In commercial films, a hero always needs a villain; the more danger, the better. But as times evolve and morally complex heroes gain popularity, having a clear-cut antagonist isn’t always necessary. Despite this shift in cinema, some actors are still widely recognized for their villainous roles.

If you check out the list of top villains in South Indian cinema, you'll find a great mix of local stars and big names from Bollywood, like Rahul Dev, Sonu Sood, and even Sanjay Dutt. Rahul Bose is set to take on the role of the main villain alongside Shivarajkumar in Bhairathi Ranagal. 

The biggest baddies in the South Indian film scene – Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, and Malayalam

Sanjay Dutt

Once a popular leading man in Hindi cinema, Sanjay Dutt is a much in-demand villain in Hindi cinema as well as south films. From KGF: Chapter 2’s Adheera to Leo’s Antony Das, the actor is quickly making his mark down south, with yet another antagonist role in Dhruva Sarja’s KD-The Devil coming up shortly. Sanjay is also in an upcoming Prabhas film but that may not be outright evil or have grey shades.

Jagapathi Babu

Jagapathi Babu has been rocking the villain role for nearly ten years, taking on bad guy parts in Telugu, Tamil, and Kannada films. Recently, he appeared in Prabhas’ Salaar Ceasefire and Mahesh Babu’s Guntur Kaaram, and he’s got Pushpa 2: The Rule coming up next.

Vinayakan

Vinayakan, who snagged the Kerala state award for Best Actor, really shot to fame after his role as the villain Varman in Rajinikanth’s Jailer. His next major project as a baddie is the long-awaited Dhruva Natchathiram, a collaboration with Vikram and Gautam Vasudev Menon.

Daali Dhananjaya

Dhananjaya is a well-known star in Kannada cinema these days, but he also had a time when he played villainous roles, especially in movies like Tagaru, Yajamana, Pogaru, and Pushpa. His character Daali in Tagaru was particularly loved by audiences and really boosted his career. The name became so popular that he even decided to use it as the title for his production company.

Kabir Duhan Singh

Kabir Duhan Singh, a model-actor, is well-known for his villainous roles in Kannada, Tamil, and Telugu films. He's made a name for himself as a menacing antagonist in movies like Pailwaan, Hebbuli, Tees Maar Khan, and Kanchana 3, to name a few. Soon, he'll be making his mark in Malayalam cinema, likely taking on a negative role in Mammootty’s upcoming film, Turbo.

Garuda Ram

Ramachandra Raju earned the nickname Garuda Ram after playing the main villain, Garuda, in KGF: Chapter 1, the character that Rocky Bhai takes down to seize control of Narachi. Since then, he’s been taking on villain roles in various South Indian films and was recently seen in Salaar: Ceasefire.

Sonu Sood

Sonu Sood really made a name for himself in Telugu cinema, becoming one of the top villains around. He’s snagged a bunch of awards for his roles in Hindi, Telugu, and Kannada films, with standout performances in movies like Arundhati, Dookudu, Vishnuvardhana, and Julayi. His latest turn as a baddie was alongside Chiranjeevi in Acharya.

P Ravi Shankar

P Ravi Shankar, the younger brother of actor Sai Kumar, is definitely one of the most versatile actors in Kannada cinema. He effortlessly transitions from playing a ruthless villain to a comedic antagonist. His talent has earned him several awards for his negative roles, especially in movies like Kempegowda and Maanikya. Plus, he's also a highly regarded dubbing artist.

Sunil

Sunil, famous for his leading and comedic performances, received a lot of praise for his portrayal of the intimidating gangster Mangalam Seenu in Allu Arjun’s Pushpa: The Rise. He’s set to bring that character back in the sequel too.

Prakash Raj

You can't talk about top villains without mentioning Prakash Raj. With nearly 400 films under his belt, he’s been a go-to bad guy in all four South Indian film industries as well as in Hindi cinema. This National Award-winning actor effortlessly juggles positive roles with intense villainous ones and has snagged multiple state awards for Best Villain in films like Kalki, Vaanavil, Anniyan, and Villu.

Bobby Deol has also taken on some villainous roles in movies like Animal (2023), Badal (2000), and Bichhoo (2000). He believes there’s no real difference between good and bad characters and loves tackling roles that push him out of his comfort zone.

Rana Daggubati

Rana Daggubati's role as Bhallaladeva in the 2015 movie Baahubali: The Beginning is a really intricate and multi-dimensional villain. He’s this power-hungry warrior ready to do whatever it takes, even kill, to grab the throne of Mahishmati. His motivations stem from jealousy, envy, and a deep sense of loneliness. In Vettaiyan, he took on the character of Natraj, a tech-savvy bad guy who fuels crime in the education sector. The film also featured big names like Rajinikanth, Amitabh Bachchan, Fahadh Faasil, Dushara Vijayan, Ritika Singh, and Manju Warrier.

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