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Bollywood movies are known for their heroic leads but a great story always needs a truly terrifying villain. Over the years we have seen some incredible actors play evil roles that left a lasting mark on audiences everywhere. Here are ten iconic bad guys from Hindi cinema that still give us chills today.
Amjad Khan as Gabbar Singh
As a child many of us heard scary stories from our moms about how Gabbar would come right over if we did not go to sleep. He played the ruthless dacoit in the classic movie ‘Sholay’ and his terrifying screen presence made him an absolute legend.
Amrish Puri as Mogambo
Amrish Puri played many negative roles in his career but his performance as the iconic Mogambo is truly hard to forget. His famous dialogue delivery and that dramatic laugh while sitting on his giant throne conquered the hearts of all movie lovers.
Ranjeet as the Ultimate Menace
Ranjeet is remembered as one of the most terrifying on screen villains because he played the bad guy in so many older films. He brought a very sinister energy to his roles and no one could match his specific style of playing a total creep.
Pran as the Evil Brother-in-Law
With over three hundred films in his long career Pran played a wide variety of mean characters that won him major awards. His most memorable negative role was playing an abusive family member in ‘Ram Aur Shyam’ where he treated the hero terribly.
Prem Chopra as the Smooth Criminal
When he delivered his famous introduction line in the movie ‘Bobby’ practically every viewer trembled with real fear in their seats. He played a ruthless goon who kidnapped the main characters for money and he showed absolutely zero mercy while beating up the hero.
Lalita Pawar as the Mean Mother-in-Law
No newlywed would ever wish for a family member like the incredibly wicked characters that Lalita Pawar flawlessly played on screen. She was so good at acting like a torturous mother that people still use her name to describe harsh relatives in real life.
Gulshan Grover as the Bad Man
Gulshan Grover made a huge benchmark in the industry by taking on incredibly notorious gangster roles like Kesariya Vilayati in ‘Ram Lakhan’. His acting skills are so promising and intense that even a simple glare from him can make you shiver instantly.
Shakti Kapoor as the Cheesy Villain
We all love how Shakti Kapoor can easily switch from playing a serious bad guy to a very funny and goofy criminal. When he played Balma in ‘Chaalbaaz’ he brought a weirdly childish charm to a negative role which only he could pull off.
Ashutosh Rana as the Psychopath
It is impossible to narrow down his terrifying performances because Ashutosh Rana won major awards for both ‘Dushman’ and ‘Sangharsh’. He played insanely scary characters in both movies and his intense screen presence always brings absolute shivers to our nerves.
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