Vijay Verma, Aditya Rawal to Saqib Saleem: Silently Terrifying Villains of Bollywood

In recent years, Bollywood has seen a solid shift in visualising villains. Gone are the days when antagonists would scream and wreak havoc to solidify their terror. The times have changed, and now, it’s the chills, steel-cut stares, body language, cold dialogues, and menacing personality shifts that spread more dread, offering a refreshed lens to the ‘villains’ – and the audience is loving it! Take a look:

Raghav Juyal – Kill
In this out-and-out action spectacle, Raghav Juyal brought the big guns by creating a rampage as Fani Bhushan, a knife-wielding dacoit. His portrayal as the chilling villain added a chaotic energy to the film and earned praise for shattering his sweet guy image. Juyal’s performance in Kill is often described as a career-defining turn.

Aditya Rawal- Subedaar
In the recently released OTT film Subedaar, Aditya Rawal plays a ruthless mafia, Prince, a charged-up antagonist – and the audience is overjoyed to see him step into a dark shade. It is not his loudness that brings out the villain in him; instead, it’s his cold stares and confidence of being chillingly destructive that make his character shine even brighter. After Daldal, Aditya Rawal steps into the villainous zone again and proves he fits the part well!

Vijay Verma – Darlings
Vijay Verma delivered a critically acclaimed performance in Darlings by portraying Hamza Shaikh, a manipulative and abusive alcoholic husband. The actor earned incredible praise for bringing terrifying believability, all while capturing the eerie normalcy of the character.

Vishal Jethwa- Mardaani 2
In Mardaani 2, Vishal Jethwa plays a dark, ruthless antagonist, a murderer whose actions kickstart a cat-and-mouse chase with the police. Jethwa showed that actions speak louder than words, and his trajectory in Mardaani 2 put the audience on the edge of their seats. The actor received high praise for his acting chops, with the audience noting that his performance was quite impressive.

Saqib Saleem – Citadel
Saqib Saleem played a calculated antagonist named KD in Raj & DK’s Citadel: Honey Bunny. His outing as a menacing and complex antagonist added another intriguing layer to the plot. The actor’s conviction towards the role was highly praised, with audiences overjoyed to see him in a different shade.

These actors have attached a new meaning to the villains of new-age Bollywood, and it seems like the audience is far from getting enough of it!