MUMBAI: Hindi cinema is all about heroism, but what good is a hero if not for a strong villain opposite him. Over the years, we have witnessed some iconic duos that have lit up the screens with their rivalry. And in the recent years, the audience got to see some new entries in that coveted list as they won hearts with their fierce action and drama. Here are 5 such memorable hero-villain duos:

Shah Rukh Khan-John Abraham

The year 2023 began with a bang as the audience got to witness two of the biggest stars of Bollywood lock horns with each other as John Abraham challenged Shah Rukh Khan in the blockbuster Pathaan. The film shattered box office records and the fierce rivalry between SRK and John left the audience spellbound. And who can forget that finale fight sequence.

Salman Khan-Emraan Hashmi

The YRF spy universe gave birth to another iconic rivalry as it brought Salman Khan face-to-face with Emraan Hashmi in Tiger 3. The two superstars brought their charm on screen together to create a cinematic masterpiece, and the love Tiger 3 got is a testament to that.

Ranbir Kapoor-Bobby Deol

The super successful last year for Bollywood ended on a bigger high as Ranbir Kapoor starrer Animal broke records left, right and centre. But the one person who stole the show without even saying a single word and limited screen time was Bobby Deol. The iconic airport runway fight sequence is nailed in every movie lover’s mind and it just left them wanting more.

Hrithik Roshan-Rishabh Sawhney

The year 2024 also began on a high, quite literally, as Hrithik Roshan arrived with the aerial actioner Fighter. And the superstar got a fierce villain opposite him in debutant Rishabh Sawhney. In just his first film, the young star took on the Greek God himself and their rivalry was truly one for the ages. The victory of Hrithik tasted sweeter because of the fear that Rishabh induced with his amazing portrayal.

Ajay Devgn-R Madhavan

Ajay Devgn and R Madhavan are two names in the film industry whom you expect the best out of and they delivered and how when they came face-to-face in Shaitaan this year. Ajay’s heroics got to another level due to Madhavan’s goosebumps-inducing performance. There wasn’t a single person in theatre who didn’t feel the chills seeing the two battle each other out.