Ashutosh Rana

Ashutosh Rana has delivered some of the most memorable villain performances in South Indian cinema. He played key antagonists in the Telugu films Annavaram and Nene Raju Nene Mantri, besides portraying a chilling negative role in Kamal Haasan's Tamil thriller Vettaiyaadu Vilaiyaadu.

Divyenndu 

He plays the menacing main antagonist named Ram Bujji in the Telugu sports action drama Peddi, starring Ram Charan. Ram Bujji is a privileged and fierce antagonist in a rustic 1980s rural setting.

Gulshan Devaiah

In Maa Inti Bangaaram, Gulshan Devaiah plays Karuna, the film's primary antagonist. He portrays a ruthless and influential figure whose actions put him in direct conflict with Samantha Ruth Prabhu's character.

Jackie Shroff 

Jackie Shroff has played impactful negative roles in several South Indian films. In Rajinikanth's Jailer, he portrayed Varman, a powerful smuggler and one of the film's key antagonists. He also delivered a memorable performance as Singaperumal, a ruthless ageing gangster, in the acclaimed Tamil neo-noir film Aaranya Kaandam. In Vijay's Bigil, Jackie played J.K. Sharma, a manipulative football federation official.

Emraan Hashmi

Emraan Hashmi is all set to make his Telugu debut as the main antagonist in Pawan Kalyan's They Call Him OG. The actor will lock horns with the superstar in the action-packed gangster drama, marking his first full-fledged negative role in Telugu cinema. His intense look and powerful screen presence have already generated buzz.

Suniel Shetty

Suniel Shetty has portrayed memorable antagonists across multiple South Indian industries. In Rajinikanth's Darbar, he played Hari Chopra, a ruthless businessman and drug kingpin who locks horns with the superstar's cop character. In the Kannada sports drama Pailwaan, he portrayed Kitcha, a feared gangster with a powerful screen presence. He also played the antagonist in the Telugu film Mosagallu.

Sonu Sood

Sonu Sood has played several memorable villains in South Indian cinema. He portrayed the ruthless Bada in Arundhati, Bittu in Julayi, and the menacing Obul Reddy in Okkadu (released in Tamil as Nayak), earning acclaim for his powerful antagonist roles.

Bobby Deol

Bobby Deol has become one of the most sought-after Bollywood villains in South Indian cinema. After playing the ruthless Udhiran in Kanguva, he essayed the menacing Balwant in Vijay's Jana Nayagan.

Sanjay Dutt

Sanjay Dutt has made a strong impact as a villain in South Indian cinema. He played the fearsome Adheera in KGF: Chapter 2, one of the franchise's most iconic antagonists. He later portrayed Antony Das in Leo and Big Bull in Double iSmart, further establishing himself as a formidable screen villain across Kannada, Tamil and Telugu films.

Saif Ali Khan

Saif Ali Khan made his Telugu debut with Devara: Part 1, playing the menacing Bhaira, the film's primary antagonist opposite Jr NTR.