Kareena started dating Shahid Kapoor in 2004. The two are believed to have split in August while Shahid was away in Toronto filming for Aziz Mirza's next. Kareena and Saif acknowledged being an item in October at the grand finale of the Lakme Fashion Week.

Saif Ali Khan married actress Amrita Singh in October 1991 but the couple divorced after 13 years of marriage and two children in 2004. Following his divorce Saif dated Italian Rozza Catalino but the two broke up in 2007.

The 37-year-old Saif is now all set to take his relationship with 27-year-old Kareena to the next level and commit to a life together.

"I'd love that," he says. "Right now our respective work occupies most of our time. It's of paramount importance to both of us. But even if I sound old-fashioned I'd like to say my intentions are honorable.

Kareena and Khan co-star in Yash Raj Films' forthcoming Tashan and became close during its filming earlier this year. When tabloids first reported their romantic linkup Kareena, who was still in a publicly acknowledged relationship with Shahid Kapoor, denied the reports contending Saif was just a friends.

Later, when she broke up with Shahid it appeared she had dumped him for Saif.

Saif implicitly acknowledges the problem. "We do live our lives in the public glare. We're open to people passing judgment on us. I've no problem with that," he says.

"Public perceptions are generally based on incomplete information. I'm not here to clear up those misconceptions. It's enough for me to know I'm doing the right thing."

When asked why he refused Karan Johar next Saif Ali Khan says he is not doing Karan film due to genuine date problems and not because he is insecure about being in the same film as Abhishek Bachchan.

"It is not because I'm insecure about being in the same picture as Abhishek for Christ's sake! As a matter of fact the little that I got to work with Abhishek in Salaam Namaste, I really enjoyed myself. I can see us having a ball on a film together. I'd love to do a full-fledged film with Abhishek any day," Saif said.

The yet untitled film is the directorial debut of Karan's assistant Tarun Mansukhani. Explaining why he could not take up Mansukhani's film, Saif said: "It's this look that I've to do in each of my current films. There's this beard that I've now for Abbas-Mustan's Race to my relief it went off well for Yash Raj Films Tashan also after that I changed my appearance for Kunal Kohli's film.

"In fact, the dates for Kunal's and Karan's films coincided. There was no way I could do both and since I was committed to do Kunal's film beforehand, there was no way I could fit into Karan's film."

As an afterthought, he added: "Maybe if Kunal's film didn't require a particular look I could've taken on Karan's film."