Saif Ali Khan turns 51: A look at the actor's best roles from Sameer in Dil Chahta Hai to Sartaj in Sacred Games

Actor Saif Ali Khan has charmed the audience with his performances in several films. Be it Langda Tyagi in Omkara or Sartaj in Sacred Games, the actor has never failed to captivate viewers.     Khan made his debut in Yash Chopra’s film Parampara in 1993. From then on, he has only given stellar performances. While the beginning of his career did have a series of misses, a As the Dil Chahta Hai star turns 51 today, 16 August, here’s a look at some of his most memorable roles- Dil Chahta Hai (2001) [caption id=“attachment_9890491” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] Akshaye Khanna, Saif Ali Khan, and Aamir Khan in Dil Chahta Hai[/caption] Who can ever forget Khan as the slightly lost, confused romantic Sameer from Dil Chahta Hai? Farhan Akhtar’s directorial debut gave Khan ample opportunity to showcase his comic timing. Two decades down the line, the film and Sameer, are still relatable to both audiences of all age groups.   Ek Hasina Thi (2004) [caption id=“attachment_9890471” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] Saif Ali Khan in Ek Hasina Thi[/caption] Khan played a delightfully, dark and manipulative character Karan Singh Rathod, who conveniently frames his girlfriend Sarika (Urmila Matondkar) for his crimes.   Hum Tum (2004) [caption id=“attachment_9890441” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] Rani Mukerji and Saif Ali Khan in Hum Tum[/caption] Khan portrayed the cool, sophisticated Karan, a wisecracking man-child who matures over the course of the film. This role won him his first National Award, but also multiple other awards.   Omkara (2006) [caption id=“attachment_9890511” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] Saif Ali Khan as Langda Tyagi in Omkara[/caption] Khan delivered a power-packed performance as the conniving Langda Tyagi in Vishal Bharadwaj’s adaptation of Othello. A stark contrast from the suave, urban characters he usually portrays, Khan stole the show in the film, easily overshadowing other characters. Love Aaj Kal (2009) [caption id=“attachment_9890521” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] Saif Ali Khan and Deepika Padukone in a poster for Love Aaj Kal[/caption] Khan’s double role in the Imtiaz Ali directorial venture won him accolades from both the critics and audiences. Go Goa Gone (2013) [caption id=“attachment_9890551” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] A still from Go Goa Gone[/caption] In one of the first horror comedies of the Hindi film industry, Khan played Boris, a pretend Russian mafioso with a bad dye job, who slays zombies infesting Goa. Sacred Games (2018-19) [caption id=“attachment_9890541” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] Saif Ali Khan as Sartaj in Sacred Games[/caption] Khan played  as Sartaj Singh, a brooding and determined policeman, as he attempts to solve the murder of gangster Ganesh Gaitonde, played by Nawazuddin Siddiqui. Tanhaji (2020) [caption id=“attachment_9890531” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] Saif Ali Khan in Tanhaji[/caption] The historical action film saw Khan playing the role of Udaybhan Singh, the antagonist. Khan’s remarkable energy and sinister performance won him the Best Supporting Actor Award in Filmfare.