Ever heard that ‘the evil that men do lives after them; the good is oft interred with their bones’? Well, this is exactly why we end up remembering all villains we see on-screen and forget the protagonists. The sheer talent it takes to make everyone hate you just for the character you play is commendable. And let’s be honest, it’s usually the villain you come back for, day after day, instead of the Mr/Ms Goody Two-Shoes because they are the ones that carry the series and the story forward. However, there are some villains who were better (or shall I say, worse) than others because they’ve made us hate them with a passion like no other. So here are 11 iconic TV villains, some of them my personal favourites, that we’ll always remember.
1. Komalika, Kasauti Zindagii Kay
The original vamp of television during the Ekta Kapoor’s ‘K’ era, Urvashi Dholakia played Komalika perfectly. Big bindis, designer blouses, elaborate hairstyles and a dream to take over the Basu empire – she really did incite an inexplicable loathing in all our hearts. Though, in all honesty, nobody’s been able to be as good as her at playing bad.
2. Dr. Simran, Sanjeevani
In the 90s, we’ve grown up on shows like Sanjeevani. Rupali Ganguli, our Monisha from Sarabhai vs Sarabhai now, played the character of the evil doctor trying to ruin her husband’s ex-girlfriend’s life with so much conviction. She taught me to stay away from my ex and his new girlfriend if I wanted a peaceful life and I cannot say that it did not come in handy!
3. Ansh Gujral, Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi
We all know KSBKBT for its sanskaar content and a baa that lived for a thousand years. But, what was notable about the serial was also the number of villains. Even then, a few, like Ansh Gujral, stood out from the rest. Tulsi and Mihir’s son, Ansh, was the epitome of evilness hellbent on destroying the life of the Viranis. By the end of it all, even his mother was done with his antics and had to kill him. Whoops!
4. Arthur Mitchell, Dexter
Any follower of Dexter will tell you that the only antagonist that sent a shiver down their spine was The Trinity Killer – Arthur Mitchell. A seemingly happy family man, Arthur showed how easy it is to hide who you truly are. With a season finale that left us all shaken, he went down in history as the evilest of them all.
5. Pallavi, Kahani Ghar Ghar Ki
Every ‘K’ serial had one thing common, the woman who wanted to steal the protagonist’s husband for God only knows what reason. Pallavi was one such horrible woman!
6. Ramsay Bolton, The Game Of Thrones
Do not even get me started on this one! If the sadistic torture of Theon – raping Sansa on their wedding night and the murder of his newborn brother are not enough reasons to hate him, there is no hope for you, my friend!
7. Mandira, Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi
Another one from KSBKBT, but that’s okay considering it was one of the longest-running shows of Indian television. Not only was Mandira every woman’s nightmare and a husband snatcher, she was also the most hated vamp at a point of time.
8. Kali Pari, Son Pari
As ridiculous as it sounds, if you’ve grown up in the 90s, you’ve definitely watched Son Pari at least once. We all hated the Kali Pari as much as we loved Son Pari. The reason Kali Pari hated Frooty was that it was prophecised that Frooty would kill her. Anyone else getting Harry Potter feels?
9. Kalyani Devi, Balika Vadhu
Even though later plays a reformed woman, Kalyani Devi AKA Dadisaa was a hateful woman. A true sexist and traditionalist to the core, Dadisaa made Anandi, and her other daughter-in-laws’ lives, miserable. Nobody could have played this role better than Surekha Sikri.
10. Duck Phillips, Mad Men
What can we say about Duck Phillips except for the fact that he never had his ducks in a row! From attempting to shit in Don’s office to ditching his family dog, Duck annoyed us to no end!
GIFs: Giphy
