Jim to Aatish: Best Bollywood villains of 2023
What's the story
Protagonists are the most frequently dissected aspect of a film and are lauded for anchoring a venture.
While their importance can't be overstated, an antagonist's role is equally imperative. Even well-made films often run the risk of falling flat without layered villains.
Sometimes, the more ferocious the villain, the better it makes the "hero" look.
This year, too, Bollywood created some memorable antagonists.
#1
Jim from 'Pathaan'
It is not every day that you see another actor hold their own in front of Shah Rukh Khan.
Audiences were in for a massive surprise when John Abraham slid into the skin of the malicious, scheming, and sadist antagonist Jim in Siddharth Anand's money-churner spy thriller Pathaan.
Featuring one of his career-best performances, the film earned Abraham plaudits and re-charged his career.
#2
Lankesh from 'Adipurush'
Om Raut's Adipurush will go down in Bollywood history as a misfire of massive proportions, and everything that could go wrong with a film went wrong with Adipurush.
However, its only saving grace came in the form of Saif Ali Khan's performance as Lankesh/Ravana, who brought substantial depth and gravitas to his multilayered, profound role.
The movie failed him, not the other way around.
#3
Aatish from 'Tiger 3'
We all can agree on one thing—we sorely missed watching Emraan Hashmi in a big-budget Bollywood flick in the last few years.
Thanks to Yash Raj Films, our wish came to pass through Maneesh Sharma's Tiger 3.
Hashmi essayed Aatish Rehman, a Pakistani agent who wants to annihilate Tiger/Avinash (Salman Khan) and Zoya (Katrina Kaif).
A middling film, but an impressive performance by Hashmi.
#4
Abrar from 'Animal'
To not speak a word, feature in select scenes, flaunt a chiseled body in the climax, impress with his dance moves, and steal all the limelight—Bobby Deol was born to play Abrar.
His role in Sandeep Reddy Vanga's Animal, co-starring Ranbir Kapoor, is one to remember for ages, and the adulation he received even moved Deol to tears publicly.
A well-deserved victory indeed.
#5
Suraj Singh from 'Lust Stories 2'
Kumud Mishra is known for playing endearing characters, but Tilchatta short Netflix's Lust Stories 2 anthology film marked a distinct departure from his usual brand of cinema.
He played Suraj Singh, an evil, treacherous man, an alcoholic, and a sexual abuser with no moral compass.
Mishra delivered a marvelous performance in this otherwise insipid short, and within minutes, he truly makes you hate him.