We’re used to seeing Bollywood’s biggest stars as the hero — saving the day, winning hearts and taking on the bad guys. But every once in a while, they switch sides and step into darker roles, and that’s when things get interesting.Over the years, some of Bollywood’s biggest leading men have taken on villains and grey characters, giving audiences performances they still remember.With Akshay Kumar now exploring a darker role in Haiwaan, here’s a look at some of the stars who showed that being the bad guy can be just as memorable as being the hero.Akshay Kumar: HaiwaanAkshay Kumar is taking that turn again with Haiwaan. The actor, who has moved comfortably between action, comedy and drama over the years, is playing a character that is far removed from his usual hero image. What makes the role interesting is that Akshay has described his character as outright dark, with no grey shades at all. It is a clear departure from the kind of leading-man roles audiences are used to seeing him in, making his turn in Haiwaan all the more interesting to watch.SRK- DarrShah Rukh Khan was already making his presence felt in the early 1990s when he played Rahul Mehra in Darr. Rahul is obsessed with Kiran and his love gradually turns into something far more disturbing. Taking on such a dark role so early in his career was a risk, especially when Khan was still establishing himself as a leading man. But his intense performance, along with the charm he was already known for, made Rahul one of the most memorable characters in the film. It also showed that Khan was willing to take chances rather than get stereotyped into one kind of hero.Amitabh Bachchan – DonAmitabh Bachchan’s Don remains one of the most recognisable characters in Hindi cinema. The character was ruthless, confident and always seemed to be one step ahead. Bachchan gave him a cool, effortless quality that made Don more than just the villain of the story. It was the kind of role that suited his towering screen presence and eventually became a part of his legacy.Ajay Devgn – KaalAjay Devgn took a different route with Kaal at a time when he was already a well-established leading man. After films like Company, Gangajal and Yuva, he had built a strong image around intense and serious hero roles. Playing Kali Pratap Singh gave him a chance to explore something much darker. Kali is mysterious, unpredictable and has an unsettling presence, and the performance stays quiet rather than overdoing it. His screen presence added a sense of mystery throughout the film and made the character one of the most memorable parts of Kaal.Sanjay Datt – KhalnayakSanjay Dutt was at the centre of Khalnayak as Ballu Balram, a criminal with a reputation that precedes him. The film gave Dutt the chance to play a character who was rough around the edges and firmly outside the conventional hero mould. His natural screen presence did much of the work, turning Ballu into one of the memorable characters of 1990s Hindi cinema.Bobby Deol- AnimalBobby Deol’s Abrar Haque became one of the most talked-about parts of Animal, despite having limited screen time. The character’s quiet menace, intense expressions and imposing presence made him stand out without relying on long dialogues. Deol also brought a sense of unpredictability to Abrar, making audiences curious about what he would do next. The role became a major talking point after the film’s release and gave Deol one of the most memorable characters of his career.These performances are very different from one another, but they have one thing in common: each star was willing to experiment and step outside the image audiences had come to expect from them. And sometimes, that change of direction is exactly what makes a character stick.