Saif Ali Khan's career found a new direction with Vishal Bhardwaj's Omkara, and nearly two decades later, the actor has revealed the remarkable coincidence that led him to the critically acclaimed film. As Omkara celebrates 20 years this month, Saif looked back on the moment when a conversation with his mother, veteran actor Sharmila Tagore, was followed almost instantly by a life-changing call from Bhardwaj.

Saif Ali Khan on getting cast in Omkara

Speaking to IMDb, Saif recalled that he was shooting in Jaipur when Sharmila praised his growth as an actor and encouraged him to explore Shakespeare. "She said, 'You're becoming an interesting actor. You should do Shakespeare.' I replied, 'That'd be great if I could.' Then she suggested, 'You should do Othello or something.' Moments later, my phone rang. It was Vishal Bhardwaj saying he wanted to make Othello," Saif shared.