Always playing behind the larger heroes of Bollywood, cinema and Bollywood have had villains at many times transcend heroines and make it even as attractive ‘thot’ with muscular performances. These add drama and suspense to the movie, thereby making a hero’s journey worthwhile. So here are 20 unforgettable Bollywood villains who shall be etched in the audience’s mind.
1. Amjad Khan as Gabbar Singh (Sholay, 1975).
Gabbar Singh is probably the greatest villain in Indian cinema ever. His dialogue, “Kitne aadmi the?”, still haunts the minds of movie viewers. It is because of Amjad Khan who portrayed this brutal outlaw that made him a legend in the Bollywood world.
2. Amrish Puri as Mogambo, Mr. India (1987).
He became famous with his booming voice and sinister grin as Mogambo. His over-the-top villainy became the highlight of Mr. India.
3. Danny Denzongpa, Kancha Cheena (Agneepath, 1990).
Cold-weathered character and a calculative mind, Danny added to Kancha Cheena’s tough brutality and actually became one of the most feared villains of Bollywood.
4. Pran as Raka in (Zanjeer, 1973).
It is known that Pran was versatile, and his appearance as Raka in Zanjeer had a chilling effect. The film was aggressive on account of his menacing look and strong presence.
5. Ashutosh Rana as Lajja Shankar Pandey (Sangharsh, 1999).
Most terrifying was depraved Lajja Shankar Pandey, whose evil incantations and cruel gesticulations presented the scariest villain by Ashutosh Rana.
6. Ajit as Teja in (Zanjeer, 1973).
With Teja in Zanjeer, he gave swag to villainy. The line “Mona Darling” still remains a hallmark of Bollywood history.
7. Naseeruddin Shah in Gulfaam Hassan (Sarfarosh, 1999).
Richly nuanced performance of the picturesquely rotten yet deadly Gulfaam Hassan, which made him play a terrorist in Sarfarosh even gained depth.
8. Shah Rukh Khan as Rahul Mehra (Darr, 1993).
He played the obsessive lover Rahul in the film Darr and proved that villains too could be given depth and vulnerability. Even the famous line ‘I love you, Kkk. Kiran’ is remembered even today.
9. Sanjay Dutt as Kancha Cheena (Agneepath, 2012).
Sanju Dutt’s new adaptation of Kancha Cheena looked dark, intimidating, and intense. Wearing his bald look with his deep voice made him one of the most debonair villains in Agneepath’s new adaptation.
10. Amrish Puri Balwant Rai, (Ghayal, 1990).
Amrish Puri as Balwant Rai, a ruthless and extremely corrupt person, plays the role of Ghayal. He was quite overpowering on screen; he made the audience root all the more for the hero’s victory.
11. Ranjeet as Ranjeet (In Films Various).
He is the quintessential villain of many Bollywood movies of the 70s and 80s. His womanizer and goon image stamped itself on the real villain of Indian cinema.
12. Kiran Kumar as Lotiya Pathan (Tezaab, 1988).
Lotiya Pathan was an utterly merciless, unforgiving villain in Tezaab. The raw intensity of Kiran Kumar while doing the role made him memorable.
13. Prem Chopra as Prem Chopra (In Several Films).
He could make his career playing a villain. The dialogue “Prem naam hai mera. Prem Chopra” is in the annals of villains of Bollywood.
14. Gulshan Grover as Kesariya Vilayati (Ram Lakhan, 1989).
Often called the “Bad Man” of Bollywood, Gulshan Grover did many villainous roles, but this was different when he played Kesariya Vilayati in Ram Lakhan.
15. Saif Ali Khan as Langda Tyagi (Omkara, 2006).
Saif was shocked as he turned to the wicked, manipulative Langda Tyagi. He looks one of the most convincing villains modern times have produced – rugged look and rustic accent.
16. Arjun Rampal as Ra-One (Ra.One, 2011).
Arjun Rampal is thus the technological advancement villain in this sci-fi movie with a great physical appearance. It is in this role that his character as Ra.One leaves permanent memories among the fans.
17. Rishi Kapoor as Rauf Lala (Agneepat, 2012).
Another stereotype, as he stunned everyone to play villainous Rauf Lala in Agneepath. Once more, he got into the bad book of a ruthless drug lord in this film.
18. Manoj Bajpayee as Sardar Khan (2012, Gangs of Wasseypur).
Manoj Bajpayee is no villain in the traditional sense. His character in Gangs of Wasseypur is dark and grey in a raw, gritty setting. It’s an interestingly complex antagonist.
19. Vikram Gokhale as Raja Thakur (Khuda Gawah, 1992).
It was enacted by Vikram Gokhale so intimidatingly that it was compelling to see the villainous part of Raja Thakur. His enmity with the hero made the film more interesting.
20. Pankaj Tripathi as Sultan Qureshi (Gangs of Wasseypur, 2012)
Pankaj Tripathi as the whispery menacing Sultan Qureshi in Gangs of Wasseypur marked a much-needed appearance of threatening villainy in modern Bollywood cinema.
They made the journey of heroes tough and the stories very interesting. Their dialogues, powerful performances, and distinct styles are still a very important part of Bollywood’s rich cinematography heritage.
