खलनायक (khalnaayak)

noun A single-sense noun meaning 'villain' -- the bad guy of a story, film, or drama, and by extension anyone playing that role in real life.
Sense 1 : villain, antagonist
noun, masculine
Synonyms: दुष्ट (dusht, more of an adjective-turned-noun, 'wicked person'), बदमाश (badmaash, colloquial, 'scoundrel')
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: This word is inseparable from Hindi cinema -- every masala film has its हीरो (hiiro, hero) and its खलनायक (khalnaayak), and the word carries that filmi frame even when used outside the movies, e.g. calling a corrupt politician 'the real-life खलनायक (khalnaayak) of the story.' It is built from खल (khal, 'wicked') plus नायक (naayak, 'hero, protagonist'), so literally it means 'wicked hero' -- the hero of the villain's own side of the story.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes use खलनायक (khalnaayak) loosely for any 'bad person' in daily life, but it is most natural for a formal antagonist role -- in a film, novel, or a dramatic real-life narrative -- not for someone who is just rude or annoying, where बदमाश (badmaash) or गलत इंसान (galat insaan, 'wrong/bad person') fits better. 2) Note the feminine counterpart is खलनायिका (khalnaayikaa), not a form of खलनायक (khalnaayak) itself -- it is a separate word, not an inflection of this one.
Sample Sentences:
इस फिल्म का खलनायक बहुत डरावना है। The villain of this film is very scary.
(is philm kaa khalnaayak bahut daraavnaa hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
बचपन में मुझे हमेशा खलनायक हीरो से ज़्यादा दिलचस्प लगता था। As a kid, I always found the villain more interesting than the hero.
(bachpan men mujhe hameshaa khalnaayak hiiro se zyaadaa dilchasp lagtaa thaa।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
अगली फिल्म में वह एक्टर खलनायक का किरदार निभाएगा। In the next film, that actor will play the role of the villain.
(aglii philm men vah ektar khalnaayak kaa kirdaar nibhaaegaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Active
उस भ्रष्ट मंत्री को लोग इस कहानी का असली खलनायक मानते हैं। People consider that corrupt minister the real villain of this story.
(us bhrasht mantrii ko log is kahaanii kaa aslii khalnaayak maante hain।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
क्लाइमैक्स में खलनायक को उसके किए की सज़ा मिली। In the climax, the villain got punished for his deeds.
(klaaimaiks men khalnaayak ko uske kie kii sazaa milii।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
काश इस कहानी में कोई खलनायक न होता। I wish there were no villain in this story.
(kaash is kahaanii men koii khalnaayak n hotaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
फिल्म के आखिर में खलनायक द्वारा किया गया धोखा सबके सामने आ जाता है। By the end of the film, the deception committed by the villain comes to light in front of everyone.
(philm ke aakhir men khalnaayak dvaaraa kiyaa gayaa dhokhaa sabke saamne aa jaataa hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
देखो, अगर तुम इस नाटक में खलनायक बनना चाहते हो तो थोड़ा और गुस्से से बोलो। Look, if you want to be the villain in this play, speak with a bit more anger.
(dekho, agar tum is naatak men khalnaayak bannaa chaahte ho to thodaa aur gusse se bolo।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
समालोचक ने लिखा कि फिल्म का खलनायक हीरो से कहीं ज़्यादा यादगार निकला। The critic wrote that the film's villain turned out to be far more memorable than the hero.
(samaalochak ne likhaa ki philm kaa khalnaayak hiiro se kahiin zyaadaa yaadgaar niklaa।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
क्या तुम्हें लगता है कि हर कहानी में एक खलनायक होना चाहिए? Do you think every story should have a villain?
(kyaa tumhen lagtaa hai ki har kahaanii men ek khalnaayak honaa chaahie?)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m.direct): खलनायक (khalnaayak)
(sg.m.oblique): खलनायक (khalnaayak)
(pl.m.direct): खलनायक (khalnaayak)
(pl.m.oblique): खलनायकों (khalnaaykon)