Saif Ali Khan @ 50: Eight roles that we’ll love forever

Saif Ali Khan has given us a bounty of roles in over two decades of his magnificent career. His versatility has given us a reason to laugh, smile, cry, and enjoy this rollercoaster of emotions. Khan is ever-charming regardless of the medium.

As he celebrates his 50th birthday on 16th August, BizAsiaLive.com takes a walk down memory lane, and revisits eight memorable characters that still manage to woo the audience.

‘Hum Tum‘ (2004)
Khan’s character Karan Kapoor from ‘Hum Tum’ is still amongst one of his much loved performances. Karan was flirtatious, annoying and immature but still innocent and lovable through all his flaws. Khan’s charisma brought an undeniable aura to Karan’s larger than life persona. This made you disregard every unsuccessful wooing attempt and laugh at what essentially is a heartfelt and goofy character. Khan leaves you yearning for seconds and question why there wasn’t a sequel made.

‘Ta Ra Rum Pum‘ (2007)
Khan played the carefree and talented race-car driver Rajveer Singh in this Siddharth Anand directorial. His effortless transition from an ambitious driving professional to a beloved father, and then to a failing race-car driver is undeniably likable. You are cheering for Rajveer as he wins every battle, and also crying as he struggles to make ends meet, while also deeming Khan the perfect choice for the part.

‘Omkara‘ (2006)
Khan’s role as Langda Tyagi in 2006’s ‘Omkara’ was the role of the year. His gripping performance as the villainous, crippled Tyagi was a surprising change from his past roles as the romantic comic. Khan was thoroughly convincing as the cunning goon basking for glory. While ‘Omkara’ was a multi-starrer, the film and audiences walked away with Khan’s performance in tow.

‘Salaam Namaste‘ (2005)
‘Salaam Namaste’ has been one of Khan’s most progressive films. It was a take on a more common reality that youngsters face today. Khan played the witty and immature chef Nikhil Arora. He falls in love and is at a crossroads as he sets out to become a father out of wedlock. The dynamics of his once blissful relationship change and Khan is outstanding in his true-to-life portrayal. He confidently navigated from a comical immature youngster to a compassionate and understanding father, making you smile every step of the way.

‘Sacred Games‘ (2018-2019)
Khan’s digital acting debut in Netflix’s ‘Sacred Games’ was passionate and praiseworthy. Playing the role of Sartaj Singh, a police officer down on his luck, Khan gives you every reason to sit up and enjoy the ride through two terrific seasons. His honest portrayal is thoroughly relatable and you wonder why Khan is not seen on screen more often. Audiences are understandably still hunting for a third season.

‘Love Aaj Kal‘ (2009)
Bollywood love stories have always been about the fairytale romance and ‘Love Aaj Kal’ gave us a glimpse into a modern world romance. Khan played the conceited, bratty, but self assured Jai Singh. He knows how to have fun and what his future beckons and it’s hard to imagine anyone else but him in the role. While the role might have been all too familiar, Khan was precise and brought a fresh take to every scene, and is still the go-to actor for modern romance.

‘Hum Saath Saath Hain‘ (1999)
Playing the youngest and silliest of four siblings, Khan is the brother that you’ve always wanted as Vinod. The youngest sibling is known to be cherished and often unaware of any family dilemma. Vinod is that son. Khan aptly portrayed the youngest with much ease and vigor. His presence was heartfelt and tugged at your heartstrings.

‘Kurbaan‘ (2009)
Khan is known to excel in his roles as an earnest protagonist. His role as Ehsaan, an open-minded, logical professor was more than what met the eye. Ehsaan is a terrorist, and has a hidden agenda as he marries a co-worker from the U.S.A. Khan eloquently transitions between a caring husband to a man with a gray present. His ability to quietly attract the audience is fully put on display and stays with you long after the film concludes.

Khan has many more films and appearances to make and is sure to be celebrating in the presence of his loved ones today. BizAsiaLive.com wishes Khan a very happy 50th birthday!