Bollywood actors who play the role of heroes get all the limelight, but what is a hero without a villain? Villainous characters have generated fear, hatred and power amongst audiences through the iconic roles they have portrayed. There are villains that leave a lasting impression on your mind for their negativity. Take a look at the top 5 Bollywood villains who gained more popularity than the heroes they played against-

1. Pran Krishan Sikand

Pran brought many of his intense shady characters to life through various accents, hairstyles, facial looks and mannerisms. He was entitled as the king of villains in Bollywood due to his brilliant acting skills and unique style of presenting himself. Pran had countless unparalleled performances to his credit, including the cruel and dreaded ‘Raja Ugra Narayan’ in Madhumati (1958). One of the darkest roles of his career was ‘Gajendra’ from Ram Aur Shyam (1968), which comprised the famous dialogue: “Maalik ke saamne nazar jhuka kar rakh budtameez.” After his successful villainous portrayal even the villain’s role started getting as much importance than that of the hero’s. Famous for his trademark sneer, the talented actor was often paid more than the lead actors of his films at the peak of his career. Pran played all his villainous characters with ease whether it was a rustic villager or a city-bred fraudster.

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2. Prem Chopra

“Prem naam hai mera, Prem Chopra”. Chopra is one of those few artists who had a great combination of viciousness and comedy. There was a time when Pran was moving from negative to more mature and positive roles. Prem Chopra took full advantage of this and established himself as the smart villain of that era. His trademark nasty smile and dialogue Prem naam hai mera… Prem Chopra was enough to convey his evil intentions and intimidate anyone. His devious acts and greedy desires were quite noticeable in Waris (1969) and Do Jasoos (1975). Prem Chopra’s vicious impact combined with his unique style of dialogues made him look more dangerous on-screen.

3. Amjad Khan

If there is a contest to pick the most famous negative character from Indian films, it has to be Gabbar Singh from Ramesh Sippy’s Sholay (1975). In fact never in his career after Sholay could he recreate the image that the character of Gabbar Singh created. Incidentally he was not the initial choice for the role. Ramesh Sippy had chosen Danny but Danny couldn’t spare dates as he was busy shooting for Dharmatma in Afghanistan. When somebody suggested Amjad Khan for the role, writer Javed Akhtar didn’t approve of him saying his voice was too meek for the role. But when the film released Gabbar Singh became the most loved (or hated) villain of all times. Lacking total empathy in his character ‘Gabbar Singh’ from Sholay (1975), Amjad Khan’s fantastic performance as the dacoit leader shot him to overnight fame.

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4. Ajit

“Saara shahar mujhe lion ke name se jaanta hai”. With his distinctive style he created the soft-spoken, super-suave killer. The actor also portrayed one of the most popular villainous character Teja whose golden wig and night gowns makes him memorable. Ajit was a suave villain known for his supreme dialogues, including: “Mona darling,” from Yaadon Ki Baraat (1973) and: “Lilly don’t be silly,” in Zanjeer (1973). His individual style and characteristic accent made him one of the most dashing villains of Bollywood.

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5. Amrish Puri

Speak about Amrish Puri and the first character that strikes your mind is that of the invincible Mogambo. Amrish Puri sent shivers down the spine with his husky masculine voice, horrifying appearance, sadistic nature and fierce eyes. Believe it or not, Amrish Puri wanted to become a Bollywood movie hero but failed a screen test in 1954. Mr. Puri went on to become one of the most renowned and credible villains in the history of Indian cinema. His acting prowess and famous dialogue: “Mogambo Khush Hua,” in Mr India (1987) elevated his status to new heights.Puri delivered impeccable performances in films such as Karan Arjun (1996) and Baadshah (1999). The one common element connecting Gabbar, Shakaal and Mogambo was writer Javed Akhtar.

Who do you think is the best among these top 5 Bollywood villains? Comment below.