16 July,2026 07:13 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Saif Ali Khan in Omkara
Saif Ali Khan's career found a new direction with Vishal Bhardwaj's Omkara, and nearly two decades later, the actor has revealed the remarkable coincidence that led him to the critically acclaimed film. As Omkara celebrates 20 years this month, Saif looked back on the moment when a conversation with his mother, veteran actor Sharmila Tagore, was followed almost instantly by a life-changing call from Bhardwaj.
Speaking to IMDb, Saif recalled that he was shooting in Jaipur when Sharmila praised his growth as an actor and encouraged him to explore Shakespeare. "She said, 'You're becoming an interesting actor. You should do Shakespeare.' I replied, 'That'd be great if I could.' Then she suggested, 'You should do Othello or something.' Moments later, my phone rang. It was Vishal Bhardwaj saying he wanted to make Othello," Saif shared.
The actor admitted he was stunned by the timing of the call. Assuming he was being considered for the lead role, Saif asked Bhardwaj if he would be playing Othello. The filmmaker, however, had a different vision.
"He told me, 'No, you're too handsome to play Othello,'" Saif recalled with a laugh. Instead, Bhardwaj offered him the role of Langda Tyagi, the manipulative antagonist inspired by Shakespeare's Iago.
Saif also remembered questioning the filmmaker's decision to cast him against type. Bhardwaj reportedly told him he had loved his performance in Dil Chahta Hai, leaving the actor amused that someone known for playing a charming urban character was now being trusted with one of Hindi cinema's darkest villains.
Saif also revisited a memorable behind-the-scenes moment from Omkara during a conversation with The Hollywood Reporter India. He revealed that Bhardwaj once suggested filming an emotionally intense scene featuring Langda Tyagi without clothes to heighten the character's vulnerability.
"There was a long dialogue in front of a mirror, and Vishal ji asked if I'd mind doing it naked. I thought it was an exciting idea, but there was a huge crowd on set," Saif said.
The actor joked that he was willing to go ahead under one condition. "I told him, 'If you direct me naked, I'll do it.' He laughed and said, 'No, I won't.' So that was the end of it."
Released in 2006, Omkara remains one of Vishal Bhardwaj's most celebrated films. Featuring Ajay Devgn, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Konkona Sen Sharma, Vivek Oberoi and Bipasha Basu alongside Saif, the Shakespeare adaptation is regarded as a milestone in Hindi cinema. Saif's portrayal of Langda Tyagi earned him widespread acclaim and is still considered one of the finest performances of his career, redefining his image as an actor capable of taking bold, unconventional risks.
