The patch, the mole and the bushy moustache — the intimidating ‘bad man’ of Indian cinema no longer exists. The classic villain with his bloodshot eyes and fierce smile has been replaced with the new-age baddie. He is suave and stylish, and adding to his looks are the tattoos and accessories.
“The bad guy is a more evolved character today. He is not the caricature of earlier villains. His looks and characterisation; be it his tattoos, accessories or his styling, have seen a change. We have fewer clichés now and this new trend must be credited to the directors,” says Rahul Dev, one of the most popular villains of Bollywood.
The makeover is entirely the director’s call. Whether it was Arjun Rampal in Om Shanti Om and Ra.One or the soon to be released Agneepath, that will see Sanjay Dutt in a new avatar, the directors have to be credited this new look. Their portrayal is aggressively stylish.
“Sanjay Dutt’s tattoo is not a regular one. It has already caught the attention of the audiences and has generated curiosity,” says director Preetham Gubbi, who feels the new image of the bad guy is something that is here to stay. “The portrayal today is more realistic. He also needs to look good and has to work on body language, attire and other traits that will grab the attention of the audiences,” adds the director.
While the onscreen villains and directors are satisfied with the makeover, leading men from across industries are waiting to play such roles. “I would love to play a bad guy. He is more polished and charismatic. The tattoos just add to his rugged, macho image. He remains rooted in the memory of the audience,” says actor Vishaal Hegde.
“Women have always loved the bad guys. My all-time favourite is Danny Denzongpa. The new villains are styled much better,” says actor Nidhi Subbaiah. But despite the makeover across Indian cinema it will take time for a Sandalwood baddie to sport a tattoo and flaunt this new image. “Our films release in smaller cities and towns, so our audience will take time to accept this change,” says director Preetham Gubbi.