Raavans of the screen

Famous screen villains such as Mogambo, Shakaal and the recent Bhallaladeva, have provided unforgettable antagonists, who have defined the true meaning of villainy on screen. As we near Dasehra, here’s a quick look at some of these villainous characters.

Know Shakaal

Shaan (1980)

Soon after the success of Sholay, Ramesh Sippy directed Shaan, a crime caper with an antagonist, modeled on Ernst Stavro Blofeld, a villain from the James Bond films. He was Shakaal (Kulbhushan Kharbanda), and he sat in a high-tech den, orchestrating life and death with a sly smile. He represented delusion and narcissism. (Available on Amazon Prime Video)

Mogambo khush hua

Mr. India (1987)

Among the many memorable villains Salim-Javed created, Mogambo in Shekhar Kapur’s Mr. India was the most unusual because he has shades of comedy and mirth. Mogambo creates unrest, fear and instability in India, yet he is almost cartoonish in his mannerisms and facial expressions. Played by Amrish Puri, Mogambo remains one of the unique depictions of evil. (Available on ZEE5)

Formidable adversary

Baahubali (2015)

In this SS Rajamouli epic, Bhallaladeva, played by Rana Daggubati, symbolises the endless need for self-glorification. As the manipulative, self-serving cousin of Baahubali (Prabhas), he schemes to usurp the throne of Mahishmati and serves as a formidable adversary to the hero. (Available on Netflix and SonyLiv)

Crazy jealousy

Omkara (2006)

Inspired by Shakespeare’s Othello, this Vishal Bhardwaj classic featured Saif Ali in a career-defining role. He portrayed Iago, or Langda Tyagi, a man so crazed by jealousy that he destroys many lives just because life hasn’t given him what he always coveted. (Available on JioCinema)

Game front

Ra.One (2011)

In this Anubhav Sinha directorial, a contemporary version of Ravana is portrayed by Arjun Rampal. The entire plot of the movie revolves around the creation of a video game and when the antagonist of the game, an immensely powerful virtual character, takes physical form and enters the Earth, chaos follows. (Available on Amazon Prime Video)

Drug kingpin

Agneepath 2 (2012)

Kancha Cheena, the antagonist in the initial version of Agneepath (1990), was portrayed by Danny Denzongpa. In the 2012 remake, the character of the unscrupulous drug kingpin was played by Sanjay Dutt. It stands as one of Dutt’s most iconic roles in a villainous capacity. (Available on Netflix)

Iron fist

K.G.F -Chapter 1 (2018)

The charismatic Ramachandra Raju plays the villain ‘Garuda’ in the Prashanth Neel directorial K.G.F Chapter 1. He rules the Kolar Gold Fields (KGF) mines with an iron fist, and his physically imposing appearance complements his brutal nature. (Available on Disney+ Hotstar and Prime Video)