The razzmatazz of a play is always promoted by flaunting its protagonist, commonly known as the “Hero”. But we have to accept the fact that, a Hero won’t be called one until it beats down a strong villain. In fact, the antagonist is the primary reason why the hero’s story is worth telling. The character of a villain decides the end of a story. A protagonist being against the deeds of the antagonists paves the way for a good storyline.
In the earlier days, villains were only meant to have their anger at bay towards the Hero, in desire for domination or since the Hero was the only reason (or according to the villain) their childhood was ruined.
There have been many villains that have left a mark in the entertainment industry with their striking and exceptional act but there are some equally talented artists that haven’t experienced eminence for the long-term.
Here is a list of 10 such forgotten villains of Bollywood who, despite their notable work have been unremembered,
Forgotten Villains of Bollywood from the 90s’
Mahavir Shah (1960- 2000)
Mahavir was known for his piercing eyes which aided his career as a villain. He played some very well-known villain characters in Hindi and Gujarati movies. He was usually seen playing a corrupted police Inspector. He acted in movies like Thanedaar, Tirangaa, Shola Aur Shabnam, etc. Mahavir lost his life in an accident in Chicago.
Mac Mohan (1938 – 2010)
Mohan Makijani, commonly known as Mac Mohan, was once known for his villainous roles in films like Don, Karz, Satte Pe Satta, Zanjeer, and many more. Though he acted in more than 218 movies, the most memorable one among them is his part as Sambha who was a close companion of Gabbar in Sholay. Mac was diagnosed with a tumor which later resulted in Lung Cancer and finally, he died at the age of 72.
Ajit (Hamid Ali Khan) (1922 – 1998)
Hamid Ali Khan, better known by his stage name Ajit, was a classic guy known for his unique accent. He was famous for his role as Teja, in the movie Kalicharan. Ajit started his career as a villain with the movie Suraj, followed by films such as Zanjeer and Yaadon Ki Baaraat. Ajit died of a sudden heart attack. The film industry was bewildered by the sudden death and showered their tributes for his contributions.
Kabir Bedi (1946)
Kabir was noted for his villainous role as Sanjay Sharma in the movie “Khoon Bhari Maang”. He acted in over 60 Indian films and in most of them being the villain himself. He is now known to be the father of the well-known actress, Pooja Bedi. His half British origin has served him easy entry to the Hollywood industry too.
Bob Christo (1938-2011)
Robert John Christo was an Australian who traveled to India intending to meet his idol, Parveen Babi. Later, he joined Bollywood and made his first break in his movie Abdullah as the villain. He has worked in many other popular movies like Mr. India, Mard, Kaalia, etc.
Manik Irani (1974-2000)
Manik Irani is an Indian film actor. He is best known for playing the villain in Bollywood films. His atrocious and nefarious look aided his acting career as a villain. He has worked in films including Aag Aur Shola, Ajooba, Deedar, Kaalicharan, Mr. Natwarlal, Trishool, and many more. The reason for his death is yet unexplained but some say that he died due to excessive alcohol consumption while others say that he committed suicide.
Gavin Packard (1964-2012)
Gavin was an Indian actor who portrayed the roles of villains in Hindi films. He was seen in many Bollywood films of the 1990s’ like Mohra, Kranti, Hadh Kar Di Apne, Kunwara, etc. He has also acted in several Malayalam movies. Gavin resigned from the industry in 2000 and later died due to respiratory disorder in May 2012.
Pran Krishan Sikand (1920-2013)
Pran has worked in over 350 Hindi films. He was known for his performances as a villain. His act as a villain was so powerful that made him receive the title “Villain of the Millennium” by Stardust in 2000. Pran performed as the negative character in movies like Ziddi, Devdas, Munimji, Chori Chori, Ram Aur Shyam, etc. Pran died at the age of 93 after suffering for a prolonged period.
Raza Murad (1950 -)
Raza Murad was an actor of Bollywood who fascinated people by his villainous roles in movies like Ek Nazar, Prem Rog, Mafia, etc. Apart from Bollywood, he has also appeared in many regional-language films.
Sadashiv Amrapurkar (1950-2014)
Sadashiv was best known for his performances in Hindi and Marathi movies. Apart from that, he has also played in many other regional-language films. His manner of dialog delivery was considered unique as compared to the popular Hindi movie villains in those days. He has mostly and usually played negative roles that he was awarded for. Though his name is not known to many, his work has left a mark in the minds of its viewers. Sadashiv has appeared in villainous roles in some famous movies like Ishq, Hum Sath Sath Hain, Akhree Raasta, and many more. He died at the age of 64 due to some serious health conditions.
Villains trigger a person to becoming the “Hero” and so, must never be neglected. They are equally important as the leads to make a show move. But the fact is, reel villains are mostly found to be of the opposite character in the real world.
