2025 witnessed a noticeable drift in the audiences’ interest, with antagonists becoming the center of attention for some of the biggest releases of the year. This is interesting, given that for a long time, antagonists stayed in the background. Examples of actors who played antagonists in various productions that stood out as major hits include Riteish Deshmukh in ‘Raid 2’, Bobby Deol in ‘The Ba**ds of Bollywood’, Jaideep Ahlawat in ‘The Family Man 3’, and Akshaye Khanna in the recent release, ‘Dhurandhar’.
Layered characterization and screen time
Other similarities between the performances are the layers given to adversarial roles. Jaideep Ahlawat’s acting in ‘The Family Man Season 3’ just furthers a tradition of the detailed writing of its villain’s motivations and ideology, along with personal history, in juxtaposition with the protagonist’s journey. Similarly, Bobby Deol in ‘The Ba***ds of Bollywood’ has the antagonist getting enormous screen space and a clearly defined narrative arc rather than just serving as a one-dimensional threat.
Attention to performance
The audience and industry talk regarding these films, more often than not, speaks to the performances of the villains. Dialogue delivery, physicality, and restrained menace have become talking points that very often trend across digital platforms upon release. Specific scenes featuring the antagonist have at times circulated profusely online, boosting the character’s presence well beyond the film or series itself. The recent example is Akshaye Khanna’s viral scene from the film ‘Dhurandhar’.
Changing audience engagement
The films and series are increasingly written to allow conflict to evolve via character-driven confrontations rather than straightforward good-versus-evil binaries. This has resulted in antagonists who are integral to the dramatic rhythm of the story, often matching or outweighing the protagonists in complexity.
A noticeable pattern in 2025 releases
Taken together, the attention given to Riteish Deshmukh, Bobby Deol, Jaideep Ahlawat, and Akshaye Khanna reflects a more observable pattern in 2025’s Hindi film and streaming landscape. The villain is no longer confined to supporting parts but has emerged as a defining element of this year’s most talked-about projects, often framing audience discourse and critical focus.
