Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Freddy Daruwala to Pankaj Tripathi: OTT villains that made bad look good
It’s often said that a hero is as good as its villain, and with the advent of OTT we have seen many antagonists shine, and even attain more appreciation than the protagonist. Every actor has given something to their villainous act that makes it special, and here are some of the antagonists on the digital space that have left an indelible mark with their portrayals.
Divyendu Sharma – Mirzapur
One of the first shows to start the OTT revolution in India, Mirzapur is known for its grey characters. Every person in the cast has given something unique to their portrayals, but Divyendu Sharma’s Munna Bhaiya has become a fan favourite. He is funny, sarcastic and yet ruthless and gory. While his actions might scare you, the way he does it has a charm of its own.
Nawazuddin Siddiqui – Sacred Games
Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Saif Ali Khan came together to give one of the first big shows on Indian OTT with Sacred Games. And Saif’s portrayal became all the more effective all because of his great villain in Nawazuddin. The latter had a vulnerability to his part and yet he was ferocious. If he had violence inside him, he also had love and his origin story was as intriguing.
Abhishek Bannerjee – Pataal Lok
Abhishek Bannerjee has truly become one of the most impactful and versatile actors on the digital medium. He has given varied characters in different shades but his character in Pataal Lok will always be special. The actor showed how even without many dialogues, you can leave an impact. It was his eyes and demeanour that did the talking and he indeed left everyone feeling scared of him after that portrayal.
Freddy Daruwala – Crackdown 2
Freddy Daruwala started his career as an antagonist with Akshay Kumar’s Holiday, and went on to do different roles solidifying his strength as an actor on screen. With Crackdown 2, he took that up a notch high as a terrorist. With an unforgettable screen presence and eyes that have a spell , he keeps the audiences hooked and his charm works like magic. The actor pulled the part with such efficiency that you can’t help but love to hate him and that’s the sign of a successful actor.
Samantha Ruth Prabhu – The Family Man 2
After ruling over the South industry, Samantha took a unique step by making her Hindi debut on the digital medium. The actress played Raji in The Family Man 2 and was an instant hit. Samantha brought a vulnerability to her part and yet she was strong and fiery. With Raji, Samantha gave one of the most memorable acts on OTT and swept many awards for the same too. She showed why she is considered a queen in the South and now even the Hindi audience agrees with it.
Pankaj Tripathi – Sacred Games 2
To carry off the legacy of a successful first season isn’t easy, especially when the show has been a pioneer. But Scared Games 2 did that and Pankaj Tripathi was a major reason for it. His character was mentioned in season 1 too and there was a high anticipation on how he turns out to be and the actor lived up to those expectations when he arrived in season 2. He gave a portrayal that will stay with the audience for ages.
