Bollywood Heroes Who Became Villains: Shah Rukh Khan To Saif Ali Khan

Written By: Entertainment Desk

Aug 21, 2026 14:52 IST ⓘ

Bollywood stars who crossed over to the dark side and made villainy unforgettable.

The good-versus-evil plotline never gets old. Bollywood has traditionally loved its heroes in familiar shades of goodness. However, for goodness to shine through, someone has to portray evil as well as possible. The righteous heroes fight injustice, protect their loved ones and eventually triumph over the forces of evil. But playing a good guy on screen isn't as fulfilling and satisfying as portraying evil. Being the bad guy gives you the freedom to go absolutely unhinged, and that's why every once in a while, some of Hindi cinema’s biggest leading men have stepped away from that template and embraced characters audiences were expected to hate.

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The latest star to enter this fascinating territory is Akshay Kumar, who is set to play an out-and-out villain in Priyadarshan’s upcoming thriller ‘Haiwaan’. The actor has described the character as completely evil, without the grey shades that often soften an antagonist. Priyadarshan has also described Akshay Kumar’s character as a “psycho” villain, promising a very different side of the actor.

Akshay Kumar is not new to negative characters. His performance in ‘Ajnabee’ gave audiences glimpses of his darker side, while ‘Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai Dobaara’ saw him play a ruthless gangster. However, ‘Haiwaan’ is being positioned as a considerably darker turn, particularly because it reunites Akshay Kumar with Priyadarshan in a psychological thriller rather than one of their trademark comedies.

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Akshay's turn raises an interesting question: which other Bollywood heroes have successfully crossed the line from protagonist to antagonist? From Shah Rukh Khan's obsessive Rahul in 'Darr' to Saif Ali Khan's chilling Langda Tyagi in 'Omkara', several leading men have discovered that playing the bad guy can sometimes produce the most memorable performance of their careers.

Here is a look at some of Bollywood's most prominent heroes who embraced villainy or morally dark characters.

Without further ado, check out the list below:

1. Shah Rukh Khan - Darr

Director: Yash Chopra

Release: 1993

Worldwide gross: Rs 21.33 crore

Before Shah Rukh Khan became one of Bollywood's definitive romantic heroes, he built an important part of his early image by playing disturbing characters. Yash Chopra's 'Darr' remains one of the strongest examples. SRK played Rahul Mehra, a young man who becomes dangerously obsessed with Kiran, played by Juhi Chawla. Kiran wants to marry Sunil (played by Sunny Deol), but Rahul refuses to accept her rejection. His fixation gradually develops into stalking, threats and increasingly frightening behaviour.

The interesting aspect of 'Darr' is that SRK’s performance does not depend solely on conventional villainy. Rahul is charming and vulnerable at times, but his obsession makes him increasingly menacing. That contrast made the character unsettling. Released in December 1993, ‘Darr’ became one of the year's biggest Hindi films. The project became a landmark in SRK’s early career and demonstrated that the actor could command attention even while playing the person audiences were supposed to fear.

'Darr' was not the only movie where SRK went absolutely monstrous in the negative role, he took it one step further in the 1994-film 'Anjaam', which also starred Madhuri Dixit.

2. Ajay Devgn - Khakee

Director: Rajkumar Santoshi

Release: 2004

Worldwide gross: Rs 44 crore

Ajay Devgn has spent much of his career playing intense, morally upright and action-oriented protagonists, but 'Khakee' gave him the opportunity to completely switch sides. In Rajkumar Santoshi's 2004 action thriller, Ajay Devgn played Yashwant Angre, a ruthless former police officer who becomes one of the film's most dangerous antagonists. The story follows a group of police officers who are assigned to escort an accused terrorist, Iqbal Ansari, from Chandangarh to Mumbai. The journey soon turns into a fight for survival when the officers discover that a powerful conspiracy is working against them. Akshay Kumar, Amitabh Bachchan, Tusshar Kapoor and Atul Kulkarni play members of the police team, while Ajay’s Angre emerges as the principal threat.

Ajay Devgn plays Angre with a restrained menace rather than relying on exaggerated villainy. The character is calculating, cold and violent, and the actor's relatively controlled performance makes his sudden bursts of brutality even more effective. His screen presence also creates a striking contrast with the police officers attempting to complete their mission. Ajay Devgn's performance was particularly significant because it challenged the image audiences had developed of him as an action hero. Instead of being the man fighting the villain, he became the very threat that the protagonists had to overcome.

