Top 10 Most Celebrated Villains of Tamil cinema: The antagonist roles in Tamil cinema have acquired enough spotlight as much as protagonist itself. Of many memorable roles, few character have stood out for their unique mannerisms. We have compiled the quirky mannerisms of celebrated villains in Tamil cinema.
They’re mean, they’re bad, they’re scary, and they can make you poop your pants in seconds. Yes, they are Bollywood’s iconic villains. I have always found something mystical about them, perhaps that’s why while the world wants the good guy to win, a part of me has always cheered for the fierceness of these antagonists. So, celebrating this badness, here are Top 10 Most Celebrated Villains of Tamil cinema.
Top 10 Most Celebrated Villains of Tamil cinema
#1 Bobby Simha (Jigarthanda)
The 37-year-old actor received the National Award under the category of Best Supporting Actor for his performance in Karthik’s action thriller Jigarthanda. This National award-winning performance of Bobby Simha as gangster ‘Assault’ Sethu, who develops a sudden interest in filmmaking led him into the list of most important talents of Tamil cinema. Now Bobby Simha is the latest addition to the star cast of Chiyaan 60.
#2 Prakash Raj (Singam)
Prakash Raj made his debut in Kollywood cinema with Duet in 1994, directed by K. Balachander. He has acted in more than 200 films in all four South Indian languages as well as in Hindi. The actor played the antagonist in Singam that gave him a lot of fame. He is known for his effective performances as a dangerous villain in Singam 2011 where he played a corrupt politician. The action drama written and directed by Hari, was a commercial success at the box office.
#3 Prakash Raj (Ghilli)
Prakash Raj played the antagonist for the first time in Ghilli, which is the Tamil remake of Telugu film Okkadu. He played the role of (Muthu Pandi) a villain with the essence of humour and brutality, and his dialogues in the film are a favourite among his fans. The movie also starred superstar Vijay and actress Trisha in lead roles.
#4 Kalabhavan Mani (Gemini)
The late Kalabhavan Mani‘s Teja launched his career in the Tamil film industry. Always mimicking animals to prove a point, Teja is a villain who’s menacing. He’s also pretty awesome at times, because of his well scripted lines, and close to perfect imitation of animals movements, weaved into his dialogue. A very talented actor, gone too soon.
#5 Bobby Simha (Saamy Square)
Bobby was Hari’s first and last choice for the antagonist in Saamy Square. Even though the movie hasn’t reached up to the expectations, the Bobby Simha role is never forgettable in this film. He has delivered a terrific performance in three looks.
#6 Vijay Sethupathi (Master)
Master is a very important film in Vijay’s career. But, a part of the audience seems to feel that Vijay Sethupathi’s character overshadowed Vijay’s character in the film. Vijay Sethupathi has been receiving praise from all over for his villainous role in the hit film Master. Even though the actor has aced playing negative roles, his performance in this particular film could be described as one of the memorable performances that he has given in recent times.
#7 Arun Vijay (Yennai Arindhaal)
His character Victor is a performance that put him ahead of all the other villains of the time. Victor was double crossed while he was in prison, and thinking that the protagonist was his friend, he sets out to take revenge. He also runs an illegal organ harvesting business on the side. With his hair constantly dripping in oil, Arun Vijay nails the character of Victor, and embodies his malevolence. Nicely done.
#8 Aravind Swami (Thani Oruvan)
Arvind Swamy excelled in the negative role and stole hearts with his performance. The movie even collected 100 crores at the box office. Its a big return of Aravind Swami to Tamil films, as a villain. The creepiest thing about this character is the stuff of nightmares – his voice.
#9 Shriya Reddy (Thimiru)
Shriya Reddy portrayed the negative role as Eswari in Visha’s Thimiru. Eswari is a Madurai based gangster who isn’t afraid of anyone, not because of her influential family, but because everyone knows she means business.
#10 Ramya Krishnan (Padayappa)
Not but not least, Ramya Krishnan role in Padayappa as Neelambari is one of the most celebrated villains of Tamil Cinema. One of the greatest villains a Rajinikanth has ever faced is Neelambari in Padayappa movie. Her nefarious nature doesn’t surface until she finds out that Padayappa isn’t in love with her, and her father dies of shame.