Omkara: We celebrated Langda Tyagi for 20 years; it’s time we talked about Dolly

For the longest time, I avoided Omkara. Tragedies have never been my thing. I don’t enjoy stories where heartbreak is inevitable. They stay with me long after the credits roll. So despite hearing for years that Vishal Bhardwaj’s Omkara was among the finest films Hindi cinema had ever produced, I never found the courage to press play. Until now. Looking back, I am glad I waited. Had I watched Omkara a decade ago, I would probably have admired Vishal Bhardwaj’s brilliant adaptation of Shakespeare, applauded Saif Ali Khan’s unforgettable Langda Tyagi and moved on. Watching it in 2026, however, I found myself thinking about someone else entirely. Dolly. For years, conversations around Omkara (with Ajay Devgn playing the titular role) have rightly celebrated Saif Ali Khan’s performance, arguabl