There is a story behind Vishal Bhardwaj's decision to adapt "Othello" for the Indian screen.

While working with the one and only Aamir Khan in a now-aborted production, Bhardwaj had spoken of his desire to weave his next film around the central premise of the classic Shakespearean drama. At that point, the plan was to keep it small a la "Maqbool".

But Aamir got excited and told Bhardwaj that he would love to essay the role of Iago. "That's what got me thinking," said the music director-turned-filmmaker.

"I realised that the 'Othello' adaptation could assume the dimensions of a big-budget star-driven venture." Though Aamir subsequently dropped out of the frame and Ajay Devgan stepped in as the eponymous character, Bhardwaj still had to find his Iago.

"It was in 'Dil Chahta Hai' that I had first seen sparks of brilliance in Saif Ali Khan. I knew he was the star who had the acting skills required to pull off the role of Langda," says Vishal.

With actors and stars like Ajay, Saif, Viveik Oberoi, Kareena Kapoor, Bipasha Basu, Konkona Sensharma and Naseeruddin Shah, "Omkara" has become by far the biggest film of Bhardwaj's directorial career.

"In terms of budget, it is six times bigger than 'Maqbool'," he said. Will the impact of "Omkara" be just as huge?