Over the years Bollywood has celebrated many memorable villains Late Amrish Puri’s magnetic Mogambo in Mr. India Danny Denzongpa’s chilling presence Late Ajit Khan’s suave evil masterminds with his famous “Mona darling” flair Sanjay Dutt’s raw and intense character of Kaancha and Adheera or the recent menacing portrayal of Arjun Kapoor as Danger Lanka. But this one actor from golden era whose eerie laugh chilling dialogues and sinister presence became an unforgettable memory etched in the hearts of cinephiles. Who was this villain? That menacing figure was Gabbar Singh from the classic film Sholay (1975) which was portrayed by legendary actor Late Amjad Khan who rose from relative obscurity to stardom through this role initially offered to another actor but fate had other plans. Released with giants like Amitabh Bachchan and Dharmendra as leads Sholay became a blockbuster and is often compared to Star Wars in its cultural impact. While the film itself was a massive hit it was Gabbar Singh who overshadowed even the heroes; his lines “Kitne aadmi the?” and “Jo darr gaya… samjho marr gaya” remain iconic decades later. What other films were done by Amjad Khan? Amjad Khan went on to feature in over 130 films playing intense antagonists in movies like Muqaddar Ka Sikandar (as Dilawar) and Parvarish. He was even rooted for humor appearing in beloved films like Qurbani and Yaarana. His versatility impressed audiences in serious comic and positive roles as well. His royal stance and subtle acting as Nawab Wajid Ali Shah in Satyajit Rays film Shatranj Ke Khiladi (1977) was an invaluable contribution to Indian art cinema. The dignity with which he played the role of Akbar in Meera (1979) became a standard in the portrayal of historical characters. More about Amjad Khan His performance changed the trajectory of character actors in Hindi cinema. He became the first on-screen villain to appear in a mainstream commercial advertisement endorsing Britannia biscuits as Gabbar Singh himself. On July 27 1992 Amjad Khan passed away at age 51 due to a heart attack yet his legacy as Bollywood’s ultimate antagonist remains vivid. Films like Sholay and its villain Gabbar Singh remain benchmarks for generations with Amjad Khan’s compelling portrayal continuing to define pure unredeemed evil on screen.