There are good characters. There are good actors. There are actors who play good characters. Then there are actors who cannot be separated from their character and vice versa. They are ICONIC. Bollywood has given us plenty of such characters over the decades with whom we have love-hate relationships. But whether you love them or hate them, you can admittedly never forget them. They are the most memorable Bollywood characters of all time and let’s have a look at a few of them:
1. Gabbar – Sholay (1975)
Gabbar from Sholay is one of our favourite villains of all time. No one could have played this better than Amjad Khan.
2. Mogambo – Mr. India (1987)
Amrish Puri as Mogambo is the best thing about Mr.India. Maybe Mogamba Khush Hoga yeh jaan kar.
3. Baburao – Hera Pheri Series
Baburao Ganpat Rao Apte is hands down the funniest character we have ever come across. Paresh Rawal’s comic timing with this character is truly amazing.
4. Anarkali – Mughal-e-Azam (1960)
Madhubala as Anarkali is the epitome of beauty and grace. She became so popular that the women’s traditional dress ‘Anarkali’ was actually named after her character as she wore the same kind of dress.
5. Jai-Veeru – Sholay (1975)
This iconic duo is still remembered for their on-screen as well as off-screen friendship. The fact that Veeru and Basanti had a romantic angle but people remember Jai-Veeru pair more than this tells us a lot about this dynamic friendship arc.
6. Vijay Dinanath Chauhan – Agneepath (1990)
We can safely say that whatever role Big B plays becomes larger than life. Though this 1990 film did not fare well at the box office, Vijay Dinanath Chauhan became a super hit.
7. Devdas – Devdas (1955)
Dilip Kumar as Devdas is incomparable. The way he communicated with the audience by just his expressions says a lot about this legendary actor and an ever-legendary character.
8. Anand – Anand (1971)
Rajesh Khanna’s Anand was the character we all took inspiration from. Anand taught us how to live our lives and enjoy each and every moment of it. They don’t make such characters anymore Babumoshai.
9. Tara Singh – Gadar (2001)
Sunny Deol owned the character of Tara Singh. No one could have played this role better than him. As Gen Z would say ‘ he ate and left no crumbs’.
10. Raj – Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge (1995)
It would be a crime to talk about memorable characters and not talk about our very own and beloved Raj. He is the reason why girls today have such high expectations from their men. We don’t blame him though, man made ‘sarson ke khet’ look romantic.
11. Sardar Khan – Gangs of Wasseypur series
One of Manoj Bajpai’s finest roles. He plays the character so amazingly that you actually end up fearing him. If that’s not the sign of a great actor, we don’t know what is.
12. Geet – Jab We Met (2008)
Who better to play the girl who is obsessed with herself than Queen Bee Kareena Kapoor. Geet is not just a character but a personality for many girls now. She practices self-love like no one else. She truly is one of the most memorable Bollywood characters!
13. Munna- Circuit – Munna Bhai series
Just like bread-butter, salt-pepper and Jai-Veeru, Munna-Circuit is a pair that is incomplete without the other. Their whole die-for-you attitude had better chemistry than most romantic couples.
14. Rani – Queen (2013)
Kangana saw a monumental rise in her career after this role. This shows how iconic the character of Rani was. She is the embodiment of all women who wanna break free from the traditional expectations of society and just have fun on their own terms and conditions. Kudos Rani!
15. Manjulika – Bhool Bhulaiya (2007)
Vidya Balan aced the role of Manjulika in Bhool Bhulaiya. Her acting, dance, and expressions were just out of this world. We were definitely scared of Manjulika but still couldn’t get enough of her!
16. Radha – Mother India (1957)
India has never seen or will see a character like Radha played by Nargis Dutt. Mother India is perhaps the most revered film in India and the Magnum Opus of Bollywood. This is cinema at its best!
17. Sher Khan – Zanjeer (1973)
Movie buffs and even Mr. Bachchan agrees that Zanjeer would not be what it is today without Pran as Sher Khan. The rough-talking but kind-hearted Sher Khan was as revered as Pran’s best role till date.
18. Langda Tyagi – Omkara (2006)
Although Saif Ali Khan’s character was that of an antagonist in the movie, Langda Tyagi overshadowed everyone including the main leads. Saif’s shift from a romantic lover boy trope in movies to a village good with rough mannerisms is what surprised everyone.
19. Shahenshah – Shahenshah (1988)
The classic black jacket with a metal arm became iconic in the history of Indian Cinema. “Rishtey mein toh hum tumhare baap hote hai, naam hai Shahenshah” is still a nostalgic dialogue and is very akin to Big B. One of the most memorable Bollywood characters of all time!
20. Basanti – Sholay (1975)
How can we mention Sholay and not mention Basanti? Hema Malini as Basanti will forever be Bollywood’s best character. Can you even think of anyone else playing Basanti other than her? The only correct answer is NO!
21. Crime Master Gogo – Andaz Apna Apna (1994)
Even almost 3 decades later, people still remember Crime Master Gogo’s “ Aankhein nikaal kar gotiyaan khelunga” dialogue. No one better than Shakti Kapoor could have played the role of this eccentric yet funny villain.
22. Raju – Guide (1965)
Dev Anand as Guide was an ambitious project to put Indian films in the international diaspora. Though it did not perform well internationally, Dev Anand’s Guide became a superhit in India. Only an actor like him could make you watch a movie that is 3 hours long!
These are our most memorable Bollywood characters of all time. We tried to keep the list as short as possible but Bollywood gave us so many characters that we couldn’t resist. Tell us your favourite in the comment section!