Who can forget the ever-supportive, high-spirited, and helpful KV from Saiyaara? Played effortlessly by Alam Khan, the character struck a chord with viewers for his selfless friendship and natural warmth.
Alam, known for his fluent acting and grounded screen presence, played the role of the band manager where Krish (Ahaan Panday) performs. The camaraderie between Krish and KV was one of the most beautiful aspects of the film. Now, in an exclusive chat with Zoom, Alam Khan opened up about his experience working on Saiyaara, his bond with Ahaan Panday, their journey over the years, and the struggles that shaped them.
Unfiltered Alam Khan!
Speaking about how the project came to him, Alam recalled how it felt like everything aligned at the right time.
“Jab pata chala Ahaan bhi hai, Mohit Suri ka movie hai. It was a fairy tale.” (When I found out Ahaan was also in it, and it was a Mohit Suri film-it felt like a fairytale.)
He also described his on-set experience with Yash Raj Films and director Mohit Suri as nothing short of magical:
“Shooting experience bohot hi achchha raha. Shooting for YRF was a lifetime experience and in fact, working with Mohit Suri. Bachpan se jinhone mujhe sikhaya hai itna.” (The shooting experience was really great. Shooting for YRF was a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and working with Mohit Suri, who has taught me so much since childhood, was amazing.)
Reflecting on the bond he shares with Ahaan Panday, Alam shared a beautiful throwback moment from their early days, “Sare hi moments bohot special hai. Kaafi saal pehle main aur Ahaan ek film mein kaam kiya tha, woh assist karrh tha aur main ek chota sa role play kar raha tha. Hamari dosti hogayi thi. Fir uske sath kaam karna zindagi ka itna bada BTS hai ki kya batau.” (All the moments are very special. Many years ago, Ahaan and I worked on a film together-he was assisting and I was playing a small role. We became friends. Working with him again is like a big behind-the-scenes moment in my life-hard to even describe.)
He added how the whole shooting environment was filled with young, energetic vibes, “Bohot fun kiya hai humne, sab young log the and ekdum rockstar type mahol tha. Toh badhiya tha sab.” (We had a lot of fun. Everyone was young, and the vibe was totally rockstar-like. It was all really great.)
From Freaky Ali to Saiyaara
Alam walked us through their first-ever connection, back when Ahaan was working behind the camera:
“Freaky Ali jo film tha usme humne kaam kiya. Usne bohot struggle kiya. 10 saal kiya. Bohot struggle karke uppar aya hum sabne.” (We worked together in the film Freaky Ali. He struggled a lot-for 10 years. All of us made our way up with a lot of struggle.)
He detailed how both of them worked hard to be where they are now: “Humne bohot mehnat se iss film mein kaam ki. Almost 10 saal pehle, Ahaan Freaky Ali mein AD tha and main ek chota character play kiya tha. Hum kabhi kabhi baat karte the. Jab humein pata chala ek dusre ke bare mein ki hum ye karrh toh woh moment tha hamare liye. Best moment tha woh and uske baad it was great.”
(We worked really hard on this film. Around 10 years ago, Ahaan was an assistant director on Freaky Ali and I played a small character. We used to chat occasionally. When we found out that we were working on this project together, that moment was really special for both of us. It was the best moment, and after that, everything was great.)
Speaking of his friendship with Ahaan, Alam beautifully described what it means to him, “Friendship ki koi definition nahi hoti hai. Friendship jo hoti hai woh ek revision ke tarah hoti hai, woh karte rehna chahiye.”
(Friendship has no definition. It’s like revision-you need to keep doing it again and again.)
He also praised Ahaan’s nature and dismissed any misconceptions based on his on-screen persona:
“He’s a sweetheart. Krish Kapoor ko dekhke sabko lag raha hoga ki Ahaan aise khatarnak type ka insaan ho par he’s a sweetheart. He’s very hardworking too.”
(He’s a sweetheart. Looking at Krish Kapoor, people might think Ahaan is a dangerous sort of guy, but he’s actually a very sweet person. He’s also very hardworking.)
“It’s a beautiful struggle”
Talking about the importance of struggle in an actor’s journey, Alam shared a grounded perspective:
“It’s a beautiful struggle. We are always struggling. Humein lagta hai ki Shah Rukh sir mukaam tak pahoch gaye par unko puchoge toh woh bolenge ki abhi bacha hai. Journey mein maza hai. Struggle ke bina woh maza nahi.”
(It’s a beautiful struggle. We’re always struggling. We think Shah Rukh sir has reached his destination, but if you ask him, he’ll say there’s still more to go. The journey is where the fun is. Without struggle, it’s not enjoyable.)
He also spoke from personal experience about watching Ahaan fight his way up over the years:
“Ahaan ko maine 10 saal se struggle karte dekha hai. Jaise zindagi hum bitate the waise zindagi woh bitata tha. Woh thodi na koi gadi mein aata jata tha, woh bhi rikshaw mein aata jata tha.”
(I’ve seen Ahaan struggling for 10 years. He lived life just like we did. It’s not like he used to travel by car-he used to come and go by rickshaw too.)
And finally, Alam left us with a touching note on resilience: “Sabne apne struggle period dekha hai. Aisehi sikhta hai admi and usise banta hai insaan.” (Everyone has gone through a period of struggle. That’s how people learn, and that’s what shapes you as a person.)