9 unconventional roles by Saif Ali Khan that prove his versatility

Saif Ali Khan is not just the ‘chocolate boy’ we all fell in love with. He is an actor par excellence and these roles are proof!

Being born a Nawaab in the Pataudi palace and having the kind of accent that he does IRL, many underestimated him as an actor or had preconceived notions about the kind of roles he would play. While his early 2000s films were about him always playing the cute lover boy we all fell in love with, deep down he knew he wanted to be more than that. In a lot of interviews, he has mentioned how he has always wanted to play characters that have more depth to them and play roles he genuinely enjoys portraying as an actor, have fun with it and bring something of his own to the table.

These characters are proof of the versatile body of work that he wants to create and he wants to always be perceived as by his audience. All of it started with Go Goa Gone, a film that has gone on to become a cult classic today but at the time that it was getting made no lead actor wanted to be a part of such an off beat film. Here’s when Saif came into the picture and agreed to the role, making it one of his most iconic roles. In Laal Kaptaan, he plays a sadhu who has turned rogue, in Kalakaandi, he has two months to live his life the way he wants and in Omkara, his character is all about revenge and politics. He clearly is one of those actors who we love watching in romantic as well as intense movies and each role of his hits different every time we see him on-screen!

Also Read: 20 Saif Ali Khan gifs that will make you go SO ME!

These roles play a key role in his filmography to cement his title as a versatile actor!

Sartaj Singh - Sacred Games

His debut in the OTT world was with Sacred Games. He played the role of Sartaj Singh who was a police officer chasing a gangster like Gaitonde. He was one of the main highlights of the show and the reason it garnered the kind of success that it did. He was one of the first actors to enter the world of OTT and break that wall between films and TV shows which has always had a clear divide in India.

Boris - Go Goa Gone

Boris was way ahead of his times; he was the savior in a zombieland and that zombieland was a metaphor for a lot of things that happen in our world today. His satirical comedy in the film still hits just the same and is the reason why audiences so desperately long for a part two of the movie.

Gossain - Laal Kaptaan

Saif plays a bounty hunter/sadhu in Laal Kaptaan where he is on a killing spree in a crazy revenge conquest against a subedaar named Rahmat Khan. It is poles apart from anything he has played before and that only proves how he is ready to take risks over roles that usually leading ‘heroes’ don’t go for.

Rileen - Kalakaandi

After finding out that he has stomach cancer and only has a month to live, Rileen lets his intrusive thoughts win and lives life recklessly and the way he always wanted to, which includes doing hard drugs. The film has dark humor which, in our opinion, is Saif’s forte!

Shekhar Roy - Parineeta

A poetic yet intense love story, Parineeta shows us Saif playing Shekar, who is head over heels in love with Lalita but the two are torn apart by his father by rooting misunderstandings between them. Until much later when Shekhar’s love overpowers everything and he seeks her out to reunite with her. Saif portrays Shekhar with a lot of poise and gentleness which we loved.

Langda - Omkara

As Langda, his only wish was to be Omkara’s successor after he wins the election. But when Kesu is elected as the next in line instead of him, that's when the real politics and drama begin. Omkara is yet another iconic film where Saif left an unforgettable impression on the audience.

Jai Vardhan Singh - Love Aaj Kal

While Love Aaj Kal is one of his romantic films, it still makes it to this list because of the beauty with which they portray heartbreak in the film. Saif plays a double role in the film and showcases love across two different generations. Things that have changed, the way we feel while we’re in a relationship and how we deal with heartbreak, is portrayed rather well in this one! 

Udaybhan Singh - Tanhaji

In Tanhaji, which was a period film, Saif played a negative role, something that rarely lead actors choose to play or are even able to pull off. Here he plays Udaybhan Singh who is a Rajput fort keeper stopping Tanhaji from recapturing his Kondhana fort. 

Roshan Kalra - Chef

Adapted from Jon Favreau’s Hollywood film of the same name, Saif plays Roshan Kalra in the Hindi version. In the film, he is a chef who opens his own food truck and wants to make it work. Apart from that, he also navigates his divorce and everything that he feels post that.

Happy Birthday to the actor who keeps showing us everything that he has to offer!

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