Saif Ali Khan reveals why Vishal Bhardwaj refused him for Ajay Devgn’s Omkara role: ‘You’re too handsome’

Saif Ali Khan reveals why Vishal Bhardwaj saw him in the Langda Tyagi role and how his Dil Chahta Hai performance is the reason behind it.

Actor Saif Ali Khan recently shared the story behind landing one of the most memorable roles of his career, and it all began with a conversation he had with his mother, veteran actor Sharmila Tagore. What started as a chat about Shakespeare took an unbelievable turn when filmmaker Vishal Bhardwaj called him just moments later.

Why Vishal Bhardwaj cast Saif Ali Khan as Langda Tyagi

Speaking to IMDb, Saif recalled how the unexpected phone call eventually led him to play Langda Tyagi in Omkara, a performance that is still regarded as one of the finest of his career.

A phone call that came at the perfect moment

Speaking about the incident, Saif said he was shooting in Jaipur when his mother encouraged him to take up a Shakespearean role. “I was actually in Jaipur, and I was staying in this hotel, shooting for something, I can’t remember what. 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. 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?””

‘You’re too handsome to play Othello’

At first, Saif believed Vishal wanted him to play Othello, a role that was eventually portrayed by Ajay Devgn as Omkara. But the filmmaker had a completely different character in mind. “He came over and started telling me about it. I asked, ‘Should I play Othello?’ He said, ‘No, no, you’re too handsome to play Othello.’ (laughs) Which is… well, that was his way of saying it. But then he said, ‘I’m offering you a very interesting role.’ He offered me the part of Langda Tyagi.”

Saif admitted he couldn’t help but ask Vishal what made him think of him for the role. The filmmaker revealed that his performance in Dil Chahta Hai convinced him. The answer caught the actor completely off guard, as he never imagined his charming role in the coming-of-age film would lead to being cast as the menacing Langda Tyagi.

What’s next for Saif Ali Khan?

Saif Ali Khan will next star in Priyadarshan’s Haiwaan along with Akshay Kumar. The first look posters were unveiled on July 15 and will be released in theatres on September 11, 2026.