Saif Ali Khan to return as the menacing villain one more time for Om Raut’s directorial Adipurush produced by Bhushan Kumar. On Thursday, a few hours after this announcement, a section of netizens demanded Saif should be removed from the film.
Interestingly, there seems to be no unity of reason why netizens feel Saif should not be cast in the film! While some feel the actor should be removed because it is a historical drama and he doesn’t have much knowledge on Indian history, another section of netizens allege that he threatened Sushant Singh Rajput to leave his daughter Sara Ali Khan at a time when the two of them were allegedly in a relationship. Yet another set of users allege he is a product of nepotism.
Although Saif Ali Khan is being trolled, he has proved his mettle as an actor time and again. Saif left everyone stunned with his terrific villainous performance in Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior. Now, he will step into the shoes of India’s greatest villain in Adipurush — a magnum opus that marks the second collaboration of the trio — Saif Ali Khan, Om Raut and Bhushan Kumar- after Tanhaji. He has been roped in to play the prime antagonist in the period saga who’s menacing, lethal and brutal,
Experimenting with roles
Talking of actors his age, Saif has cut out a completely different space for himself, owing to his powerful choices in films off late. At a time when films high on concept and content are setting new standards, the Nawab has been experimenting and how. Also, his acting prowess as a performer and his towering on-screen presence make him a perfect fit for diverse roles.
Acing the grey shades
Previously too, Saif has won accolades for playing the antagonist in several films – whether it was Langda Tyagi in Omkara or Udaybhan Rathod in the recently released Tanhaji. In Adipurush, which is an on-screen adaptation of the Indian epic, that revolves around the triumph of good over evil, Saif will be stepping into the role of a larger than life villain.
Phenomenal project
Announcing Saif ’s entry in Adipurush, Prabhas wrote on social media, “7000 years ago existed the world’s most intelligent demon.” The south superstar exclaims, “I am super excited to work with Saif Ali Khan and am eager to share screen space with a great actor like him.” Talking about the project, Saif Ali Khan shares, “I’m thrilled to be working with Omi dada again! He has a grand vision and the technical knowledge to really pull it off. He has taken me beyond the cutting edge of our cinema in the way he shot Tanhaji and this time he is taking us all further! It’s a phenomenal project and I’m psyched to be a part of it! I look forward to clashing swords with the mighty Prabhas and play a role that is electrifying and demonic!”
Filmmaker Om Raut adds, “To play the strongest villain from our epic we needed a brilliant actor. Who better than Saif Ali Khan, one of the greatest actors of our lifetime, to essay this powerful role. Personally, I enjoy every day at work with him. I am looking forward to this exciting journey with him all over again.” Producer Bhushan Kumar tells us, “Saif blew us all over with his role as Udaybhan in Tanhaji, he takes it a notch higher with his role in Adipurush. He is the perfect choice in this battle between good and evil with Prabhas.”
The film will be shot in both Hindi and Telugu. The 3D extravaganza will have a humongous release with the film dubbed in Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada and several other foreign languages. Produced by Bhushan Kumar, Krishan Kumar, Om Raut, Prasad Sutar & Rajesh Nair, Adipurush is currently in the pre-production stage and expected to go on floors in 2021 and hit the marquee with a massive release in 2022.