Sanjay Dutt to Manoj Bajpayee: Bollywood actors who played gangsters

Bollywood has seen several actors give iconic performances as gangsters in films. Here is a list of some of the most memorable actors and their portrayals of gangsters:

1. Amitabh Bachchan.

Film: Don (1978) and Don (2006)

Role: Don.

Description: Amitabh Bachchan’s portrayal of the suave and ruthless gangster in Don became iconic. He also played a gangster in Agneepath (1990) as Vijay Dinanath Chauhan, a character on a quest for revenge.

2. Shah Rukh Khan

Movie: Don (2006), Don 2 (2011)

Role: Don

Description: Shah Rukh Khan reprized the role of Amitabh Bachchan in Farhan Akhtar’s *Don* remake, bringing to life a modern and slick version of the character.

3. Sanjay Dutt

Movie: Vaastav (1999)

Role: Raghu

Description: Sanjay Dutt’s portrayal of Raghu, a man who inadvertently becomes a gangster, is one of the most intense performances in Bollywood. He also played a powerful gangster in Khalnayak (1993) as Ballu.

4. Ajay Devgn

Film: Business (2002), Once Upon a Time in Mumbai (2010)

Role: Malik in Company, Sultan Mirza in Once Upon a Time in Mumbai

Description: Ajay Devgn played a calm and calculating gangster in Company, and later as the charismatic underworld don Sultan Mirza in Once Upon a Time in Mumbai, based on the life of Haji Mastan.

5. Nawazuddin Siddiqui

Movie: Gangs of Wasseypur (2012)

Role: Faizal Khan

Description: Nawazuddin’s portrayal of the ruthless and vengeful gangster Faizal Khan in Anurag Kashyap’s Gangs of Wasseypur is one of his most iconic roles.

6. Hrithik Roshan

Movie: Agneepath (2012)

Role: Vijay Dinanath Chauhan

Description: Hrithik Roshan reprized Amitabh Bachchan’s role as Vijay Dinanath Chauhan in the 2012 remake of Agneepath and delivered a powerful performance as a vengeful gangster.

7. Saif Ali Khan

Movie: Omkara (2006), Baazaar (2018)

Role: Langda Tyagi in Omkara, Shakun Kothari in Baazaar

Description: In Omkara, a Vishal Bhardwaj adaptation of Othello, Saif Ali Khan played the cunning and manipulative Langda Tyagi, a gangster with a complex personality. He also portrayed a shrewd stock market trader in Baazaar

8. Emraan Hashmi

Film: Once Upon a Time in Mumbai (2010)

Role: Shoaib Khan

Description: Emraan Hashmi played the role of Shoaib Khan, a character loosely based on Dawood Ibrahim, in this crime drama that explored the rise of the underworld in Mumbai.

9. Irrfan Khan

Movie: Maqbool (2003)

Role: Maqbool

Description: In Vishal Bhardwaj’s adaptation of Shakespeare’s Macbeth, Irrfan Khan played Maqbool, a trusted lieutenant of a mafia kingpin who rises in the ranks but faces inner turmoil.

10. John Abraham

Film: Wadala shooting (2013)

Role: Manya Surve

Description: John Abraham played real-life gangster Manya Surve in Shootout at Wadala, which showed his rise as a feared criminal in Mumbai.

11. Manoj Bajpayee

Film: Satya (1998), Gangs of Wasseypur (2012)

Role: Bhiku Mhatre in Satya, Sardar Khan in Gangs of Wasseypur

Description: Manoj Bajpayee’s portrayal of Bhiku Mhatre in Satya remains iconic. He also delivered a stellar performance as the vengeful and cunning gangster Sardar Khan in Gangs of Wasseypur

These actors have left a lasting legacy with their powerful gangster roles and have contributed to the rich tradition of Bollywood crime dramas.