3. Saif Ali Khan - Omkara

Director: Vishal Bhardwaj

Release: 2006

Worldwide gross: Rs 43 crore

For Saif Ali Khan, few roles have been as transformative as Langda Tyagi in Vishal Bhardwaj's 'Omkara'. An adaptation of Shakespeare's Othello, the film transports the themes of jealousy, betrayal and manipulation into the political-criminal landscape of Uttar Pradesh. Saif's Langda is an ambitious lieutenant who believes he deserves greater authority. When Omkara chooses Kesu over him, resentment begins to consume Langda.

Rather than using brute force, Langda relies heavily on psychological manipulation. He understands the insecurities of those around him and carefully exploits them, eventually planting doubts in Omkara's mind about Dolly's loyalty. The role was a dramatic departure for Saif, who had largely been associated with romantic and urban characters. Langda Tyagi revealed an intensity that had rarely been seen from him before.

4. John Abraham - Dhoom

Director: Sanjay Gadhvi

Release: 2004

Worldwide gross: Rs 50.50 crore

John Abraham's Kabir in 'Dhoom' became one of Bollywood's most stylish antagonists of the 2000s. The film revolves around a gang of motorcycle-riding thieves led by Kabir. Abhishek Bachchan's police officer Jai Dixit is assigned to track down the gang, setting up the cat-and-mouse conflict at the heart of the movie. Kabir is not presented as a conventional, moustache-twirling villain. He is confident, stylish, intelligent and physically formidable. John Abraham's performance and appearance made him a character that audiences could not take their eyes off, even though he was committing robberies and operating outside the law.

The film also established the 'Dhoom' franchise's tradition of making its villains major attractions.

5. Hrithik Roshan - Dhoom 2

Director: Sanjay Gadhvi

Release: 2006

Worldwide gross: Rs 151 crore

Two years after John Abraham's Kabir, Hrithik Roshan took the antagonist's seat in 'Dhoom 2' and created another iconic character. Hrithik played Aryan, a sophisticated international thief known for elaborate robberies and disguises. He is exceptionally intelligent, physically agile and seemingly always one step ahead of the authorities. The film once again centres on Jai Dixit and Ali as they try to catch a criminal mastermind. But Aryan's charisma makes him far more than a conventional villain. The character becomes one of the film's primary attractions, and Hrithik’s performance becomes one of the most discussed elements of the franchise.

For Hrithik, the role demonstrated that his star power could work just as effectively when he was playing the man being chased as when he was the one doing the chasing.

6. Sanjay Dutt - Agneepath

Director: Karan Malhotra

Release: 2012

Worldwide gross: Rs 190 crore

Sanjay Dutt's Kancha Cheena in 'Agneepath' is among the most intimidating villain performances in contemporary Hindi cinema. The film follows Vijay Deenanath Chauhan, played by Hrithik Roshan, whose life is shattered after his father is killed. Kancha is central to the tragedy and becomes the principal figure standing between Vijay and his quest for revenge. Sanjay Dutt's portrayal is deliberately menacing. The actor underwent a striking physical transformation and played Kancha as an imposing, ruthless and unpredictable criminal. Directed by Karan Malhotra, 'Agneepath' was a remake of the 1990 Amitabh Bachchan-starrer of the same name.

The performance proved that Sanjay Dutt could create a memorable antagonist simply through his screen presence and voice, without relying on conventional heroic qualities.

7. Rishi Kapoor - Agneepath

Director: Karan Malhotra

Release: 2012

Worldwide gross: Rs 190 crore

His performance as Rauf Lala in 'Agneepath' completely overturned his image. Playing a ruthless and morally corrupt underworld figure, Rishi Kapoor embraced a side of his acting that audiences had rarely seen before. Rauf Lala enters the story as a powerful criminal who controls an illegal network and has considerable influence over the underworld. He initially takes Hrithik's Vijay under his wing, but their relationship is driven by power, exploitation and conflicting ambitions rather than genuine loyalty. Rauf's ruthless methods and willingness to use vulnerable people for his own benefit establish him as one of the film's most disturbing characters.

