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India Today
a day ago
- India Today
Saif Ali Khan's finest roles that changed the game
Saif Ali Khan's finest roles that changed the game Aug 16, 2025 Saif Ali Khan is celebrating his 54th birthday today. From intense villains to charming lovers and quirky oddballs, the actor has constantly reinvented himself on screen. Credit: Instagram/Saif Ali Khan FP Here's a look at some of his finest performances that showcase his incredible range. Saif completely broke his chocolate-boy image to play the menacing, conniving Langda Tyagi in Vishal Bhardwaj's Omkara. It's one of his career-best performances and won him several awards. Langda Tyagi – Omkara As a troubled cop unraveling a web of crime and conspiracy, Saif brought intensity and emotional depth to this Netflix series. It marked his successful OTT debut and a new phase in his career. Sartaj Singh – Sacred Games In the period romance, Saif played Shekhar, a man torn between love and pride. His nuanced performance captured the contradictions of a flawed lover. Shekhar - Parineeta This romantic comedy won him a National Award. His character arc from a flirt to a mature partner was both relatable and entertaining. Rohan – Hum Tum (2004) Playing a charming yet sinister man, Saif shocked audiences with this gritty performance. The film helped transition him into darker, more serious roles. Karan Singh Rathod – Ek Hasina Thi India's first zombie comedy! Saif played a Russian mafioso-turned-zombie-hunter with blonde hair and a whacky accent—proving his flair for experimental and offbeat roles. Boris – Go Goa Gone In Imtiaz Ali's take on timeless love stories, Saif pulled off a double act with striking ease. Jai/Veer - Love Aaj Kal Saif's Gautam was flirty, funny, and conflicted, embodying the confusion of modern relationships. His chemistry with Deepika Padukone and Diana Penty drove the film. Gautam - Cocktail Perhaps his boldest experiment, it saw Saif in a neon wig, tripping through a night of chaos and self-discovery. He was quirky, fearless, and unlike anything mainstream. Rileen - Kaalakaandi Happy Birthday, Saif Ali Khan!
News18
2 days ago
- News18
This Actor Worked With Amitabh Bachchan, Rekha, Sridevi - Then Quit Fame At Career Peak
Last Updated: Mangal Dhillon rose to fame in films and TV with Amitabh Bachchan and Rekha, yet walked away at his peak, seeking peace in spirituality and service. Whenever Mangal Dhillon appeared on screen, audiences were instantly drawn to his powerful baritone and dignified presence. In the 1980s and 1990s, he was one of television's most respected stars and a familiar face in Hindi cinema, sharing screens with icons like Amitabh Bachchan, Rekha, Anil Kapoor, and Sridevi. Yet, at the peak of his success, Dhillon shocked many by stepping away from the limelight, trading stardom for a quieter path rooted in faith and service. Born on June 18, 1957, in Punjab's Wander Jatana village, Mangal was a bright child whose father envisioned a traditional career in law or administration. But his heart was always set on the arts. After excelling in school plays, he pursued higher education at Muktsar Government College before completing a post-graduate diploma in acting at Panjab University, where he was awarded a prestigious Gold Medal for performance. Breakthrough In Television And Films Dhillon's first screen break came with Doordarshan's anthology series Katha Sagar. But it was Ramesh Sippy's legendary show Buniyaad that catapulted him to fame. His character, Lubhaya Ram, resonated deeply with viewers, cementing him as one of television's most promising talents. He went on to deliver memorable performances in Junoon, The Great Maratha, and Panther, where his role as Sumer Rajvansh became widely admired. The transition to films was inevitable. His debut in Rakesh Roshan's Khoon Bhari Maang (1988), opposite Rekha and Kabir Bedi, showcased his screen presence. He followed it with Zakhmi Aurat, Vishwatma, and Kumar Shahani's art-house gem Khayal Gatha. Mangal also wrote the screenplay for Heer Ranjha, starring Anil Kapoor and Sridevi, though the film failed commercially. Despite occasional setbacks, he became one of the highest-paid actors on television and a dependable face in cinema. Walking Away From Fame Even while enjoying popularity, Dhillon often spoke about feeling spiritually unsettled. Fame, glamour, and success did not satisfy his inner quest. In 1999, he directed the documentary Khalsa, focusing on Guru Gobind Singh's teachings. The overwhelming response reaffirmed his decision to step away from acting and dedicate his life to faith, community service, and humanitarian projects. His final television role was as Emperor Akbar in Noorjahan (2000), and his last film appearance came in Feroz Khan's Janasheen (2003). After leaving mainstream entertainment, Dhillon immersed himself in creating Sikh documentaries and later launched a YouTube channel to share motivational messages and guidance. In his later years, he battled cancer before passing away in 2023. Remembering him, Dr. Balbir Shah of DMCH Ludhiana shared: 'He used to bring patients to our nursing home as he cared deeply for others' health. He often spoke about drug abuse, farmers' struggles, and corruption. He entertained us with his film dialogues, but what impressed me most was his simplicity." Mangal Dhillon remains a reminder that true legacy lies not only in fame but in the values one lives by. His journey from stardom to spiritual pursuit continues to inspire many who seek deeper meaning beyond worldly success. First Published: August 15, 2025, 23:59 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Hindustan Times
