Ek Villain Review

Mohit Suri has got to be one of the most under-hyped directors working in Bollywood. He has been constantly delivering one hit after another and has still managed to somehow escape under the radar of the media. After directing the runaway hit Aashiqui 2, he is back this friday with his Aashiqui 2 lead actress Sharaddha Kapoor in a romantic action thriller that is sure to set the screens ablaze. The marketing has been on the spot, and the trailers have captured the imagination of the public. The soundtrack has also become a huge hit. All this has ensured huge hype for the film. So does Ek Villain live up to the hype? Let’s dissect.

Story: Guru (Siddharth Malhotra) is a brooding gangster with a shimmering rage inside him because of a gruesome past. He works for a ganglord in Goa played by Remo Fernandez. His life changes when he meets Aisha (Shraddha Kapoor) and he transforms from a brooding gangster to a family man of sorts. They relocate to Mumbai to settle down as a family. That is when tragedy strikes. Aisha is unceremoniously killed by a serial murderer called Rakesh (Ritesh Deshmukh). Guru devotes his life to finding out this murderer. The story is told in reverse as the director chooses to show the murder first and then shows the events leading up to it. There’s a lot of to and fro but it doesn’t impede the story. Is Guru able to find Rakesh? And what does he do with Rakesh if and when he catches him?

Screenplay and Direction: It will be stupid for anyone to not claim that Ek Villain has not been inspired by the 2010 Korean Blockbuster “I Saw The Devil”. Truth be told, Ek Villain is a very smart re-imagination and adaptation of that film. However, Mohit Suri deserves a lot of credit for understanding the basic nuances of the Indian audience and tailoring his adaptation suited to their tastes. The screenplay, even with the non-linear narration, never gets too confusing and keeps the viewers sufficiently engaged. There’s always something important taking place on the screen which is important to the story of the film. However, Ek Villain would have been considered a more accomplished work if it were not for the unofficial remake tag attached to it.

Ek Villain Movie Review

Miscellaneous and Music: The technical aspects of Ek Villain are as good as it gets. The cinematography is equal parts dreamy and equal parts realistic and the cinematographer does well to linger on the faces of Ritesh and Siddharth to heighten the impact of their characters. The production design is very good too. But the basic curiosity around the film has been because of its action and its music. The action in Ek Villain is perfect because they are not overdone. The music of Ek Villain is the strongest selling point, in line with Suri’s previous films. Most of the tracks are big hits and songs like Galliyaan, Zaroorat, Awari and Hamdard stay with the viewers even after the closing credits have rolled.

Acting: Siddharth Malhotra proves with Ek Villain that he will be a force to reckon with in the future. He is perfectly cast as Guru, the gangster and henchman. His brooding expressions, his muscular physique and his gazing pauses brining the character of Guru to life. Ritesh Deshmukh reinvents himself as the serial murderer Rakesh who has to constantly deal with a nagging wife (Aamna Sharif). Ritesh’s eyes convey the state of Rakesh’s mind beautifully. After Ek Villain everyone will look at Ritesh differently. He almost manages to steal the film away. Shraddha Kapoor plays a very stereotypical girl in the form of Aisha and has improved since Aashiqui 2. Aamna Sharif is nice in her part. Kamaal R Khan makes a small appearance and plays a misogynist bastard. Kudos to Mohit for the casting.

Conclusion: Even though Ek Villain has borrowed generously from the Korean film “I Saw The Devil” it still makes for a very entertaining Hindi film which boasts of everything that can cater to the audience and also makes for a pleasurable viewing experience. It is intense, dramatic but it gives an optimistic outlook that is missing from films of this genre. If you have not been to the theatre in a long time, go watch Ek Villain and give it a chance. The chances of disappointment are very less.

Box office: Ek Villain is likely to take a big opening thanks to the hype created by the music and the trailers. Judging by the merit of the film, Ek Villain can well and truly go on to be a Blockbuster.

Positives:

• Engaging storyline which keeps the viewers hooked throughout the film
• Ritesh Deshmukh and Siddharth Malhotra shine in their roles
• The music of Ek Villain hits it out of the park
• The production design and cinematography work in sync to make Ek Villain look grand
• The dialogues are good

Negatives:

• Ek Villain is an unauthorized remake of the Korean film “I Saw The Devil” which makes it difficult for the makers to take a lot of credit for the film

Rating: