Akshaye Khanna is one of the most versatile actors in Bollywood. Give him any role, and he makes it his own. Whether it is a serious, comic or negative role, he plays all with an ease that seems unnatural.
Last year, he played extremely negative roles in Chhaava and Dhurandhar. In Chhaava, he was cast as Aurangzeb, and in Dhurandhar, as Rehman Dakait. Both films went on to collect ₹2,109 crore globally.
When it comes to storytelling, a strong antagonist always creates a stronger protagonist. Never the other way around. And today, when the industry is finally embracing darker, more layered characters, Akshaye Khanna doesn’t feel new. He feels inevitable in negative roles.
But Akshaye Khanna had already been exploring complex characters with a darker hue, long before Chhaava and Dhurandhar. He aced them effortlessly.
We have compiled a list of his 5 most effortless roles in grey shades:
1. Humraaz | 2002
Akshaye plays Karan Malhotra, a man driven by greed and betrayal.
When his girlfriend genuinely falls in love with her wealthy husband, the very man they planned to con, Karan is left with nothing. What follows is a calculated descent into revenge, manipulation, and control.
2. Race | 2008
As Rajiv Singh, he hides jealousy and resentment behind charm.
He covers his greed, jealousy, and resentment towards his elder half-brother, Ranvir, with his overly sweet and charming behaviour. The plot of the film thickens as he goes about carrying out his plans to eliminate him.
3. Aakrosh | 2010
Not entirely a villain, not entirely a hero.
As CBI officer Siddhant Chaturvedi, Akshaye Khanna is flawless. He is the soft-spoken cop who will go to any extent to get a hold of the criminals, but more in a calm-calculated way.
4. Dishoom | 2016
As Wagah, he is flamboyant, stylish, and dangerous.
He plays an Afghan kidnapper with an oomph factor—a stylish, smart-talking and flamboyant person. Right before a crucial cricket match between India and Pakistan, he kidnaps an Indian cricketer.
5. Drishyam 2 | 2022
Another film in which he plays the role of a cop trying to uncover the truth about Vijay Salgaonkar and his family. His cold, calculated and methodical approach to put psychological pressure on the family tilts this role slightly as a grey shade.
These roles don’t just highlight Akshaye Khanna’s versatility — they show a clear pattern. Long before Bollywood started leaning heavily on strong antagonists, he had already mastered the space between hero and villain.
And looking at these films, it feels like Bollywood has finally found the villain it needed.