3 days ago
- Hindustan Times
Reframing the courtesan: Umrao Jaan
Watching Muzaffar Ali's Umrao Jaan restored by the National Film Archive of India was like taking a peek at a favourite Banarasi saree, one that has carefully folded in mulmul wrap, still fresh with the memory of when you last wore it. Rekha in and as Umrao Jaan. (HT Photo) A cinematic classic, the film which returned to theatres 44 years after its original release in 1981, lets the contemporary audience revisit the bygone world of tawaifs in its full complexity. Set in Faizabad and Lucknow of the 1840s, this period drama is about a distinct group of independent women performers who ushered in a unique salon culture during the 18 and 19th centuries. Connoisseurs of the fine life and all its trappings including dazzling jewellery and exquisite silks and brocades, they were often highly cultured and more educated than the average woman of their times. Some played an active role in resisting colonial rule and were active during the Uprising of 1857. Umrao Jaan is centred around the life and times of Umrao Jaan Adaa, one such famed tawaif of Lucknow. The screenplay is adapted from Mirza Hadi Ruswa's semi biographical Urdu novel of the same name. The story of Amiran, a young girl who is kidnapped and sold to kotha owner Khanum (Shaukat Kaifi) and who goes on to become a sought after tawaif – a role assayed to perfection by Rekha – recreates the feudal, decadent society of the period. While her talent makes Umrao Jaan a performer who is much sought-after, she is also repeatedly abused as a bazaari aurat, a woman outside the pale of polite society. A reflective Umrao reminiscences about all that's happened to her: the kidnapping that was a result of a criminal neighbour wreaking revenge on her father, arriving at the kotha, her most intense but failed relationship that has left her broken... It tells of how the talented performer and versatile poet was straitjacketed by patriarchy into being a mere object of desire and little else. Rekha and Farooq Sheikh in Umrao Jaan. (HT Photo) What makes Umrao Jaan beautifully distinct is its near tactile quality with the evocation of historical elements like a gentle silken pashmina draped around the neck never poking the skin. It can be interpreted as a romantic film, a musical about a woman's quest for dignity, a tale about heartbreak, all of which are intertwined strands much like Umrao's beautiful silk parandis onscreen. A cinema of loss, longing, and introspection, it has the protagonist asking the big question, 'Who Am I?' even as she faces a string of harsh life situations. The many poignant scenes with Umrao looking into the mirror transforms the mirror itself from mere prop to vital metaphor. Muzaffar Ali's direction presents the historical moment and the unique ethos of the courtesan's world without overtly glamourising or underplaying it (as in the recent HeeraMandi). His approach ensured that Umrao Jaan was part of the rich list of authentic period films of the era like Junoon (1978) and Shatranj Ke Khilari (1977), which also continue to get better with each viewing. Its continued resonance can be attributed to the excellent Urdu dialogues by Shama Zaidi, Javed Siddiqi, and Ali himself, the sublime song lyrics by Shahryr, Subhashini Ali's painstaking costume design that included heirloom jewellery (now back in fashion), and Ali and Bansi Chandragupta's production design. Though Ali, unlike Shyam Benegal or Satyajit Ray (directors of Junoon andShatranj Ki Khiladi, respectively) isn't too invested in actual history, he employs an element of historicity via the fiercely anticolonial rebel-dacoit Faiz Ali (Raj Babbar). Rebel-dacoits were, of course, involved in the resistance against British rule that emerged after the annexation of the Kingdom of Awadh in 1856, which itself fanned the flames of the conflagration that was the Uprising of 1857. Muzaffar Ali, director of Umrao Jaan (Gokul VS/Hindustan Times) Faiz Ali creates a beautiful twist in the storyline towards the end. Unlike the other men in her life, he accepts Umrao for who she is, a powerful woman. In his company, she is at her gutsy best. His brief presence in her life turns her towards reinventing herself as she walks away from the Lucknow kotha. For the contemporary viewer, Umrao's story is 'modern' and the film's logline could read: 'a successful woman, baffled by existential questions, tries to find herself as she navigates the world'. This is not far off the mark. Ali used elements of love and loss but adds the angle of introspection to open the narrative to more than one generation. This means Umrao Jaan transcends the labels of historical drama or tawaif film. The exploration of her search for identity and her evident dignity helps Umrao's character emerge as a sensitive, emotionally mature and creatively accomplished woman who is not just an 'object of desire' like Zohra in Muqqaddar Ka Sikandar (1978) or so many other depictions of tawaifs as mere gaane,bajanewalis. Pertinently, the pejorative term was coined by the colonial administration to maintain their civic tax ledgers and is a perverse interpretation of salon culture. Viewed almost four-and-a-half decades after it was made, Umrao Jaan remains as fresh as ever. Nilosree Biswas is an author, filmmaker, columnist who writes about history, culture, food and cinema of South Asia, Asia and its diaspora.
