Othello is set for a Bollywood makeover in which William Shakespeare's jealous lover is the leader of a gang of outlaws in modern-day political badlands.

Bollywood's version of the play, slated for release on Friday, is the story of a gifted chieftain, Omkara, whose jealousy and blind obsession for his lover tears his secure world apart.

Set amidst violent political conflict in Uttar Pradesh, Omkara is director Vishal Bharadwaj's second tryst with Shakespearean drama after the critically-acclaimed Maqbool, loosely based on Macbeth.

"The appeal of Shakespeare's stories is that they are humane and timeless which is why they can be set in any social milieu and relevant to any character," said Bharadwaj.

Sourcing material from classical Western literature is not a new phenomenon in Bollywood and several adaptations of classics such as Lolita, Rebecca and Hamlet are now in the works.

In the past, the prolific film industry, known more for its song and dance routines, has successfully adapted popular works such as the The Hound of the Baskervilles and several versions of Pride and Prejudice, The Count of Monte Cristo, Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyre.

Omkara, played by Ajay Devgan, heads a group of outlaws that includes his two close cohorts.

When Omkara chooses one of the two as his chief lieutenant, the pride of the other, played by romantic hero Saif Ali Khan, is hurt.

Raging with envy, he hatches a plot to implicate Omkara's beautiful fiance in an illicit affair with the chief lieutenant.

"In the backdrop, the character (Omkara) is very aggressive and that is what we are trying to portray," Devgan said.

"It does not mean that there are too many fighting scenes in the movie but that in a way, we have tried to show his inner conflicts and aggression," he said.

Omkara is keenly awaited not only for its story but the performance of its lead actors, some of whom - like Khan - have made a drastic departure from their traditional images.

The film sees Khan's spoilt lover boy image change to that of a repellent political operator--with yellowed teeth and a limp to perfect the character of the manipulative Iago.

Desdemona's character is played by popular Bollywood beauty Kareena Kapoor, better known for playing sexy but shallow characters. She says she was not scared to change her image for the sake of a good role.

"The lead actors have taken a bold step to break from their traditional image," said Bharadwaj.