What made the late Rishi Kapoor's performance especially effective was the contrast between the actor's familiar screen image and the character he was portraying. Audiences had grown up watching him play charming lovers and affable protagonists, making his transformation into the sinister Rauf Lala all the more striking. The performance became one of the most celebrated aspects of 'Agneepath'.

8. Aamir Khan - Dhoom 3

Director: Vijay Krishna Acharya

Release: 2013

Worldwide gross: Rs 556 crore

Aamir Khan played twin brothers Sahir and Samar. Sahir is a highly skilled magician and thief who begins targeting the Chicago-based Western Bank of his late father, while Samar, who has developmental difficulties, becomes an integral part of his elaborate plans. The film gradually reveals the connection between the brothers and explains the motivation behind their crimes. Unlike a traditional villain who simply seeks money or power, Sahir is driven by resentment and revenge. His father had suffered financial and personal humiliation, and Sahir's elaborate robberies are designed to strike back at the institution he blames.

The film was directed by Vijay Krishna Acharya and produced by Yash Raj Films. Abhishek Bachchan and Uday Chopra reprised their roles as police officers Jai Dixit and Ali, while Katrina Kaif starred opposite Khan. ‘Dhoom 3’ became a major commercial phenomenon. Reportedly, the movie grossed approximately Rs 556 crore worldwide, making it one of the biggest Hindi films of its era.

9. Ranveer Singh - Padmaavat

Director: Sanjay Leela Bhansali

Release: 2018

Worldwide gross: Rs 571.98 crore

Ranveer Singh embraced one of the most theatrical transformations of his career as Sultan Alauddin Khilji in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's 'Padmaavat'. The historical drama revolves around Khilji's campaign against Chittor and his obsession with Queen Padmavati, played by Deepika Padukone. Shahid Kapoor played Maharawal Ratan Singh, placing Ranveer’s Khilji in direct opposition to the film's central heroic figures. Khilji is portrayed as ruthless, ambitious, violent and unpredictable. Ranveer leaned heavily into the character's physicality and eccentricity, producing a performance that was intentionally larger-than-life.

The film became a major commercial success despite the controversies surrounding its release. Ranveer’s performance also became one of the most widely discussed aspects of the movie, showing once again that a compelling villain can sometimes dominate the conversation surrounding a film.

10. Bobby Deol - Animal

Director: Sandeep Reddy Vanga

Release: 2023

Worldwide gross: Rs 917.82 crore

Bobby Deol's Abrar Haque in 'Animal' demonstrated how a supporting antagonist can make an enormous impact even with limited dialogue. Directed by Sandeep Reddy Vanga, ‘Animal’ centres on Ranbir Kapoor's Ranvijay and his increasingly violent relationship with his father and family. Bobby's Abrar emerges as a powerful rival whose conflict with Ranvijay drives the film towards its violent climax. Although Abrar has comparatively limited screen time, Bobby Deol's physical transformation, expressions and screen presence made the character a major talking point. The role also became an important part of Bobby Deol's career resurgence.

The character was not a conventional Bollywood villain with lengthy speeches explaining his motives. Instead, the performance relied heavily on presence and physicality, making Abrar memorable despite relatively little dialogue.

Honourable Mention: Akshaye Khanna - Dhurandhar

Director: Aditya Dhar

Release: 2025

Worldwide gross: Over Rs 1,300 crore

Akshaye Khanna’s Rehman Dakait in Aditya Dhar’s ‘Dhurandhar’ proved that a villain does not need to snarl through every scene to command attention. Released on 5 December 2025, the spy action thriller starred Ranveer Singh as Indian operative Hamza Ali Mazari, who infiltrates Rehman’s criminal network in Karachi. R Madhavan, Sanjay Dutt, Arjun Rampal and Sara Arjun also played key roles. As the powerful gangster controlling the dangerous world Hamza enters, Rehman is charming one moment and chillingly ruthless the next.

Akshaye’s relaxed swagger, measured dialogue delivery and sudden flashes of brutality turned Rehman into one of the film’s biggest talking points. Several of his scenes and his distinctive dance moves went viral, with many viewers arguing that he stole the spotlight despite playing the antagonist. The performance continued Akshaye’s history with morally dark characters in films such as ‘Humraaz’, ‘Race’ and ‘Dishoom’, but ‘Dhurandhar’ placed his villainy on an entirely different scale. The film earned over Rs 1,300 crore worldwide, making Rehman Dakait the most successful negative role of his career.