Saif Ali Khan to Play Demon Lankesh in Om Raut's Adipurush: From Omkara to Tanhaji - Here's Looking at Times When He Played a Baddie With All the Conviction

Saif Ali Khan is officially on board to play the baddie in Prabhas' Adipurush. The movie is backed by Bhushan Kumar and Om Raut will helm this epic.  Saif will play the character of Lankesh who was touted to be the most intelligent demon 7,000 years ago. The project will mark his second collaboration with the director after Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior where he was interestingly roped in to play the villain again. This is certainly not the first time when Saif has ventured into 'villainous' territory. The actor has previously proved his mettle as a versatile actor and some of his iconic characters include the ones with all dark shades. Adipurush: Saif Ali Khan Confirmed to Play the 'Demon Lankesh' in Prabhas' Next with Director Om Raut.

From playing the evil Langda Tyagi in Vishal Bharadwaj's Omkara to Udaybhan in Ajay Devgn's Tanhaji and Karan Singh Rathore in Sriram Raghavan's Ek Haseena Thi, Saif's tryst with playing baddies on-screen have so far been all successful attempts. As the actor gears up to play another evil but crucial character in his filmography, we take a look at all the previous time he essayed dark and negative characters on the big screen. Have a look...

Omkara

We loved his portrayal but we hated his character - that's the conviction with which he played Langda Tyagi in Omkara. His wasn't even the titular character and had someone as brilliant as Ajay Devgn standing tall by his side. Yet, Saif was able to draw in all the praises for his evil act and ended up signing a character he'll cherish for a lifetime.

Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior

Another collaboration that saw him pitted against Ajay Devgn. His portrayal of Udaybhan was a major reason why he ended up signing Om Raut's Adipurush with Prabhas in the lead. Saif was crazy, evil and his act was sheer brilliance.

Bazaar 

Saif played Shakun Kothari, a suave stock market trader whose intimidating personality made you root for him. He was positioned as a baddie who deliberately gets Rohan Mehra's character indicted for his own monetary benefits. Saif played a ruthless, money-minded stockbroker, 'dhando no gando chokro' who is willing to sacrifice his personal life for professional gains. Saif Ali Khan Birthday Special: 5 Roles That Helped Him Evolve As An Actor. 

Ek Haseena Thi 

A Sriram Raghavan classic that deserved some more recognition. Saif Ali Khan played a businessman with underworld connections who carefully gets Urmila Matondkar convicted for the crimes he committed. It's only later when she realises his ploy that she sets out to get her revenge. The movie is still considered as one of the best works of Urmila and Saif Ali Khan.

Kurbaan

Saif Ali Khan played a terrorist whose underground organization is attempting to instil fear by means of terrorism in the United States. He marries Kareena to legitimately obtain residency in the United States and carry on with his terrorist functionings. Though his character slightly modifies in the end, even killing him in the process, Saif was a villain throughout who was even willing to kill his wife if she wasn't pregnant.

Of course, he's a brilliant choice ton play Lankesh in Adipurush. His resume above is proof that he only makes his directors proud. Now that he is officially on board, we can't wait to see him lock horns with Prabhas and witness the epic battle of good vs evil.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 03, 2020 08:16 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).