# How a Phone Call From Sharmila Tagore Led Saif Ali Khan to Omkara's Langda Tyagi

> Saif Ali Khan told IMDb that a conversation with his mother Sharmila Tagore about Shakespeare was followed minutes later by a call from Vishal Bhardwaj, an odd coincidence that led him to the iconic role of Langda Tyagi in Omkara.

**Type:** article · **Category:** Bollywood · **Published:** 2026-07-17 · **Source:** TrendKia
**Canonical:** https://trendkia.com/en/bollywood/man-sharmila-tagore-ki-eka-salaha-ne-badala-di-saif-ali-khan-ki-kismata-yun-mila-langda-tyagi-ka-kiradara-8324 · **Language:** English
**Tags:** Saif Ali Khan, Omkara, Langda Tyagi, Vishal Bhardwaj, Sharmila Tagore, Haiwaan, Akshay Kumar, Mohanlal

Saif Ali Khan has revealed the strange chain of events that led him to Langda Tyagi, the character in Omkara, a Shakespeare-inspired film, that is still regarded as one of the finest performances of his career. In a conversation with IMDb, the actor recalled how the offer came together almost by accident, starting with a conversation with his mother, actress Sharmila Tagore, about Shakespeare, and ending with an unexpected phone call from filmmaker Vishal Bhardwaj that changed the course of his career and gave Hindi cinema one of its most memorable villains.

## A Phone Call From a Hotel Room in Jaipur
Saif said he was staying at a hotel in Jaipur at the time, shooting for a project, when his mother called him. During that conversation, Sharmila Tagore told her son that he was emerging as a strong actor and that she had been enjoying his recent work. She felt the moment had come for him to take on a character built around one of Shakespeare's plays, and she made sure to tell him so on the call.

## Sharmila Tagore's Suggestion: Try Something Like Othello
According to Saif, he responded to his mother by saying that it would be wonderful if such an opportunity ever came his way. Sharmila Tagore then went a step further, suggesting that he attempt a role along the lines of Othello. The conversation had barely ended when Saif's phone rang again, and this time the call seemed to answer the very idea they had just been discussing.

## Vishal Bhardwaj Calls With a Shakespeare Offer
On the other end of the line was filmmaker Vishal Bhardwaj. He told Saif that he was thinking of offering him a film based on a Shakespeare play. Still processing the coincidence, Saif asked him which play he had in mind. When Vishal confirmed it was Othello, Saif said his mouth fell open in disbelief, since he had been talking about that very same play with his mother only moments earlier. The timing of the call left Saif convinced that some strange coincidence was at play, since the subject of Vishal's call matched almost exactly what his mother had just suggested to him minutes earlier.

## 'You're Too Handsome to Play Othello'
Given the coincidence, Saif naturally assumed he was being offered the title role of Othello, the part that eventually went to Ajay Devgn in the film that became Omkara. But Vishal Bhardwaj had something else in mind altogether. Recalling the meeting with laughter, Saif said Vishal came over and started talking about the film, prompting him to ask directly whether he was being cast as Othello. Vishal told him no, explaining, in his own words, that Saif was too handsome for the Othello role. Saif noted that this was simply the director's particular way of putting things. Vishal then told him he had a far more interesting character in store for him, and that is how Saif Ali Khan came to be offered the role of Langda Tyagi.

## Why Vishal Bhardwaj Thought of Saif for the Part
Saif admitted he could not stop himself from asking Vishal Bhardwaj what had made him think of casting him in such a role in the first place. Vishal revealed that he had been impressed after watching Saif's performance in Dil Chahta Hai. That answer left Saif stunned, since he had never imagined that a role built around a modern, easygoing young man could lead anyone to cast him as a ruthless villain like Langda Tyagi. Until that moment, Saif had associated that particular film with an entirely different, lighter image of himself, which is why Vishal's explanation caught him so off guard. The gap between the two characters, he felt, could hardly have been wider, which made Vishal Bhardwaj's instinct all the more surprising to him in hindsight.

## What's Next: Saif Ali Khan in Priyadarshan's Haiwaan
On the work front, Saif Ali Khan will next be seen alongside Akshay Kumar in Priyadarshan's film Haiwaan. The first-look poster of the film was released on 15 July. Haiwaan is a suspense thriller and is scheduled to release in cinemas on 11 September 2026. Malayalam cinema superstar Mohanlal is also part of the film. The film brings Saif Ali Khan together with Akshay Kumar and Mohanlal on screen, adding to the anticipation around its September release.

## Questions & Answers

### 1. Who played Langda Tyagi in Omkara?
Saif Ali Khan played the role, and it is considered one of the best performances of his career.

### 2. How did Saif Ali Khan get the role of Langda Tyagi?
Right after a call with his mother Sharmila Tagore about Shakespeare while he was in Jaipur, filmmaker Vishal Bhardwaj called him and offered him the role.

### 3. Why didn't Vishal Bhardwaj cast Saif as Othello?
Vishal Bhardwaj told him he was too handsome for the Othello role, and offered him the character of Langda Tyagi instead.

### 4. Why did Vishal Bhardwaj think of Saif for the part?
Vishal Bhardwaj said he was impressed by Saif's performance in Dil Chahta Hai.

### 5. What is Saif Ali Khan's next film?
Saif Ali Khan will next be seen in Priyadarshan's film Haiwaan alongside Akshay Kumar.

### 6. When does Haiwaan release?
The suspense thriller is scheduled to release in cinemas on 11 September 2026.

### 7. Who else is part of Haiwaan?
Malayalam cinema superstar Mohanlal is also part of the film.

### 8. When was the first-look poster of Haiwaan released?
The first-look poster was released on 15 July.

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