While the cult classic ‘Omkara’ is 20 years old, Saif Ali Khan has reviewed the extraordinary coincidence that led to his iconic portrait of Langda Tyagi a Vishal BhardwajShakespearean adaptation. Bhardwaj, however, had other plans for him – not Othello, but Langda Tyagi. The actor also recalled the memorable casting comment of Bhardwaj, his mother Sharmila Tagoreadvice on acting Shakespeare, and a humorous behind-the-scenes anecdote about filming an intense scene.
Saif Ali Khan recalls ‘miracle’ that landed him Omkara: ‘You’re too handsome to play Othello’
As Vishal Bhardwaj’s ‘Omkara’ celebrates 20 years, Saif Ali Khan has opened up about the remarkable coincidence that landed him one of the most acclaimed performances of his career. The 2006 adaptation of William Shakespeare’s Othello, set in the rugged landscape of Uttar Pradesh, is widely regarded as a landmark of Hindi cinema, with Saif’s portrayal of the scheming Langda Tyagi winning critical acclaim.Speaking to IMDb, the actor described Vishal Bhardwaj’s phone call as nothing short of miraculous, revealing that it came moments after his mother, veteran actor Sharmila Tagore, encouraged him to take on Shakespeare.
Sharmila Tagore’s advice was followed by an incredible call
Saif recalled that he was shooting in Jaipur when he spoke to his mother about wanting to play Shakespeare on screen.“My mom was just talking to me and she said, ‘Yeah, you’re becoming an interesting actor and I like how you’re developing. You should do Shakespeare’. I said, ‘That would be great if I could’. And then he suggested, ‘You should do Othello or something’. Then the phone rang. It was Vishal Bhardwaj.”The actor said he was surprised when Bhardwaj revealed that he was planning a Shakespeare adaptation.“He said, ‘I’m thinking of offering you a film. I’m thinking of doing Shakespeare’. I said, ‘What?’ He said, ‘Yes, Othello.’ I said, ‘What?’Saif initially believed he was being considered for the lead role, which eventually went to Ajay Devgn, who played Omkara.However, Bhardwaj had a different character in mind.“I asked, ‘Should I play Othello?’ He said, ‘No, no, you’re too handsome to play Othello.'”Instead, Bhardwaj offered him the role of Langda Tyagi, a character inspired by Shakespeare’s Iago.Intrigued by the unexpected casting, Saif asked the filmmaker what had convinced him he was right for the role.“I asked him, ‘Why did you think of me?’ He said, “I saw you in Dil Chahta Hai and I really liked it.” I thought, ‘Dil Chahta Hai? This boy is very sweet.The role became one of the defining performances of Saif’s career and remains among the most celebrated negative characters in contemporary Hindi cinema.
Saif reveals a fun moment behind the scenes of ‘Omkara’
In a separate conversation with THR India, Saif also shared a humorous memory from the sets of Omkara involving one of Langda Tyagi’s emotionally charged scenes. According to the actor, Bhardwaj suggested shooting a long mirror monologue without clothes to increase the character’s vulnerability.“There was a sort of long dialogue in front of this mirror. And I remember Vishal ji saying, ‘Would you mind doing it naked?'”Although he was intrigued by the creative idea, Saif admitted that he was hesitant because the set was packed.“It was a really exciting thing, but I was kind of self-conscious because there was a big crowd on set. So I remember saying to him, ‘Listen, if you direct me naked, I’ll do it.’ And he said, ‘No, I won’t.’ So yeah, that was the fun part.”
More about “Omkara”
Released in 2006, “Omkara” is considered one of Vishal Bhardwaj’s finest works and an iconic adaptation of Shakespeare for Indian audiences. Starring Ajay Devgn, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Saif Ali Khan, Konkona Sen Sharma and Vivek Oberoi, the film continues to be celebrated for its powerful performances, memorable dialogues and storytelling.