2025 will go down as a year when antagonists overshadowed protagonists in quite a few films.
By Mayur Lookhar
Merit has to be honoured and awarded. It’s a simple thing to say, but in the context of Indian, more so popular Hindi cinema, awards, this always raises eyebrows. Commercial pressure often compels organisers to bend to popular demands, compromising merit in the process. As an independent publication, we face no such pressure, so our year-end stories don’t follow the usual award norms – no supporting actor or antagonist categories. We simply honour those artists and films that we found to have earned respect on merit. So, it’s just Best Actor for us, and no Best Actor in a Leading Role.
2025 was a year when very few leading actors truly impressed us. Brilliant performances lit up antagonist roles, with some overshadowing the protagonists by miles. Without further ado, here’s our pick for Best Actor of the year in Bollywood.
10 Namashi Chakraborty – The Bengal Files
Written off after his debut film Bad Boy, Namashi redeemed himself as the baddie in The Bengal Files. He evokes fear first in uniform and later in his Maulvi avatar. Given the ongoing social-political crisis, the anti-India wave in Bangladesh, there’s perhaps many Gholam Sarwar Husseini roaming in the streets of Dhaka today. Namashi’s portrayal of Gholam
9 Darshan Kumar – The Bengal Files
Taking on The Bengal Files after The Kashmir Files was a high-risk move for Darshan Kumaar, but one that pays off. Playing Shiv Pandit again, this time as a completely different man shaped by loss and terrorism in Jhelum, he brings restraint, vulnerability and quiet resolve to the role. As an officer who enters Murshidabad with idealism only to confront its brutal realities, Kumaar conveys inner conflict with remarkable control. Subtle, affecting and assured, this performance stands out as arguably the finest of his career.
8 Riteish Deshmukh – Raid 2
He’s no stranger to dark roles, Ek Villain established that early on. He pushed the envelope further in Marjaavaan as a brutal, foul-mouthed dwarf, though that turn didn’t fully land. Coming from a political family, Deshmukh feels like an instinctive choice to play the shrewd politician Dadabhai. For all his sinister designs, there’s something oddly admirable about this gentleman leader. His journey from selling shoes on the street to becoming the de facto king of Bhoj is both fascinating and frightening. Raj Kumar Gupta’s decision to set the story in Bhoj, a city named after a revered Indian king, adds a sharp layer of irony. Dadabhai appears most human only in moments with his mother. He must be held accountable, yet watching him crumble in the end leaves a lingering unease. That’s the impact of Deshmukh’s near-flawless act, perhaps the finest performance of his career.
7 Ali Fazal – Metro… In Dino
It’s never easy to stand out in an ensemble unless the director is Anurag Basu, a filmmaker who breathes soul into every character. Metro… In Dino emerges as a deeply felt musical and arguably the finest film of Basu’s career, powered by a richensemble. Ali Fazal, India’s Mr. International, remains characteristically assured. His Akash Arya is the most relatable of the lot, a talented singer weighed down by bad luck, fragile finances and the inevitable domino effect on personal relationships. His girlfriend is equally vulnerable, adding layers to their bond. It’s easy to dismiss Akash as a loser, but he is really a man buckling under life’s pressures. Fazal wears that constant tension effortlessly, making you genuinely ache for him. As life tests him, Akash slowly finds strength, holds on to his moral compass, and finally makes peace with himself.
6 Rakesh Bedi – Dhurandhar
Meant to be a career saver for Ranveer Singh, and it delivers, Dhurandhar, however, remains most memorable for its antagonist. There is Akshaye Khanna, Arjun Rampal, formidable villains in their own right, and then there is Jameel Jamali, the true-blue Pakistani Muslim politician. A version of this character appeared in Uri: The Surgical Strike (2019), but Dhurandhar gives him a fuller, more ambitious life. From a brief presence in Uri, Bedi’s Jameel Jamali emerges as a key power broker, a kingmaker in the murky political–mafia nexus of Lyari. The look loosely draws from real-life Pakistani politician Nabeel Gabol, a deeply polarizing figure. Bedi plays this scheming politician with a constant smile and a sharp Punjabi sense of humour. Jamali is a survivor, and so is Bedi, who delivers the finest performance of his career at 71.
5 Adarsh Gourav – Superboys of Malegaon
Adarsh Gourav kicked off as young Rizwan Khan (Shah Rukh Khan’s character) in My Name is Khan (2010), then soared with a BAFTA nod for Priyanka Chopra’s The White Tiger (2021). In Kho Gaye Hum Kahan, his gym instructor Neil Pereira nailed a seamless Christian transformation.
But Superboys of Malegaon (a Tiger Baby underdog gem like Gully Boy) cements him as an actor of repute. Based on the true story of Nasir, the man who brought cinema to humble Malegaon, Gourav fully embodies that dream. It’s a tale of trials, triumphs, and tribulations, but director Reema Kagti doesn’t shy away from Nasir’s strained personal ties. Success breeds ego, and Gourav nails those shifting shades with finesse. He shares Shah Rukh Khan’s dimples, but even the King would salute this stellar act from the young talent.
