When the villain became the real hero: Akshay Khanna’s performance in ‘Dhurandhar’ broke the old definition of Bollywood.

New Delhi: Whenever there is talk of strong acting and deep characters in Bollywood, Akshaye Khanna’s name automatically comes to the fore. Once again he is in the news for his film ‘Dhurandhar’. In this film, Akshay Khanna has played such a strong negative role, which not only attracted the attention of the audience but also left the hero of the film behind somewhere.

There is a strong discussion in the film circles that the real hero in ‘Dhurandhar’ is none other than Akshay Khanna who became the villain. His screen presence, dialogue delivery and fear-inducing eyes are leaving a deep impression on the audience.

Akshay Khanna’s magic as a villain

Akshay Khanna has long been counted among those actors who are rarely seen in films but when they appear, they make their characters memorable. His negative role in ‘Dhurandhar’ is said to be completely different from the traditional villain. Despite appearing calm, this character is extremely dangerous from within, his simplicity itself creates fear.

This is the reason why the eyes of the audience remain focused on him again and again. From the opening of the film to the important turning points, his character seemed to decide the direction of the story. In many scenes it feels as if the story is revolving around him, due to which the hero’s influence appears to be diminishing a bit.

Why did the villain outweigh the hero?

Usually in Bollywood films the hero is at the centre, but in ‘Dhurandhar’ the equation seems to be the opposite. Akshay Khanna’s performance is so impressive that the audience’s eyes remain fixed on him again and again. His expressions, body language and dialogue delivery have taken the film to a different level. So let us know about the Bollywood films where the villain overpowered the hero.

1. Padmaavat
Ranveer Singh created such a storm in the role of Alauddin Khilji that Shahid Kapoor’s Maharawal Ratan Singh paled in comparison. Khilji’s cruelty and charisma are still remembered.

2. Baazigar
Shahrukh Khan was technically the hero in this film, but his negative shade was so dominant that the definition of the traditional hero changed.

3. Agneepath (2012)
Sanjay Dutt’s Kancha Cheena was so scary and impressive that even Hrithik Roshan’s Vijay was seen lagging behind in many scenes.

4. Sholay
The name ‘Gabbar Singh’ is enough. This villain of Amjad Khan is still considered bigger than the film, even though Dharmendra and Amitabh Bachchan were in the lead.

5. Don (Don – 1978)
Don’s negative avatar had completely overshadowed Vijay’s character. This role is still counted among the most iconic villain characters of Bollywood.

6. Dhoom 2
Hrithik Roshan’s Aryan was so stylish and effective that the track of police officer Jai-Alia started appearing secondary.

7. Animal
Bobby Deol’s Abrar character was so effective despite less screen time that even Ranbir Kapoor’s Ranvijay seemed secondary to many viewers. Creating fear without speaking dialogue was Bobby Deol’s biggest victory.