Bollywood has seen several actors deliver iconic performances as gangsters in movies. Here’s a list of some of the most memorable actors and their portrayals of gangsters:
1. Amitabh Bachchan.
Film: Don (1978) & Don (2006)
Role: Don .
Description: Amitabh Bachchan’s portrayal of the suave and ruthless gangster in Don became iconic. He also played a gangster in Agneepath (1990) as Vijay Dinanath Chauhan, a character with a quest for revenge.
2. Shah Rukh Khan
Film: Don (2006), Don 2 (2011)
Role: Don
Description: Shah Rukh Khan reprised Amitabh Bachchan’s role in Farhan Akhtar’s *Don* remake, bringing a modern and slick version of the character to life.
3. Sanjay Dutt
Film: Vaastav (1999)
Role: Raghu
Description: Sanjay Dutt’s portrayal of Raghu, a man who unintentionally becomes a gangster, is one of the most intense performances in Bollywood. He also played a powerful gangster in Khalnayak (1993) as Ballu.
4. Ajay Devgn
Film: Company (2002), Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai (2010)
Role: Malik in Company, Sultan Mirza in Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai
Description: Ajay Devgn played a calm and calculated gangster in Company, and later as the charismatic underworld don Sultan Mirza in Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai, based on the life of Haji Mastan.
5. Nawazuddin Siddiqui
Film: Gangs of Wasseypur (2012)
Role: Faizal Khan
Description: Nawazuddin’s portrayal of the ruthless and revenge-driven gangster Faizal Khan in Anurag Kashyap’s Gangs of Wasseypur is one of his most iconic roles.
6. Hrithik Roshan
Film: Agneepath (2012)
Role: Vijay Dinanath Chauhan
Description: Hrithik Roshan reprised Amitabh Bachchan’s role as Vijay Dinanath Chauhan in the 2012 remake of Agneepath, delivering a power-packed performance as a vengeful gangster.
7. Saif Ali Khan
Film: Omkara (2006), Baazaar (2018)
Role: Langda Tyagi in Omkara, Shakun Kothari in Baazaar
Description: In Omkara, a Vishal Bhardwaj adaptation of Othello, Saif Ali Khan played the devious and manipulative Langda Tyagi, a gangster with a complex personality. He also portrayed a cunning stock market gangster in Baazaar
8. Emraan Hashmi
Film: Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai (2010)
Role: Shoaib Khan
Description: Emraan Hashmi played the role of Shoaib Khan, a character loosely based on Dawood Ibrahim, in this crime drama that explored the rise of the underworld in Mumbai.
9. Irrfan Khan
Film: Maqbool (2003)
Role: Maqbool
Description: In Vishal Bhardwaj’s adaptation of Shakespeare’s Macbeth, Irrfan Khan played Maqbool, a trusted lieutenant of a mafia kingpin who rises in the ranks but faces inner turmoil.
10. John Abraham
Film: Shootout at Wadala (2013)
Role: Manya Surve
Description: John Abraham portrayed real-life gangster Manya Surve in Shootout at Wadala, showcasing his rise as a feared criminal in Mumbai.
11. Manoj Bajpayee
Film: Satya (1998), Gangs of Wasseypur (2012)
Role: Bhiku Mhatre in Satya, Sardar Khan in Gangs of Wasseypur
Description: Manoj Bajpayee’s portrayal of Bhiku Mhatre in Satya remains iconic. He also delivered a stellar performance as the vengeful and cunning gangster Sardar Khan in Gangs of Wasseypur
These actors have left a lasting legacy with their powerful gangster roles, contributing to Bollywood’s rich tradition of crime dramas.
