Riteish shines, but a thin, borrowed screenplay holds this thriller back.
Verdict tier Mixed, lukewarm or divided, on a scale of Unfavorable, Mixed, Recommended, Exceptional.
Not streaming in India
Critic consensus
Critical reception for Ek Villain is divided, with the majority of reviewers landing in mixed-to-negative territory despite a handful of enthusiastic endorsements. The most consistent praise across reviews centers on Riteish Deshmukh's performance as the villain, with several critics singling him out as the film's standout element, alongside appreciation for Mohit Suri's visual style and the film's music. The screenplay draws the heaviest criticism, with multiple critics independently identifying it as the film's central failure, describing it as contrived, derivative of the Korean film I Saw The Devil, and insufficient to support its ambitions as a thriller. A secondary strain of criticism points to the film's lack of genuine emotional depth, with several reviewers noting it feels manipulative and soulless despite its surface-level intensity.
10 not-rated reviews aren't plotted
Positive = 6.5/10 and up · negative = below 5/10
AI-generated summary of 35 critic reviews · may contain errors
Report inaccuracyFrom the papers
Top critics first, then by score · not-rated last · updated
Top critic
Film review ·
It's a shame then that despite the uniformly impressive performances, and Suri's nifty directing skills, the film is only moderately fulfilling. If you're still wondering, the real villain here is the lousy script.
Top critic
Film review ·
Sidharth Malhotra is watchable, he just seems so nice and wholesome all the time. It is Riteish Deshmukh who sweeps the stakes. Suri is an innate story-teller, and can keep things moving. All he needs is a strong, all-the-way credible, original plot.
Top critic
Film review ·
The biggest of the villains in Mohit Suri's Ek Villain is the screenplay itself. As a whole, this film, besides its surface flair, does not have too much to fall back upon. Watch it only if that is good enough for you.
Top critic
Film review ·
If I were to review it in one word, I'd say Ek Villain is... Unnecessary. Given free tickets, sure, you could escape Humshakals in theatres this weekend with this mediocre effort, but I say do yourself a favour and seek out the Korean DVD. (Uncover it, even.) Now that's bloody special.
Top critic
Film review ·
Shockingly, it's not so bad. Suri takes the core of I Saw The Devil and turns it into a melodramatic, manipulative, pyaar-mohabbat-dardi-humdardi drama.
Film review ·
EK VILLAIN is a stylish, spellbinding and terrifying edge-of-the-seat thriller. It's a step forward in this genre, without doubt. A sure-shot winner!
Film review ·
...an indulgent affair that breaks down the boundaries of regular thriller. Mohit Suri has raised the bar with this film that is captivatingly shot and crisply edited. At 2 hours, 7 minutes, the film benefits from the inspired lucidity in writing and dialogues. But mostly, it is the unpredictable skin Sidharth and Riteish don in this film that pulls the carpet from under your feet. Their phenomenal performances remain the movie's most enticing bit and the reason why I am going to watch this once again. Going with a 4/5, this is one heady film with the desired punch.
Film review ·
If you enjoy watching romantic films, Ek Villain is definitely your kinda film. Even if you don't, then do watch for the star's performances.
Film review ·
It is THAT Bollywood film you were waiting to watch all Summer. After a long hiatus, here comes a film, that may not be suitable for all age groups, but still qualifies to be an edge-of-the-seat entertainer. Maybe you could forget the same old feelin', and embrace the film with all your heart. Try hard if you have to.
Film review ·
If you're looking for a edgy thriller with some romance and great songs, Ek Villian is for you.
Film review ·
Watch Ek Villain for an amazing performance by Riteish Deshmukh, the music (which is already a hit) and a well-knit plot. This is certainly not a film you would want to miss.
Film review ·
Even after a lot of flaws Ek Villain is a decent watch but it could have been much better!
Film review ·
It's a pity Suri can't find an original enough story to put his craft to good use to. There's no shame in wanting to remake a film, but plagiarism reflects poorly on a team that has otherwise spared no effort to make a competent film.
Film review ·
You cannot fault the scale of Ek Villain or berate its lead star cast. But you wish you could celebrate this thriller like you did Suri's last movie outing Aashiqui 2. This one lacks soul.
Film review ·
Ek Villain is a confused film with confused characters. Despite many loopholes, it is still a watchable film. Watch it for Mohit Suri's style of direction, and songs.
