They are nasty, evil, scary, and terrifying, and they can give you nightmares. We are talking about iconic villains we’ve seen in Bollywood films. In a movie, a hero doesn’t become a hero until he faces a villain. And, while we mostly root for the hero in a movie, there have been times when the anti-hero left us impressed with their performance. And even years later, audiences remember the dialogues, mannerisms, and the character of these villains.

Here are 7 bad guys from Bollywood movies who stole the limelight from the hero:

Amjad Khan As Gabbar In Sholay

Although Sholay had Amitabh Bachchan and Dharmendra, the film was all about Gabbar. Amjad Khan, who was initially sceptical about playing such a vile baddy, gave one of the best performances of his illustrious career. So terrifying was the character that even decades after Sholay was released, people still remember, and enjoy the menacing performance.

Amrish Puri as Mogambo in Mr India

“Mogambo Khush Hua…” Remember the iconic dialogue? Amrish Puri who played this super-villian carved a niche in the sci-fi film Mr India. He had a costume, a skull stick, a throne, and a group of loyalists who would jump in acid water on his call. The invincible Mogambo was able to scare even the adults.

Danny Dengzongpa and Sanjay Dutt As Kancha In Agneepath (1990 and 2012)

While Danny Dengzongpa portrayed Kancha as a very suave and sophisticated villain in the original, Sanjay Dutt, who reprised the role in the 2012 remake, brought a flavour of gruesome to it. His towering personality, specially crafted physique and cunning looks made him one of the biggest villains of modern Bollywood. The two portrayals were as different as chalk and cheese, but both of them were equally powerful and menacing.

Ashutosh Rana as Gokul Pandit In Dushman

Gokul Pandit was every girl’s nightmare. Ashutosh Rana redefined terror with his role as a postman who was also a serial rapist. He was so convincing that he scared the daylights out of the audience. The obsession he depicted is a masterclass in acting, and who can forget those eyes?
The actor has another iconic villain to his credit. He played Lajja Shankar Pandey, a psychotic killer in Sangharsh. The scene in which he ululates is legit one of the scariest scenes shot in Bollywood. Isn’t he one of the best actors we have in the Hindi film industry?

Jeevan as Robert In Amar Akbar Anthony

Jeevan was one of the top bad guys of Bollywood, but his role in Amar Akbar Anthony is worth singling out. He brought out evil in an urbane and sophisticated way.

Ranveer Singh As Alauddin Khilji In Padmaavat

Ranveer Singh’s portrayal of Alauddin Khilji is one of his best performances. As brilliant as Shahid Kapoor and Deepika Padukone were in the film, it’s Singh who stood out.

Tigmanshu Dhulia As Ramadhir Singh In Gangs Of Wasseypur

It was hard to tell who the real villain in Gangs of Wasseypur is because every character in the movie had shades of grey. But Tigmanshu Dhulia’s Ramadhir Singh was just a class apart. The manner in which he imbibed the character, and brought it to life is truly remarkable.

(Featured Image Credits: Instagram)