not following the right things. Then I deleted the app because I feel I’ve wasted a lot of time compared to something I could be reading in a book or doing something more concrete with my time.

“It’s (social media) never ending. It can really suck you in. I don’t like that because it’s dangerous for someone like me. Also, I don’t want to engage too much with negativity, which also can happen. So sometimes I find that this is just not for me,” Khan said.

The 54-year-old actor was speaking at the India Today Mumbai Conclave 2024 on Thursday evening.

Khan said if he ever joins a social media platform, then he would start taking it too seriously.

“I mean, how would I do it? Is it just showing off about my life? And then, how would that make people feel? Would it be fake? Or would I say, how do I present the best picture of myself? And then before I know it, I’ve kind of gone slightly mad doing this. And I don’t know because I would take it too seriously,” he said.

He further said he feels content with the work he is doing and money he is making in life.

“I like the balance between work and holidays and kind of how to relax. And I feel quite at peace. I’m also okay with nothing looking over my shoulder at what someone else is doing and comparing to that. And I think a lot of Instagram also is about comparing.

“I get a bit stressed out doing that. Like, ‘What’s he doing? Why aren’t I?’ And then forget it. Delete it. Read a book or learn some song on the guitar or plan a holiday or cook something. So, I engage well with life. I have quite a busy life, and I just don’t see this (social media) as part of it,” Khan added.

The actor, who is married to Bollywood star Kareena Kapoor Khan, counted among the most followed celebrities in India, said not being on social media is currently “cool thing” and doesn’t affect his brand value as an artist.

“I live with someone who does (post on social media), and it’s fabulous. If I ever need any posting, I’ll give her a nudge and say, ‘darling, will you please?’ And before I know it, it’s gone to many millions of people, but it’s not something I do very often,” he said.

A key aspect of celebrity culture, both in India and globally, is the presence of the paparazzi. Khan’s family, particularly his two sons with Kareena—Taimur and Jeh—are among the most photographed.

He described the relationship between celebrities and the paparazzi as a “symbiotic affair.” “Half the time, movie stars themselves are calling these guys and saying, please take our picture. So, it’s fine, it’s great. Personally, if I’ve come downstairs in my kurta pajama and I’m a mess and I’m just playing ball with one of the kids, I don’t really want to be photographed. I might look a bit grumpy about that. But when I’m all dressed up, sometimes it suits me to have my picture taken by them.

“They’re not very intrusive. They are understanding and quite polite. If you tell them, ‘Listen, enough, can you please give me a break?’ They do that. I used to get a little (upset), when they chase a kid who’s in a car, he gets a little frightened. It goes part and parcel with what we do.” But unlike the US and the UK, Khan said Indian paparazzi do not publish embarrassing photographs of celebrities.

“I don’t think it’s like America or England, where they really do publish an embarrassing photo of you. That’s the whole point of paparazzi, publishing an embarrassing picture.

“These guys don’t do that. I think India is very special, and we have our own special relationship with the paparazzi,” he added.