Villainy has been reinvented by antagonists in films like Purush, Omkara, Agneepath, Vikram, Mr. India, K.G.F., Ra. One, Baahubali, Shaan, and Kanyadaan. This Dussehra, we revisit figures that epitomise the 10 qualities of villainy, celebrating the triumph of virtue over evil.
Shaan (1980)
Shaan, a criminal comedy helmed by Ramesh Sippy and featuring an adversary based on James Bond movie villain Ernst Stavro Blofeld, was released shortly after the triumph of Sholay. He’s Kulbhushan Kharbanda’s Shakaal, and he sits in a futuristic lair, smiling slyly while he manipulates life and death. He is a symbol of ignorance and narcissism and is unaware that he is not able to play God indefinitely. Also, the character emphasises how ‘Ghrina’ (Hatred) may be a significant contributor to self-destruction. In addition to Shakaal being a cult figure, this movie is today regarded as being ahead of its time. Check out Shaan on Amazon Prime.
Mr. India (1987)
“Mogambo khush hua,” one of the most iconic one-liners in Hindi movies, represents boundless aspiration and a desire for praise and admiration. Among the several noteworthy antagonists that Salim-Javed crafted, Mogambo from Shekhar Kapur’s Mr. India stands out the most due to his unique blend of humour and sarcasm. Mogambo, motivated by ‘Lobha’ (Greed), incites chaos, terror, and instability throughout India, although his demeanour and facial expressions are almost unreal. One of the most distinctive portrayals of evil is still Mogambo, as portrayed by Amrish Puri. On ZEE5, stream this masterpiece.
Omkara (2006)
This Vishal Bhardwaj masterpiece, which was based on Shakespeare’s Othello, starred Saif Ali in a role that would define his career. He played Iago, also known as Langda Tyagi, a man driven insane by jealously who ends numerous lives just because he hasn’t received what he has always desired. The ‘vikara’ of ‘Maatsarya’ (envy) is the fundamental source of his villainy. In his pursuit of power, Langda Tyagi is crafty, manipulative, and reckless, and Saif’s terrifying depiction of greed won him a tonne of praise from critics. Watch JioCinema’s Omkara.
Ra.One (2011)
Arjun Rampal plays a modern-day Ravana in this film directed by Anubhav Sinha. The figure serves as an example of the negative effects of “Mada” (pride) as well as the evil that might result from someone trying to play god. The whole movie’s storyline centres around the development of a computer game, and pandemonium ensues when the game’s antagonist—a superpowerful virtual character—takes human form and sets foot on Earth. Beneath its significance, though, is the fact that Ra.One, the adversary, plays the title role in the movie rather than G.One, the protagonist. Check it out on Amazon Video.
Agneepath 2 (2012)
Danny Denzongpa played the antagonist Kancha Cheena in the original 1990 adaptation of Agneepath. In the 2012 reimagining, Sanjay Dutt portrayed the cunning drug dealer. In a villainous portrayal, it remains one of Sanjay Dutt’s most recognisable parts. You’ll get shivers from the way he delivers punchlines like “Ramji Lanka Padhar Chuke Hain” with that classic Sanjay Dutt attitude and swagger. One of the most powerful, evil characters in Indian cinema over the past ten years is Kancha, who serves as a live illustration of how avarice, vengeance, and cruelty may destroy your “vikara” of “Budhi” (intellect). Netflix is now streaming Agneepath 2, helmed by Karan Malhotra.
Baahubali (2015)
In this S S Rajamouli epic, Rana Daggubati’s character, Bhallaladeva, succumbs to ‘Moha’ (illusion) and represents the never-ending desire for self-glorification. In addition, he is extremely resentful and envious, and he covets authority that he does not deserve. He plots to steal the kingdom of Mahishmati and is a strong opponent to the hero, being the cunning and self-serving cousin of Baahubali (Prabhas). But his pettiness cannot be hidden by his towering physical appearance, and Baahubali gives the spectator a wonderful look into it. Stream it on SonyLIV and Netflix.
Kanyadaan (2017)
One of the most potent characters is Arun Athavle from Vijay Tendulkar’s critically acclaimed teleplay Kannadadaan on Zed Theatre. He exhibits a negative ‘vikara’ of ‘Krodh’ (angry). A lot of students are already studying the play because of its theme’s significant political and social importance. Similar to this, Arun’s persona becomes more complex as he goes from appearing to be a calm person to an enraged guy wanting retribution on the woman who married him. Joy Sengupta’s portrayal of this character’s wide variety puts it among the list’s greatest antagonists.
K.G.F -Chapter 1 (2018)
In the Prashanth Neel-directed K.G.F. Chapter 1, the flamboyant Ramachandra Raju portrays the antagonist “Garuda,” who personifies “Ahamkara” (Ego) in all its intensity. He will stop at nothing to maintain control over his wicked kingdom and will do whatever it takes to keep his opponents at bay. His villainy was on par with that of Yash’s leading role in this nationwide smash. With an iron grip, he controls the Kolar Gold Fields (KGF) mines, and his formidable physical presence matches his ruthless demeanour. Watch this good versus evil conflict on Prime Video and Disney+ Hotstar.
Purush (2019)
Purush, a play by Jaywant Dalvi, depicts a horrifying image of a vicious patriarchy that would stop at nothing to subdue a strong-willed woman. Veteran actor Ashutosh Rana portrays crooked politician Gulab Rao, who embodies this toxic masculinity characteristic. As a cunning, conceited, egotistical guy, he attacks and degrades the idealistic activist Ambika. He is also motivated by desire, or the wicked ‘vikara’ of ‘Kaam’. Neha Saraf, Gulki Joshi, Paromita Chatterjee, Deepak Qazir, and Kranti Prakash Jha are among the other actors in the play.Tata Play Theatre is going to air Purush.
Vikram (2022)
Stealing the show in one long scene—is it feasible to depict many Asura bhavas simultaneously in such a small amount of screen time? Yes, it confirms the popularity of Suriya’s portrayal of the character Rolex. The cameo, which appears in the Tamil film Vikram’s climax, features Rolex’s demonic deed of violence, making him more well-liked than the heroes. Movie fans are now excitedly awaiting Lokesh Kanagaraj’s return in a feature-length film.