Film review ·
'Ek Villain' is touted as an intense film. It kind of lives up to it. But in its 140 minute duration, it ends up with so much relentless intensity that after a point you start looking for an escape from this heat. This is a classic example of a film that takes itself so seriously that it ends up looking manipulative and largely lacking in genuine emotions and soul. - See more at: http://www.mid-day.com/articles/movie-review-ek-villain/15408191#sthash.OCS6O1vO.dpuf
Film review ·
Ek Villain could have been a far superior product. What it becomes is a lackluster thriller. You could watch it for the actors and the drama. Not if you wanted to watch the thriller Ek Villain was promised to be.
Film review ·
The unveiling of the visceral saga has a lot of strong characters and Mohit has done a good job in adapting a foreign film and complimenting it with the drama that the Indian audience is used to. But he has gone a tad over in making a thriller. Maybe, filmmakers should step out of this trap more often and we wouldn`t be too far from making beacons of world cinema.
Film review ·
There is only so much good actors can do when the screenplay is all over the place. Riteish Deshmukh's performance deserved a better film. Hope he gets it soon. It would be appalling to see him go back to films like Grand Masti and Humshakals after this.
Film review ·
The plot is fast-paced but highly indulgent. The hero seeks revenge. The villain doesn't mind being killed. A cop who doesn't know which villain he must side with. The question marks become hard to ignore after a point. Watch the film for Riteish and Riteish alone just to see how effortlessly he slips out of his farcical 'Humshakals' pinafore into the heinous hood of 'Ek Villain'.
Film review ·
There is no doubting that Suri's vision is clear in its own space-evident from the usual heady cocktail of lilting tunes and brooding antagonists - but his storytelling leaves much to be desired. Ek Villain is a prime example, and even as a standalone effort (as it will be, for most viewers), it is perhaps his weakest.
Film review ·
Siddharth Malhotra and Shraddha Kapoor are competent on the acting front but it is Riteish Deshmukh who pulls up a surprise. We know that he has a knack for comedy but he pulls off this role as well with admiration. Like most plagiarized films, Ek Villain also misses bull's eye.
Film review ·
The film is also very loud, in general, with almost one or the other character shouting under the guise of being full of life or full of anger. It doesn't help that the characters are voicing out their thought instead of showing them with action. We know a lot of the villain's characters from their own description of themselves to others, as a monologue.
Film review ·
In trying for a merger of mayhem and emotions the film finally falls apart like the shattered pieces of a broken heart. We expect so much and get so little. That's life.
Film review ·
By the end of it, you're not sure if this is a soft passionate number on how love conquers all. Or a hard-core psychotic pic about a serial killer with a screwdriver, like one of those crazy Korean blood-fests, one of which, Kim Jee-woon's I Saw The Devil (2010), has inspired the filmmakers here. The film tries to be both. You don't want to know how they've linked these two genres together. It doesn't matter. The serial killer needs psychological help. You will too, if you get too drawn into the story.
Film review ·
To Suri's credit must go the easy-on-the-eye treatment of the film which is what keeps it ticking (albeit painfully) apart from Sidharth and Shraddha. Ek Villian had the potential to be a Dushman, the 1998 thriller starring Kajol, Sanjay Dutt and Ashutosh Rana.
Film review ·
Ek Villain, or a manual on different ways of killing women, is a gory film that's hesitant to acknowledge its dark layers. On the surface, it's mostly an optimistic movie with a preachy 'Darkness can be destroyed only by light' message. Watch if it a film that's essentially unoriginal, with plasticky emotions, and unnecessary gore fills up your soul. The only redeeming aspect is Riteish Deshmukh's performance, but that would mean enduring the rest of the film as well!
Film review ·
The romance in the movie is lacklustre, with Shraddha and Siddarth sharing no real connect and ending up completely wooden. If you thought 'Humshakals' was overloaded with bad jokes, then you are wrong. Mohit gives Sajid Khan a good fight with 'Ek Villain'. The humour here is unintentional, of course!
Film review ·
Though indulgent in parts, Ek Villain packs in a punch. Copy of a Korean film or not, it's 'good' paisa vasool entertainment. Make it your weekend watch.
Film review ·
...Ek Villain is potentially one of the funniest films of the year.
Film review ·
...the good news is that Kapoor and Malhotra are divine looking. So watching them is a visual treat. But if you are expecting to be blown away by a cliffhanger of a story, then you are knocking on the wrong door.
Film review ·
Mohit Suri has continued the spark of 'Aashiqui 2' in the romantic thriller 'Ek Villain'. In her role of a vivacious girl, Shraddha has once again kept her girl-next-door image of 'Aashiqui 2'. Sidharth, who had a lover-boy image in his earlier films 'Student of the Year' and 'Hasee Toh Phasee', is commendable in his new avatar of a grungy, dark and intense man.
