Bollywood's power duo Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor

After their sizzling performance in Tashaan, Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor return to charm us in Karan Johar's Kurbaan.

e+ caught up with Bollywood's power couple during their Dubai promotional event for a chat about their latest film, their off- and on-screen chemistry and their views on each other.

Kurbaan

Khan: I play Ehsaan, a school teacher who turns out to be a violent fanatic. It's a role unlike any I've played before.

Kapoor: I play Avantika, a professor at Delhi University who falls in love with Ehsaan. They get married and go to the US, where she faces some harsh realities.

Global terrorism

Khan: I think we are already so stressed out with our day-to-day lives that we don't need religious fanatics to create panic and violence. I think we need to live in peace.

Kapoor: Kurbaan is basically a love story with terrorism as a backdrop, but I hope the film sends across a positive message on global terrorism, as we all need love, peace and happiness.

Rensil D'Silva, the debutant director

Khan: Rensil is immensely talented. He's worked on his own style of contemporary filmmaking, which is fresh and unique. I think he is a filmmaker that we need to watch out for.

Kapoor: He's a welcome change to the current set of directors. He has a new take on everything, and the film industry needs people with fresh ideas. I think Rensil is one of the finest talents in the industry, and I'd love to work with him again.

Karan Johar: the Producer

Khan: It's nice to watch Karan Johar skip the candy-floss romance and take on the action genre. For me, it's a big change from my earlier fun role in Karan's Kal Ho Naa Ho. I'm glad I'm part of Karan's Kurbaan, where his lead hero holds a gun for the first time!

Kapoor: Working with Karan Johar's Dharma Production is like working with family, as I'm very close to him. I consider him a brother, a philosopher and a strong anchor. I'm glad that I'm doing another film with him after Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham. I think once people watch me in Kurbaan, they will know the equation I share with him as he has given me one of the most powerful roles any heroine has played in recent times.

Vivek Oberoi: the co-star

Khan: Vivek has an important and responsible role. He is a crucial part of the film and has done a good job.

Kapoor: It's always nice to work with Vivek as he is spontaneous. Ever since we did Yuva together, we share a fun friendship. Earlier Saif, Vivek and I teamed up in Omkara, which was a great experience, and so it felt good to reunite for Kurbaan. I think Vivek is the film's surprise element.

On-screen chemistry

Khan: It feels nice to work with Kareena, as she's a great actress. She treats every role differently, yet she retains a fun element to her personality. She's been constant ever since we worked together in LOC - Kargil. So it's great to do a full-fledged film with her, and I hope more films will follow.

Kapoor: In previous films we were not really paired together, though LOC - Kargil depicted us together in a small part. But I'm glad we decided to act as a romantic couple in Kurbaan, as we don't play a conventional Bollywood couple. It's a real, hard-hitting film. That made it the right choice for us. I hope the audience likes us together!

On whether off-screen sparks fly on-screen

Khan: Not really, but yes, there is a certain comfort level. Eventually it all depends on the script and director as to how well the rapport on set can be captured on celluloid.

Kapoor: I don't think an off-screen relationship necessarily helps in building on-screen chemistry. It all depends on the script, great scenes and well-written dialogue.

An Intense romantic scene in Kurbaan

Khan: While doing the scene, I had to be extra careful as I didn't want it to show any emotions that we shared off-screen. In Kurbaan, we only went by what the script demanded. I think a lot has been unnecessarily written about this scene. It's just a part of the plot and nothing more.

Kapoor: I agree that knowing Saif made it more comfortable doing such an intimate scene. But the media has blown it out of proportion only because we are a real-life couple. Otherwise it wouldn't have got so much unnecessary attention.

 Their next film together: Agent Vinod

Khan: Kareena may not have acted in my first production Love Aaj Kal, but she is part of my next project Agent Vinod, simply because the role demanded her. Sriram Raghavan (the director and writer) is now giving the script the finishing touch before we start in March.

Kapoor: I am looking forward to working with Saif in this stylish spy thriller.

 On-screen romances with other co-stars

Khan: I think it's nice that Kareena understands that it's all part of our profession. We've done romantic roles with others in recent times (Khan with Deepika Padukone in Love Aaj Kal and Kapoor with Akshay Kumar in Kambakht Ishq), so it's fine by us.

Kapoor: As professional actors and progressive human beings, we don't carry home what happens on set. We don't bother about our on-screen kisses with other co-stars.

 Best on-screen pairs

Khan: I think Kareena looks good with a lot of people, but I'd say she looks the best with Akshay Kumar. They looked great in Tashaan and Kambakht Ishq.

Kapoor: I think that Saif and Rani Mukherji make a great on-screen couple.

 Each other's best film

Khan: I think Kareena's is Omkara... or Jab We Met as the film is centred around her.

Kapoor: Omkara, where Saif literally reinvented himself with a memorable performance as Langda Tyagi. 

Marriage

Khan: We are currently busy with our careers, and marriage has to wait for a while, but when it happens, we will definitely let everyone know about it.

Kapoor: We have not discussed it seriously, and we are just going with the flow. When we decide we will announce it to the world.