Every evening without fail, 85-year-old Bharat Panchal volunteers at the Thakur Complex signal on Mumbai’s Western Express Highway in Kandivli East, managing traffic and urging motorists to follow road safety rules. Working independently for over three hours a day, Panchal helps prevent wrong-lane driving and traffic violations, carrying only a whistle and torch. Supported by local residents and traffic police—who have felicitated him for his selfless service—Panchal says his volunteer work keeps him fit and motivated. (PICS/SHIRISH VAKTANIA)

In Hindi cinema, villains have often stolen the spotlight, delivering performances so powerful that they eclipsed the heroes themselves. From iconic antagonists to morally complex anti-heroes, these characters proved that sometimes it’s the darkness that leaves the strongest impression