Mogambo, Mr. India (1987)
The megalomaniac from Shekhar Kapoor's classic is perhaps the most feared and most loved bad man among cinema lovers in the country. With his grand plans to destroy the country, his private army and eerie den; Mogambo causes ripples not only among kids but among adults too. 'Mogambo khush hua' is not only a catch phrase in the movie, but has cultural connotations in contemporary India as well. Amrish Puri in one of his career-defining roles as the super-villain, assimilates the quirkiness and evil like he was never meant to do anything else. And like every bad-ass super-villain, you are relieved at the sight of his death.
Langda Tyagi, Omkara (2006)
Saif Ali Khan's Langda Tyagi in Vishal Bhardwaj's adaptation of William Shakespeare's Othello, Omkara, is perhaps the most memorable negative roles in Indian cinema's recent history. Langda Tyagi is the character of Iago from the original play, and in its spirit is a character that personifies envy. His ruthlessness and hunger for power compel him to snatch control, which he feels is rightfully his. He devices a plan to destroy Omi, his superior, and Kesu Firangi, who was chosen as the Bahubali instead of Langda. The great Shakespearen tragedy has been adequately Indianised and Langda Tyagi is an unforgettable ferocious man who is responsible for the destruction of several lives, including his own.
Kancha Cheena, Agneepath (1990)
Although the film's highlight is Vijay Dinanath Chauhan's struggle for justice; Danny Denzongpa's Kancha Cheena is, in one way, the central character of the film. Mukul Anand's Agneepath, which takes inspiration from Harivansh Rai Bachchan's namesake poem, talks of a man's life as a journey through a path of fire. In the movie, Kancha is the aforementioned path of fire. A man who lacks moral bondage and is willing to go to any depth to have his way, Kancha is the ultimate bad guy. Vijay goes through a tremendous ordeal to finally defeat the monster and liberates Mandwa, his village, at the cost of his life. Kancha is a rigid demon that can only be killed by bringing out the worst of your demons – your will to destroy him slowly turns you into a monster too.
Subedaar, Mirch Masala (1987)
He may be a low profile villain, but the gauntlet of his evil deeds equals, if not supersedes, any of the others on the list. Naseeruddin Shah plays Subedaar – a haughty and cruel man in a position of power. The film, set in a small village in India during the British Raj, is about Sonbai (Smita Patil) who is one of the women oppressed and exploited by the Subedaar's might. He's a greedy, narcissistic, inconsiderate womaniser whose wrongdoings are more than one can count. Finally, when it all becomes intolerable, Sonbai and her associates, who are producers of chilli powder, ambush the Subedaar with fistfuls of chilli powder and he wails in pain. Ketan Mehta's Mirch Masala intrigues, disturbs but later satisfies all the viewers.
Gabbar Singh, Sholay (1975)
Any list of villains in the world would be incomplete without the name of Gabbar Singh on it. Ramesh Sippy's Sholay gave Indian cinema a lot, and Amjad Khan's Gabbar was its foremost contribution. Beta, so jaa warna Gabbar aa jayega... Yeh haath humko de de Thakur... Kitne aadmi the?... Tera kya hoga Kaalia?... Ab goli kha... Kya laga tha? Sardar khus hoga? Sabbasi dega?...And a man who lived by his simple philosophy – Jo darr gaya, samjho mar gaya. The lesser said about this legendary character, the better. And in the hearts of every Indian, who at some point of time in his life cites Sholay, Gabbar will always remain immortal.
Published in DNA After Hrs (Pune) on October 26, 2012
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