There have been days when Bollywood has graced all movies with a few really unforgettable villains. These versatile actors have proved their versatility many times through difficult and complex dark roles. Here's a look at six Bollywood actors who excelled in villainous roles.
Amrish Puri: Amrish Puri is the icon of villains in Bollywood movies. His portrayal of Mogambo in Mr. India (1987) went on to become legendary, with his catchphrase "Mogambo khush hua" still echoing in popular culture. He was perfectly menacing with his deep voice, whether it was as Thakur Durjan Singh in Karan Arjun (1995) or appearing as the ruthless businessman, Baldev Singh, in Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995). His ability to instill fear and maintain a charismatic screen presence had made him one of the most celebrated villains in Hindi cinema.
Amjad Khan: Chiselled in Sholay (1975), Amjad Khan's character of Gabbar Singh remained one of the most iconic villains in the history of Bollywood. Gabbar's laughter, his cruel sense of humour, and his terrorising dialogue delivery made him a character that audiences loved to hate. The role was of such impact that it supplanted all of Khan's other performances to forever connect him with the archetype of the ruthless dacoit. The terror he created from lines as simple as "Kitne aadmi the?" made him into a cultural phenomenon, establishing Amjad Khan as a household name.
Before he was tagged as the King of Romance, Shah Rukh Khan left an imprint as a villain in films like Baazigar in 1993 and Darr. He essayed obsessive, dark characters and did so with a certain aura that really chilled and attracted audiences at large. In Baazigar, Khan's cold-blooded revenge and moral ambiguity kept audiences on edge; in Darr, his haunting obsession with Juhi Chawla's character brought a new dimension to Bollywood villains. These two, however, proved to be classical in the notation of the likes of SRK's flexibility in acting and the ability to play intense, negative characters.
Sanjay Dutt: Sanjay Dutt as a negative, terrifying Kancha Cheena in Agneepath was just mind-blowing. Clean-bald, with horrifyingly devilish smiles and numb touches, Dutt's Kancha Cheena is the modern-day epitome of evil. He was intense in his performance and brought a raw, almost animalistic energy to the role, easily making this one of the most memorable villain performances within recent years. It has cemented Dutt's ability to be switched at ease between protagonist and antagonist, which has further solidified his reputation as one of Bollywood's most versatile actors.
Ashutosh Rana: Ashutosh Rana never fails to surprise. In Dushman, he was portrayed as a sadistic killer, and people got shivers down their spine while glimpsing at people through his eyes and acting intensely. In Sangharsh, he was calmly ritualistic, and one could see through his eyes how frightening a person he was, which was quite captivating at the same time. He has managed to terrify his audiences convincingly and has become one of Bollywood's top fears on screen.
Naseeruddin Shah: A raw, intense, and incisive acting performer, Naseeruddin Shah portrayed the chilling villain of the film Sarfarosh. Shah's Gulfam Hassan, a ghazal singer who runs an evil mind, was deviously charming and at the same time sinister. It was his sophistication that brought in the duality of the cultured artist with hidden intentions, which further made the characterization one of the most knowledgeable villain portrayals in Bollywood. Shah in Sarfarosh shows a power of versatility, a vanguard of the actors that have handled these complex characters.
Not only did it allow such actors to display their range, but these actors also redefined what a villain on the Bollywood screen meant, leaving their characters etched as much as the hero.
