As Saif Ali Khan turns 53, here's looking at 25 of his best performances this millennium

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Happy Birthday Saif Ali Khan: 25 roles that best define the second coming of the Nawab of Bollywood

Here are 25 of Saif Ali Khan's best roles after his second coming ushered in by Dil Chahta Hai in 2001

Team CE

Published:17th Aug, 2021 at 1:10 AM

Dil Chahta Hai was clearly the breakout film that reintroduced Saif Ali Khan to Indian audiences. And what an exhilarating ride has it been since then!!!

It is impressive how Saif Ali Khan never shied away from sharing screen space with his peers. Here's Rehna Tere Dil Main, a film that also marked Madhavan's debut in Bollywood

In Darna Mana Hai, Saif's Anil learns about the perils of smoking... the hard way. Probably they should show this film as an advertisement ahead of film screenings

Kal Ho Naa Ho's Rohit Patel is funny. He is lovable. He is articulate. He is romantic. He is a great friend. He is a wonderful husband. In any other film, Rohit would have been the only HERO.

Ek Hasina Thi's Karan Singh Rathod is debilitatingly fiendish yet convincing. No wonder Urmila fell for his charms... but thankfully, for not too long

Hum Tum gave Saif Ali Khan his first National Award. While it was an enterprising character... I'd like to think he got the award for Ek Hasina Thi's Karan and not Hum Tum's Karan

In Parineeta, Saif Ali Khan's Shekhar babu is all poise personified as he traverses between family honour and his undying love for Vidya Balan's Lalita.

Do our heroes cry? Saif Ali Khan, time and again, showed that it was okay to do so. In Salaam Namaste, Nick cries at the drop of a hat. Saif is one of those actors who are always at home in romcoms

In Being Cyrus, an english language dark comedy, we see an effortless Saif scarily slip into the shoes of Cyrus Mistry. A lovely look at a guy, who is ALMOST willing to do anything.

With Omkara's Langda Tyagi, Saif Ali Khan went completely on to the dark side, as he expertly weaves a web of deceit around the titular Omkara. CULT Performance by an actor who was at his prime!

Saif was once again part of a starry ensemble costume drama with Vidhu Vinod Chopra's Eklavya where he plays the prodigal son returning home to protect his family

Who else but Saif Ali khan can pull off a suave role like a racecar driver. Add in a cute family into the mix, and who knew a random mi of family-Nascar would be something Bollywood would attempt.

Blood, bombs, betrayal, brotherhood... Race had everything, and Saif's Ranvir at the centre of everything, trying to claim what he thinks he deserves, even if it means spurning Katrina Kaif's advances

Tashan was probably Saif's most anticipated film... But it will be remembered for what happened off the screen... it gave life to a romance that has stood the test of time

Imtiaz Ali weaves a wonderful tale of how decades might change, but love doesn't. And Saif Ali Khan does a brilliant job of being two lover boys from different decades

It is not easy to play a role like Ehsaan Khan. But Saif is convincing in a role that makes the audience root for him at one point, hate him in another, and root for him... again.

Aarakshan was one of the first gritty social dramas featuring Saif Ali Khan. while the verdict is still out there if he fit into the role of Deepak Kumar... but there's no doubt he gave it his all

Saif Ali Khan is someone who can just wake up every morning and look suave with very little effort... and give such a man a three-piece suit, a wayfarer, and guns... we get Agent Vinod.

Cocktail's Gautam was an important role that almost gets lost in a then breakthrough performance by Deepika. Saif, yet again, sells an extremely unlikeable character

Race 2 marked Saif's return as the conniving Ranveer. Did the film work as well as the first part? Not really. Was Saif convincing as the man who always had a plan B? Definitely!

There is something magical about Saif Ali Khan when he lets his guard down to do something so random that it just shouldn't work on paper... But it does... Always... Go Goa Gone's Boris was one such!

Stepping into the chef's hat of Jon Favreau, Saif Ali Khan is equal amounts stoic, vulnerable and loving. He did more to the film than what the film did for him.

If Go Goa Gone's Boris was a vibe, then Kaalakaandi's Rileen was no less! That yellow jacket, that hair style, and that goofy smile plastered all over his face!

It is interesting how Saif reserves all his villainy only for Ajay Devgn. After Omkara, it is in Tanhaji that we see a power-hungry Saif Ali Khan unleash his unabashed villainy. This time as Udaybhan

One more man-child performance, and will it be the last time we see Saif Ali Khan in such a role? After Happy Endings, we saw him in a similar role in Jawaani Jaaneman. Has he exhausted it all... or??