Saif Ali Khan as Langda Tyagi in Omkara (Image Credits IMDb)
As the cult classic ‘Omkara’ clocks 20 years, Saif Ali Khan has revisited the extraordinary coincidence that led to his iconic portrayal of Langda Tyagi in Vishal Bhardwaj’s Shakespearean adaptation. Bhardwaj, however, had other plans for him: not Othello, but Langda Tyagi. The actor also recalled Bhardwaj’s memorable casting remark, his mother Sharmila Tagore’s advice to perform Shakespeare, and a humorous behind-the-scenes anecdote about filming an intense scene.
Saif Ali Khan recalls the ‘miracle’ that led him to 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 against the rugged landscape of Uttar Pradesh, is widely regarded as a landmark in Hindi cinema, with Saif’s portrayal of the scheming Langda Tyagi earning widespread critical acclaim.Speaking to IMDb, the actor described the phone call from Vishal Bhardwaj as nothing short of miraculous, revealing that it came just moments after his mother, veteran actor Sharmila Tagore, encouraged him to take on Shakespeare.
Sharmila Tagore’s advice was followed by an unbelievable call
Saif recalled that he was shooting in Jaipur when he spoke to his mother about wanting to perform Shakespeare on screen.“My mom had just spoken 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’d be great if I could.’ And then she suggested, ‘You should do Othello or something.’ Then the phone rang. It was Vishal Bhardwaj.”The actor said he was stunned when Bhardwaj revealed he was planning a Shakespeare adaptation.“He said, ‘I’m thinking of offering a film to you. I’m thinking of doing Shakespeare.’ I was like, ‘What?’ He said, ‘Yes, Othello.’ I went, ‘What?’”Initially, Saif 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.Curious about the unexpected casting, Saif asked the filmmaker what had convinced him he was right for the part.“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? That guy’s really sweet.’”The role went on to become one of the defining performances of Saif’s career and remains among the most celebrated negative characters in contemporary Hindi cinema.
Saif reveals a funny behind-the-scenes moment from ‘Omkara’
In a separate conversation with THR India, Saif also shared a humorous memory from the Omkara sets involving one of Langda Tyagi’s emotionally charged scenes. According to the actor, Bhardwaj suggested shooting a lengthy mirror monologue without clothes to heighten the vulnerability of the character.“There was a kind of long dialogue in front of this mirror. And I remember Vishal ji saying, ‘Would you mind doing it naked?’”Although intrigued by the creative idea, Saif admitted he hesitated because the set was crowded.“It was a very exciting thing, but I was a bit conscious because there was a huge crowd on the 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 funny part.”
More about ‘Omkara’
Released in 2006, ‘Omkara’ is considered one of Vishal Bhardwaj’s finest works and a landmark adaptation of Shakespeare for Indian audiences. Featuring Ajay Devgn, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Saif Ali Khan, Konkona Sen Sharma and Vivek Oberoi, the film remains celebrated for its powerful performances, memorable dialogues and gritty storytelling. Go to Source
