Saif Ali Khan is reflecting on getting scolded by his mother, Sharmila Tagore, early on in his career.

The Jewel Thief: The Heist Begins star, who is often credited for his candidness in the industry, opened up to Esquire India about a turning point in his acting journey.

Saif told the outlet that although he had worked on multiple films after his debut, he only began to take himself seriously as an actor in the early 2000s.

When asked to explain his passion for acting, he revealed that it was his legendary actress mother who talked sense into him and instilled in him a genuine love for the profession.

Recalling his excitement for a shoot in France, the actor shared how his mother curiously asked him, “When are you going to start talking like an actor? When are you going to tell me about a role you’re excited about?”

The 58-year-old actor, who now serves as the Pataudi family’s patriarch, explained how that one question changed the course of his entire career, truly a redefining moment in his life.

He later went on to try his luck with films such as Omkara, and also stepped into the Indian OTT space with the highly acclaimed series Sacred Games.