I’d rather love the villain SRK than the hero: 30 years into Darr
Darr was the first film to tackle the theme of stalking and obsession
Thirty years into Yash Chopra’s Darr: A Violent Story seems like the Romantics, where one could not relate to the issue happening, practically. In 2023, the characters might be difficult to digest for many reasons. A cinematic psychological thriller showcases one of the kind Shah Rukh Khan’s performance as a villain, a character that might outbalance his villain roles in Baazigar that was released in the year besides.
Two days ago, I watched Darr in our college class room with a projector. This is the first time I watched a villain role of Shah Rukh Khan and that too after 30 years of its release. In the beginning, it was hard for me to picturize him in that role. Because before screening, our professor and we discussed how focused stalker he is which was kind of traumatizing. While watching I realized why he said “his character in this movie was one of the most celebrated characters by the women back then.”
The almost three hour long movie is star studded. Sunny Deol as the hero and Juhi Chawla as the heroine and Shah Rukh Khan as the villain face. The hero Sunil Malhotra (Sunny Deol)- a young handsome military man who single handedly rescues the daughter of a minister from terrorists, and is in love with a beautiful young girl, the heroine Kiran Awasti (Juhi Chawla) whom she loves right back at him in the same amount. The villain Rahul Mehra (Shah Rukh Khan)- a lonely psychopath, is obsessed with the heroine and stalks her throughout. He tries to kill the hero many times, shoots at him and kills policemen by falling elevators. A villain character I got stuck with so deeply. Though who the hero was clear from the beginning, the villain carved a mark and could only think how focused and sharp his thoughts and feelings are, even after watching the movie.
Shah Rukh Khan’s performance as Rahul was a revelation. He played the character with such conviction that it was hard to believe that he was the same actor who had charmed audiences with his romantic roles. Rahul was a complex character, and Shah Rukh Khan portrayed him with shades of grey. He was not a one-dimensional villain, but a character with depth and layers.
What made Shah Rukh Khan’s performance so impressive was his ability to switch between being charming and menacing. He played Rahul with such nuance that it was hard to predict what he would do next. The audience was simultaneously repulsed by his actions and drawn to his charisma. He made Rahul a character that was both fascinating and terrifying.
I also felt that he showcased a once-in-a-lifetime kind of performance in Darr. Probably a rare sight where a villain can create a huge impact in one’s mind even after watching. Nonetheless, he might not have many combination scenes in the first half with the heroine or with the hero either. All he does in the beginning is, he will be in his room looking either at her photos on the wall, or talking to himself, or gazing at her from a distance. With monologues he aced easily in gaining the emotions of the audience but not her. He also used his eyes to convey the character’s emotions. In many scenes, his eyes spoke more than his words. He was able to convey the character’s madness and obsession with just a look.
He never needed a co-actor on his side to play off in the movie. Even then, we were nail-biting and sitting at the edge of our chairs whenever he was on the scene, thinking what he was going to do next. Be it his first scene of walking on the edge of the building or the last scene where he succumbs to death professing his love for the nth time, in all these scenes SRK dominates in every way possible.
Shah Rukh Khan’s performance as Rahul was also significant because it challenged the traditional Bollywood hero archetype. Bollywood heroes are usually depicted as virtuous and honorable characters who fight for justice and love. Shah Rukh Khan’s portrayal of Rahul brings down this archetype. He played a character who was deeply flawed and morally ambiguous. He was not a hero but a villain. And yet, he was able to make the audience empathize with him. This was a groundbreaking performance that challenged the norms of Bollywood storytelling.
Darr was not just a milestone in Shah Rukh Khan’s career, but it was also a landmark film in Bollywood. It was one of the first films to tackle the theme of stalking and obsession. The film sparked a national conversation about these issues and prompted many people to speak up about their own experiences. It also paved the way for other Bollywood films to explore darker themes and more complex characters.
Shah Rukh Khan’s performance as Rahul in Darr was a game-changer for Bollywood. He played the character with such conviction and nuance that it was hard to believe that he was the same actor who had charmed audiences with his romantic roles. He challenged the traditional Bollywood hero archetype and paved the way for more complex and morally ambiguous characters in Hindi cinema. His performance in Darr will always be remembered as one of the greatest villain performances in Bollywood history.