The new set of baddies of 2016

This year has been a good ode to new talent. Apart from lead actors, there have been some interesting new options that have emerged when it comes to choosing baddies in Sandalwood. From local faces to imports from across the border, filmmakers seem to have new options to consider. Here is our pick of five grey characters that stood out..

Vasishta N Simha

This youngster has been around since Raja Huli, but his grey role in

Godhi Banna Sadharna Mykattu

was among the breakout roles of this year. His baritone voice and acting won him accolades and he soon bagged films alongside actors like Ganesh, Upendra, Shivarajkumar and Sriimurali.

Dhananjaya
Sandalwood's Special Star showed that he can also walk into the grey clouds this year, as the lovelorn bitter ghost Jessie in the film titled by the same name. He has since bagged another plum role as a negative lead, this time alongside Shivarajkumar in a Suri-directed film.

Shaam
While he had previously acted as a hero in Thananam Thananam years ago, 2016 saw him in two films ' Game and Santhu Straight Forward ' both of which had him as the antagonist. Given that his roles in both won him good reviews, here's another pin-up bad boy for Sandalwood.

Arun Vijay
This Tamil hero turned villain in Yennai Arindhaal, which showed his versatility. He made his Kannada debut with Puneeth Rajkumar's Chakravyuha, in which he had another strong negative role. His theatrics and performance have ensured he can be looked at for more bad-boy roles.

Pramod Shetty
He was previously seen in films like Ulidavaru Kandante, but his role as the Naxal chief who lures the heroine to join their fight against the rich in Ricky brought him critical acclaim. He has since gone on to be a part of several ensemble casts, including a cameo in U-Turn.