Mumbai, May 19 (IANS) Actor Ankit Gulati, who is currently seen in the television show "Mehndi Hai Rachne Waali", feels nowadays villains overshadow the heroes in films and shows.

"Earlier, the villain was one of the hated characters in a show and most actors didn't prefer a negative role. Now, the times have changed and there are movies and shows where villains have overshadowed the heroes. At times they are loved more than the hero. I enjoy the hateful love of my audience for my grey-shade roles," he says.

The actor says that playing negative characters has been a gamechanger for him. "For me, these have worked like sunshine. This has been the greatest and most fruitful decision I have taken in my life. As an actor, such characters challenge me a lot. You need to work hard to present yourself with expressions and style to impress your audience," he says.

Ankit is known for featuring in series like "RadhaKrishn" and "Vish: A Poisonous Story".

--IANS anj/vnc