7 movies that celebrate villains taking over as main characters in Bollywood

Bollywood has been celebrating the ideal leads who will sacrifice their life, love, or family for the greater good of their community. However, don’t we all find the morally grey characters to be real and passionate for what they want, turning up the notch of the drama game. Whether it’s the devilish look with an evil smile or the one specific dialogue that makes the viewers feel etched more than despise, the films have received applause for their experimental storylines. Let’s take a look at the 7 movies where the villains took the role of the main character, and left no crumbs.

Oh, it’s impossible to forget the moment on the stretcher when Don reveals his true identity to Roma as not being Vijay. Shah Rukh Khan might be renowned worldwide for his roles as a romantic lead who sways the viewers with his charming portrayal, but him playing morally grey characters should be a whole other genre for case studies. With the wicked smirk, comments that make you scrunch your eyebrows, and a leather jacket paired with evilish eyes, Khan played the role of a villain in ‘Don: The Chase Begins Again’ in 2006. Other cast members in the film include Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Boman Irani, Om Puri, and Arjun Rampal, along with a stunning cameo by Kareena Kapoor Khan.

“Baap ka, Dada ka, Bhai ka, sabka badla lega re tera Faizal,” said Nawazuddin Siddiqui in the 2012 film. Chronicling the story of the rival gangs fighting for their power in the coal city, Anurag Kashyap stunned the audience with the ruthless and rooted-in-reality portrayal with pure emotions – whether it's love or hatred. With the motto of ‘villains are not born, they are made,’ Faizal Khan takes over the morally grey behavior after he was forced to live in certain circumstances. Turning the page, the drug addict becomes ruthless eventually in the film. Gaining the tag of a cult classic, ‘Gangs of Wasseypur’ has the dialogues that are still being recited and contains the infectious songs that might shed a tear or groove endlessly. Along with Siddhiqui, the extensive cast includes Manoj Bajpayee, Huma Qureshi, Pankaj Tripathi, Jaideep Ahlawat, Richa Chadha, Zeeshan Quadri, and more.

The insane trajectory of owning a pav bhaji stall to being involved in the underworld and the criminals, the film ‘Vaastav: The Reality’ chronicled a story that leaves goosebumps. From engaging in emotional conversations with his mother, as she looks at him with disdain, to dealing with the rival who has set henchmen after him, Sanjay Dutt excelled at playing the role of an anti-hero. Directed by Mahesh Manjrekar, the film soon gained the attention of the world and became a cult classic in no time. Alongside Dutt, the film cast members include Sanjay Narvekar, Mohnish Bahl, Reema Lagoo, Paresh Rawal, and Namrata Shirodkar.

As the title suggests, the 1993 film revolves around the notorious criminal Ballu, who escapes from the trap and falls in love with an undercover police officer posing as a dancer. While the villain-ish traits are often highlighted, the crumbs of humanity are often displayed beautifully. Directed by Subhash Ghai, the cast members include Sanjay Dutt, Madhuri Dixit, Jackie Shroff, Rakhee Gulzar, and more. Alongside the storyline, the songs of this film are known for their innate ability to cast a spell with bewitching beats.

With the motto of “Koi dhanda chhota nahi hota, aur dhande se bada koi dharm nahi hota (No job is low, and no religion is greater than a job),” Shah Rukh Khan donned the morally grey jacket yet again in 2017. Channeling the theme of betrayal and greed, the film revolves around a bootlegger who falls into a puddle of politics, threats, thrones, and criminal gangs. Directed by Rahul Dholakia, the romantic songs of the films instantly became the fan favorite for their soulful lyrics. Alongside Khan, the film cast members include Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Mahira Khan, Jaideep Ahlawat, Sheeba Chaddha, Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub, and many more.

How an obsession can turn into an unfateful turn of events – and an eventual death. While Juhi Chawla and Sunny Deol take the role of an ideal couple who would not let anyone budge their feelings, Shah Rukh Khan takes over the film with a steering wheel yet again. Directed by Yash Chopra, ‘Darr’ revolves around a man who stops at nothing to achieve what he wants, even if it’s traveling beyond the boundaries of the country. Bollywood introduced the emotion ‘delulu (delusion)’ way before it took over the internet and a generation.

It’s quite ironic how the viewers root for the thieves who want to steal a diamond or a special artefact, and laugh at the police officers for their failed attempt and silly dialogue. But hey, the ‘Dhoom’ franchise made you do it. When the morally grey characters with traumatic pasts took the steering wheel – whether it’s John Abraham, Hrithik Roshan, or Aamir Khan, the audience took a seat and cheered for them indefinitely. With the premise of Abhishek Bachchan and Udya Chopra taking their bikes out for the hunt and the leads escaping swiftly with high-tech machinery, the franchise celebrated villains and morally grey characters like no one else.