Dhurandhar to Sholay:  Films Where Villains Took All the Attention

Sometimes it’s not the hero, but the villain people remember after the film ends.

In most Bollywood films, the hero is the centre of the story. The audience follows his journey and waits for his win in the end. But there have been many films where things turned out differently. In these films, the villain got more attention than the hero. People remembered their scenes, their dialogues, and their presence more. Here are some films where that clearly happened.

Dhurandhar (2025)- Akshaye Khanna

Ranveer Singh leads the film, but much of the conversation after its release has been about Akshaye Khanna. His role stood out to many viewers, and people felt his character stayed with them more.

Sholay (1975)-Gabbar Singh (Amjad Khan)

Amitabh Bachchan and Dharmendra played the heroes, but Gabbar Singh (Amjad Khan) became the face of the film. Even today, people remember his dialogues, “Kitne Aadmi The”, “Holi Kab Hai” more than anything else.

Darr (1993)-Shah Rukh Khan

Sunny Deol was the hero, but Shah Rukh Khan’s role as Rahul Mehra drew more attention, as he frightens Juhi Chawla as Kiran. His character was different and people connected with it in a way that made it stand out, people still talk about this film and its dialogue. 

Padmaavat (2018)-Ranveer Singh 

Shahid Kapoor played the lead role, but Ranveer Singh as Alauddin Khilji became the most talked-about part of the film. His performance got a lot of focus after the release.

Mr India (1987)-Mogambo

Anil Kapoor played the hero, but Mogambo became the most remembered character. Even today, people recall his famous line and presence.

Gupt: The Hidden Truth (1997)- Kajol

Bobby Deol was the lead, but Kajol surprised everyone. Her role changed how people looked at the film and became the biggest talking point.

Sangharsh (1999)-Ashutosh Rana

Akshay Kumar played the main role, but Ashutosh Rana’s character left a strong impact. Many people still remember his scenes from the film.

Ek Villain (2014)-Riteish Deshmukh

Sidharth Malhotra was the hero, but Riteish Deshmukh’s role got more attention. It was different from his usual work, and he played the character wholeheartedly which made people notice it more. 

Shaan (1980)- Kulbushan Kharbanda

The film had stars like Amitabh Bachchan and Shashi Kapoor, but Shakaal played by Kulbushan Kharbanda became the most iconic character. People talked about his look the most.

Conclusion

These films show that sometimes the villain can take over the story in the audience’s mind. Even if the hero wins in the end, it is often the villain that people keep talking about later.