With films like Animal (2023) and the recently-released Dhurandhar, Bollywood has been cashing in on the trend of anti-heroes in films. Gone are the days when leads were only romantic heroes; today, Hindi film protagonists are exploring gritty, dark, and even gory aspects.

On the trend, actor Jaideep Ahlawat, who played the antagonist in The Family Man 3 recently, says, “Ek shabd toh humein nikaal dena chahiye apni cinema ki dictionary se jo hai ‘villain’. It is only in India that we are obsessed with the terms ‘hero’ and ‘villain’, nowhere else in the world is that used. We should avoid these words as by using them, you automatically demean the amazingly written character with it.”

Having his own show, Paatal Lok, on the same platform, was Jaideep apprehensive about taking a secondary role in The Family Man 3 alongside actor Manoj Bajpayee?

“That thought never crossed my mind. I just found it as a great opportunity to play a very different role, work with one of the finest actors we have, collaborate with an excellent crew, and be part of the legacy of The Family Man,” he says, adding, “There’s nothing to lose, so what will be the apprehension? To think that why am I doing a negative role when I have my own show, is idiotic. It’s about new challenges.”