4 Emraan Hashmi – Haq
After early career highs, Emraan Hashmi endured a long lean phase, leads drying up as he took antagonist roles in big films. 2025 brought redemption: shining as a soldier, then as the bigamous husband in Haq. The trailer hinted at propaganda exploiting a true story, Hashmi’s casting surprised us. Even left-liberals praised it, prompting a watch. Suparn Verma’s film delivered a shockingly nuanced take, handing Hashmi his comeback.
As Abbas Khan, Hashmi charms women and twists the law, Muslim Personal Law shielded as “constitutional” to justify bigamy. Astonishingly, this non-devout man weaponizes faith for support, dismissing the Indian Penal Code as intrusive. Hashmi’s razor-sharp performance reminds us: write him off at your peril.
3 Boman Irani – The Mehta Boys
A gem that deserved the big screen. Seasoned actor Boman Irani marks his directorial debut, doubling as the lead father figure. In real life, he is father to two sons – one is a co-producer of this film. While he’s been a father, Irani himself never knew what it’s like to be a son to a father. He lost him when he was still in his mother’s womb. Yet he crafts a raw, complete father-son saga that leaves you awestruck.
The complexity of the relationships, with each character strongly sticking to their values. It’s remarkable how some tough fathers tend to be very gentle and warm to the outside world. Shiv Mehta (Irani) gets along with his son’s girlfriend very well. He believes in the dignity of labor, and it’s reflected in his humble conversation with the mason. For all the challenges in their relationship, Irani’s performance compels you to respect Shiv Mehta. There are countless such fathers who love their children dearly but perhaps don’t quite know the language to speak to them. Irani stuns you, he makes you cry, he makes you laugh, he makes you pensive, but eventually makes you respect Shiv Mehta. This is the sign he truly lived the character.
2 Manoj Bajpayee – Jugnuma
Raam Reddy’s Jugnuma literally gave new wings to the master. No, this isn’t an action film, but a flying Manoj Bajpayee is quite a spectacle. Aptly called Dev, Bajpayee plays a Himalayan elite who owns flourishing orchards in the hilly region. No wax, as Dev flies in his wingsuit. Not just a hobby, it also reflects ambition. A thriving business and a happy family, Dev’s clearly on cloud nine until one-night changes everything. One by one, a spate of mysterious fires begins to engulf his farms. With every fire, Dev cuts a sullen figure, unable to fathom the force behind the mysterious blazes. Soon, he begins to distrust even his closest aides and, in the process, loses generations of respect among his workers. There’s a sense of desperation, a resigned look on his face when Dev asks his trusted aide Keshav (Deepak Dobriyal) whether any villager desires anything from him. That moment, that scene has you empathising with Dev, underlining the master performance from Bajpayee. There’s the literal fire consuming the orchard, and another, quieter fire burning within Dev. He allows brief glimpses of frustration but largely suppresses the rage inside. Bajpayee revels in this tension, showing the raw humanity of his character. Though named Dev, he powerfully embodies the mortal, fallible man beneath the surface.
1 Akshaye Khanna – Dhurandhar / Chhaava
If one goes by merit and the standard definition of Best Actor in a leading role, then Bajpayee’s brilliant act in Jugnu is second to none. But 2025 belonged to a man who has found a new lease on life in his masterful villainous roles – first in the period film Chhaava, then in the brutal spy-action-crime thriller Dhurandhar.
Prior to Dhurandhar, ordinary Indians, including yours truly, weren’t aware of the existence of Pakistani Lyari gangster Sardar Abdul Rehman Baloch, aka Rehman Dakait. He was killed in an anti-terror op led by SP Chaudhary Aslam Khan in 2009. Years after his death, Rehman Dakait is brought to life in a fearsome, marauding gangster act by Akshaye Khanna in an Indian film. Indian films weren’t aware of his existence, but remarkably, this reel Rehman Dakait is driving fans nuts both in India, Pakistan, and among desis in foreign lands. Aditya Dhar hasn’t glorified a gangster per se, but it’s the sheer brilliance of Khanna that is drawing shock and awe. His unscripted dance to an Arabic song has gone viral globally. It’s the menace that Khanna brings to his character without ever going over-the-top, the eyes, the body language, his somewhat De Niro-like smoking, that tells you who calls the shots in Lyari. The film truly connects the moment Khanna enters the frame: a door opens, revealing a man in a black Pathani suit, eyes soaked with emotion, hustling to see his son’s body. From that moment, it’s an Akshaye Khanna tour de force all the way.
One is so consumed by Khanna’s flawless show in Dhurandhar that his stellar turn as Emperor Aurangzeb in Chhaava earlier this year seems like a distant memory. He nailed it with his look, but what struck home was how Khanna stuck to his guns, refusing to go OTT and instead choosing to play Aurangzeb in the Akshaye Khanna way. He was streets ahead of other artists in Chhaava, and Dhurandhar only cemented his late rise, making him the most sought-after actor in antagonist roles. Imagine if Oscars or BAFTAs started categorizing dark characters- then we’d never have Joaquin Phoenix, Denzel Washington, or Anthony Hopkins win Best Actor. Hate Aurangzeb or Rehman Dakait if you must, but it’s hard not to marvel at the twin masterclass from Akshaye Khanna, who is rightfully our pick for Best Actor of the year.
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