Saif Ali Khan was NOT first choice for Langda Tyagi in Omkara due to his dialect; you'll be surprised to know who was

In 2006, Omkara came to life when director Vishal Bharadwaj chose to adapt Shakespeare's Othello. After discussions with writer Robin Bhatt, they agreed that Ajay Devgn would be perfect for the lead role. In a recent interview, writer Robin Bhatt shared that after they cast Ajay Devgn and Kareena Kapoor in the main roles, they faced a dilemma when it came to casting Langda Tyagi, as another prominent actor showed interest in the part and it was none other than Aamir Khan.

In a conversation with Friday Talkies, Robin revealed that Aamir Khan was initially considered for the villain's role. However, they eventually came to a decision that Aamir wasn’t the right fit. This led them to offer the role to Saif Ali Khan, but he faced a challenge as he was not familiar with the local dialect of western UP, where the story was set.

Robin explained that Saif was committed to fully embodying the character, making several changes, such as cutting his hair and hiring a tutor to improve his language skills. He added that the main challenge for Saif was mastering the language required for the role, but he handled it seriously by attending tuition and training with another coach.

Robin also revealed that Saif Ali Khan took on the challenging role of Langda Tyagi, which was unlike his usual characters. To prepare for the role, the Jewel Thief actor dedicated himself to mastering the local dialect, even traveling to the Maldives and Italy to focus on his character.

He practiced extensively with co-star Deepak Dobriyal, who assisted him with the language. On set, Saif’s efforts paid off when he delivered his lines perfectly in the first take, impressing director Vishal Bharadwaj.

Saif's portrayal of Langda Tyagi is widely regarded as one of his finest performances. Omkara received critical acclaim for its powerful performances, gripping storyline, and fresh interpretation of Shakespeare’s Othello.

On the professional front, Saif is currently enjoying the success of his recently released film Jewel Thief, which also stars Jaideep Ahlawat, Kunal Kapoor, and Nikita Dutta. The movie is now available for streaming on Netflix.

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