Indian cinema's iconic villains Ranjeet, Gulshan Grover, Raza Murad, and Kiran Kumar discuss the topic at the 54th International Film Festival of India

Indian cinema's iconic villains Ranjit, Gulshan Grover, Raza Murad, and Kiran Kumar shed light on the intricacies of playing a villain, which forms the essence of many films, in an interactive session at the 54th International Film Festival of India today. The segment titled ‘The Villain – Leaving a Lasting Impression’ organized on the occasion of this prestigious festival at the Academy of Arts in Panaji, Goa witnessed a huge turnout.

Highlighting the importance of villains in cinema, Raza Murad said, “Villains add a special distinctive color to a film and they play a very important role. When we play such characters in a film, we serve the audience the characteristics that they like, which the audience enjoys and wants. Movies are incomplete without villains.”

When asked about his preparation for playing a villain, Gulshan Grover said, “When I play a villain in a film, my beliefs, my thoughts do not matter. I am the person the script demands.”

Talking about the audience's expectations of the character he plays, Kiran Kumar said, “We are entertainers, not actors. Our job is to entertain the people sitting in the theater from the front to the last row. It is our job to make it worth watching and make the value for their money.' He also said that the job of a villain playing a negative role is to ensure that the hero is portrayed as a superhero in the film. Sharing his comments on the importance of the role of the villain, he said, 'No film is incomplete without opposing the hero to the fullest.'

Sharing his views on the use of foul language used by a villain in a film, Kiran Kumar said, 'If necessary, one should not shy away from using it.' He also pointed out that the language may offend the audience. But it can help in understanding the field a person belongs to so that the role being played in the film can be effectively expressed or presented. Among other comments, Ranjeet also said, ' I believe that one can portray oneself as a villain without using foul language. I can do this through my acting alone.' Based on his experiences in films, he said, 'Yes, I have played the role of a rude villain, but never an uncivilized villain.'  

Acknowledging the importance of costumes as an important aspect of portraying a character, Raza Murad said, 'Costume is essential to present the character. It enhances the role being played by the person. However, one must always remember that costumes will always be an accessory, and costumes will be of no use if an actor is not talented enough.''

This interesting session was conducted by senior journalist Komal Nahata.

Cinematographer: Ramakant Munde Mumbai