Saif Ali Khan recalls missing out on Ajay Devgn’s role and the ‘miracle’ call that landed him the role of Langda Tyagi in ‘Omkara’: ‘You’re too handsome to play Othello’ |
As the cult of ‘Omkara’ lasts for 20 years, Saif Ali Khan he also saw the coincidence that led to his showing of Langda Tyagi in the Vishal BharwajA Shakespearean adaptation. Bhardwaj, however, had other plans for him: not Othello, but Langda Tyagi. The actor also recalled the memorable words of Bhardwaj, his mother Sharmila TagoreAdvice on acting in Shakespeare, and funny behind-the-scenes stories about filming big events.
Saif Ali Khan recalls the ‘miracle’ that landed him Omkara: ‘You’re too handsome to play Othello’
As Vishal Bhardwaj’s ‘Omkara’ celebrates its 20th anniversary, Saif Ali Khan has opened up about the extraordinary events that made him one of the biggest hits of his career. The 2006 adaptation of William Shakespeare’s Othello, set against the harsh backdrop of Uttar Pradesh, is widely regarded as one of Hindi cinema’s greatest hits, with Saif’s portrayal of Langda Tyagi’s plots becoming a hit.Speaking to IMDb, the actor described the call from Vishal Bhardwaj as surprising, revealing that it came shortly after his mother, veteran actress Sharmila Tagore, had encouraged him to take up Shakespeare.
Sharmila Tagore’s advice was followed by incredible singing
Saif recalled that he was shooting in Jaipur when he told his mother that he wanted to do Shakespeare on screen.“My mother had just spoken to me, and she said, ‘Yes, you are becoming a wonderful actor, and I love how you are growing up. You should do Shakespeare.’ I said, ‘That would be nice if I could.’ And then he said, ‘You should do Othello or something.’ Then the phone rang. It was Vishal Bharwaj. “The actor said he was surprised when Bharwaj revealed that he was planning an adaptation of Shakespeare.“He said, ‘I’m thinking of giving you a movie. I’m thinking of doing Shakespeare.’ I said, ‘What?’ He said, ‘Yes, Othello.’ I went, ‘What?'”Initially, Saif was believed to be considered for the lead role, which eventually went to Ajay Devgn, who played Omkara.However, Bharwaj had a different view.“I asked, ‘Should I play Othello?’ He said, ‘No, no, you’re too handsome to play Othello.'”Instead, Bharwaj offered him the role of Langda Tyagi, a character inspired by Shakespeare’s Iago.Wanting to know about the unexpected play, Saif asked the officer what convinced him that he was right about that.“I asked him, ‘Why are you thinking of me? He said, ‘I saw you in Dil Chahta Hai and I really liked you.’ I thought, ‘Dil Chahta Hai?’ That man is very sweet.’The role became one of the most iconic performances of Saif’s career and remains one of the most iconic characters in modern Hindi cinema.
Saif reveals a funny moment behind the scenes of ‘Omkara’
In another interview with THR India, Saif also shared some teasers from the sets of Omkara which involves one of Langda Tyagi’s actions. According to the actor, Bhardwaj suggested shooting a long glass monologue without clothes to increase the vulnerability of the character.“There was a long discussion in front of this mirror. And I remember Vishal ji saying, ‘Would you like to do this naked?’Although he was intrigued by the idea of making it, Saif admitted that he hesitated because the cast was packed.“It was a lot of fun, but I was a little bit aware because there was a crowd in the place, so I remember saying to him, ‘Listen, if you’re going to fuck me, I’m going to do it. And he said, ‘No, I’m not going to.’ So, yeah, that was the funny part.”
More about ‘Omkara’
Released in 2006, ‘Omkara’ is considered one of Vishal Bharwaj’s best works and an adaptation of Shakespeare for the Indian public. Starring Ajay Devgn, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Saif Ali Khan, Konkona Sen Sharma and Vivek Oberoi, the film was acclaimed for its powerful performances, memorable dialogues and witty storytelling.
Post Comment