Saif Ali Khan credits 'Omkara' for opening doors to grounded roles in 'Kartavya'
Synopsis
Saif Ali Khan credits 'Omkara' with transforming how the industry perceives his acting range, a shift that directly led to his casting in the upcoming Netflix drama 'Kartavya'. While comparisons between his two roles persist, Khan argues the real throughline is dialect—and the willingness of directors to cast urban actors in grounded, vernacular roles.
Key Takeaways
Saif Ali Khan attributes his 'Kartavya' casting to the success of 'Omkara' , where he played Langda Tyagi .
Director Pulkit reportedly saw 'Omkara' and recognised Khan's range as an actor before casting him in the new role.
Khan identifies dialect as the primary similarity between Pawan Singh and Langda Tyagi . 'Omkara' , directed by Vishal Bhardwaj , shifted industry and audience perceptions of Khan's versatility. 'Kartavya' , produced by Gauri Khan under Red Chillies Entertainment , premieres on Netflix on 15 May .
Actor Saif Ali Khan has attributed his casting in the upcoming Netflix drama 'Kartavya' to the critical and commercial success of 'Omkara', where he played the iconic character Langda Tyagi. In a recent media interaction, Khan acknowledged that while comparisons between Pawan Singh (his role in 'Kartavya') and Langda Tyagi persist, the earlier film demonstrated his range as a performer to filmmakers like director Pulkit.
How 'Omkara' changed perceptions
Khan explained that 'Omkara', directed by Vishal Bhardwaj, fundamentally shifted how the industry and audiences viewed his capabilities. "If people think that I was brought up in the city and I speak a little English, then a director like Pulkit has probably seen Omkara, and he knows that I have a range as an actor," Khan said. He credited the film for convincing casting directors that he could convincingly portray characters rooted in vernacular Indian settings.
The character similarities
When pressed on the specific parallels between the two roles, Khan identified dialect as the primary commonality. "There are some similarities in the dialect. It is a lot of fun to learn and understand a desi and grounded dialogue delivery," he noted. Beyond linguistic choices, Khan suggested that broader character archetypes and the actors' perceived urban upbringing had fuelled the comparisons, rather than narrative or thematic overlap.
Breaking typecasting
Khan's remarks underscore a recurring pattern in Indian cinema: actors from privileged backgrounds facing skepticism about their ability to inhabit working-class or rural characters authentically. 'Omkara' proved that assumption wrong, earning Khan critical acclaim and opening doors to similar projects. "We judge people very quickly. They say that, 'He cannot do this, or he won't be able to do that'. So this is a good thing that because of 'Omkara', people take me seriously as an actor," Khan reflected.
About 'Kartavya'
'Kartavya', produced by Gauri Khan under the banner Red Chillies Entertainment Pvt. Ltd., follows a police officer navigating the tension between professional duty and family safety. The ensemble cast includes Sanjay Mishra, Zakir Hussain, Manish Chaudhari, and Saurabh Dwivedi. The film is set to premiere on Netflix on 15 May.
Point of View
English-speaking backgrounds cannot authentically inhabit working-class or rural characters. 'Omkara' shattered that ceiling. What's instructive is that Khan needed a Vishal Bhardwaj and a cult film to prove what should have been obvious—that acting is craft, not birthright. The fact that 'Kartavya' exists is partly because one film broke a bias; that's both a win for Khan and an indictment of an industry that needed convincing.
NationPress
9 May 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are Saif Ali Khan's characters in 'Omkara' and 'Kartavya' being compared?
Both characters share a grounded, vernacular dialect and are rooted in working-class or rural Indian settings. However, Khan argues the similarities are primarily linguistic rather than narrative, and that comparisons stem partly from audience and industry surprise at seeing an urban, English-speaking actor in such roles.
How did 'Omkara' influence Saif Ali Khan's casting in 'Kartavya'?
Director Pulkit reportedly watched 'Omkara' and recognised Khan's range as an actor, which convinced him that Khan could authentically portray the grounded character of Pawan Singh in 'Kartavya'. Khan credits the 2006 film with changing how the industry perceives his versatility.
What is 'Kartavya' about?
'Kartavya' is a Netflix drama that follows a police officer balancing the weight of his professional duty with his family's safety. It is produced by Gauri Khan under Red Chillies Entertainment and features an ensemble cast including Sanjay Mishra, Zakir Hussain, and others.
When does 'Kartavya' release on Netflix?
'Kartavya' is scheduled to premiere on Netflix on 15 May.
Who directed 'Omkara' and what was its impact on Saif Ali Khan's career?
'Omkara' was directed by Vishal Bhardwaj and released in 2006. Khan credits it with fundamentally shifting how audiences and filmmakers viewed his acting capabilities, proving he could excel in grounded, vernacular roles despite his urban background.
