Suniel Shetty won best villain award for his stint in the 2004 film Dhadkan. The film also starred Shilpa Shetty and Akshay Kumar in pivotal roles. According to him, Dev’s story was all about perspective and how people choose to see things
Suniel Shetty. Pic/Yogen Shah
Bollywood actor Suniel Shetty has reflected on his best villain award for portraying a negative role in the romantic drama Dhadkan.
While the role earned him critical acclaim and recognition, the actor shared that he never truly saw himself as a villain, pointing out the emotional depth and motivation behind his character. In an interview with IANS during his show Hunter 2, Suniel mentioned that while he was labelled a villain in the film and even received the Best Villain award, he never considered himself one in that role.
The actor explained, “In Dhadkan, I was labelled a villain. I even won the Best Villain award. But I was never a villain in that film. Everything I did was out of love. Every mother tells her daughter to marry a man who would love her ten times more than she could ever love him. That was Dev—it was about perspective. The eyes believe what they see, but the mind believes what it chooses to. And that may not always be the same thing. It’s all about how you look at it; it’s all your perspective of looking at the things.”
Suniel Shetty’s performance as Dev in the 2000 film Dhadkan remains one of the standout roles of his career. His intense portrayal of a heartbroken lover-turned-antagonist earned him widespread praise and critical acclaim. The role not only showcased his versatility as an actor but also won him the Filmfare Award for Best Actor in a Negative Role.
Speaking about the importance of a strong antagonist in storytelling, Suniel Shetty reflected on how a villain’s presence elevates the hero’s journey. He explained that a negative role isn’t just about being bad—it’s about creating a worthy challenge for the protagonist.
“Tell me, who can really play a negative role? Someone who is bigger than the hero—most of the time. Someone strong enough for the hero to defeat or bring down. And for a new hero, you need a mature actor—someone experienced, grounded, and with a powerful screen presence. So, as films get bigger, the way we think about roles changes too. That’s when an actor decides to take on a negative role. But it also depends on the kind of negative character you're playing.”
The Mohra actor went on to explain, “Take Dada (Jackie Shroff), for example—his role in Hunter 2 may appear negative, but there's a positive side to it as well. You’ll only understand that after watching the film. Right now, you're assuming it’s a clash between two strong characters. But each one has their own emotional journey.”
Meanwhile, Suniel Shetty’s new show, Hunter Season 2, directed by Prince Dhiman and Alok Batra, starred Jackie Shroff as the antagonist. The series follows Suniel Shetty as ACP Vikram Sinha, who takes on the criminal underworld in a desperate attempt to rescue his daughter.
Also featuring Anusha Dandekar and Barkha Bisht in crucial roles, the show premiered for free on 24th July on Amazon MX Player.
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