Film review ·
On the whole, Ek Villain is a super-hit, a blockbuster. It will score in the multiplexes and the single-screen cinemas, in 'A', 'B' and 'C' class centres, and will be loved by the masses and the classes alike. It has tremendous repeat value – yes, tremendous repeat value despite being a suspense thriller.
Film review ·
Ek Villain is an ugly ode to misogyny. On the other hand, it is an opportunity wasted for a spectacularly violent film free of middle-class dross.
Film review ·
Overall, Ek Villain is Mohit Suri's mind-blowing film till date.
Film review ·
This contrived battle of psychopaths is going to test your patience.
From our readers
5 ratings · user score 4.4
Ek Villain. Mohit Suri takes a break from Mahesh Bhatt productions and directs a movie for another intelligent producer Ekta Kapoor. As usual, he gets inspired largely from a foreign movie, this time it is Korean thriller "I Saw the Devil". He puts an Indian love story and supports the narrative with highly hummable songs. The love story and emotional connect works big time but thrilling parts are a bit lazy and hazy. Guru played by very good looking and versatile Sidharth Malhotra is a ruthless assassin. He meets the all good girl Aisha played by gorgeous the girl next door Shraddha Kapoor. Predictable but enjoyably and sensibly both fall in love. In fact emotional scenes are very well handled and provide enough to root for the characters. In a parallel world, Rakesh played by super Ritesh Deshmukh is living two lives, living a below average life with his nagging wife and cute son and killing innocent ladies who dare to belittle him. Two lives coincide and you have a cat mouse chase between Guru and Rakesh. Story lacks logic sometimes but impressive performances, soulful music and fast pacing let you forgive the flaws. Remo as Guru's Godfather and KRK (yes, Kamal R Khan) as Rakesh's friend are heavily miscast. Intervention by useless police inspector in Guru's revenge story is annoying and does not serve any purpose. Connect between Sidharth and Rakesh's kid works as a fresh twist to old revenge drama concept. I am going with good 7 out of 10 for Ek Villain. Far from perfect, movie fails somewhat in exploiting its huge potential but actors trio and music makes it a very descent one time watch.
Ek Villain, directed by Mohit Suri under Balaji Motion Pictures, characterizes people with grey shades. People have good and bad wolves within them, and ultimately, that wolf wins to whom they give more food. Yeah, the movie is about two bad people, both of them are ruthless, heartless, murderers. Both of them have their own stories to be so. One of them gives more food to the good wolf and gets transformed due to love of his life, whereas the other turns into a psychopath killer of females due to constant humiliation by the love of his life and other females who cross his path. The good part of the movie is that, in spite of the violent scenes (probably it was integral to project this theme of the movie), the romance between two lead protagonists tones down the violence in the movie. Aisha (Shraddha Kapoor) has scrapbook of fancy and strange wish-list. And the day, her one great wish is fulfilled i.e. to see her husband Guru (Sidharth Malhotra) settling down with a job, tragedy strikes her in the form of a brutal villain who murders her by throwing her out of the window. One might wonder that what more Mohit is about to convey, since from the beginning frame itself, one can figure out the whole concept of the movie. Basically, there is no suspense, a very much predictable plot. What is to be seen is the approach taken by Mohit. How the story unfolds after the catastrophe occurs? Mohit has cleverly blended intricately - parallel past and present tracks, which genuinely raises the curiosity in the audience to understand how actually the events might have unfold. Reverse narration happens: 2 years before at Goa. Guru is shown to be ruthlessly killing a person. He is hot-headed, cold-blooded assassin working for Goan Don Ceaser (Remo Fernandes). Aisha happens to see Guru in the lock up, and immediately scribbles in her scrapbook another wish – to save a life. Aisha starts following Guru, and tries to bring smile into his face through her jokes. Aisha is successful in pulling Guru out of the darkness. Guru's life changes for the good. And when things start getting into track for both of them, life seems blissful for them, Aisha is murdered. Rakesh Mahadkar (Riteish Deshmukh) is very convincing as the antagonist of the movie. What a change from the usual set of 'comical' roles which he does. His expressions absolutely suit his stone-hearted character. Riteish' menacing act sends a shiver down your spine. I remembered Ashutosh Rana of Dushman who was merciless.We know from the beginning that who killed Aisha, but what happens when Guru's hands reaches the collar of the murderer? How the confrontation happens? How does Guru take his revenge? Does Guru manage to get even with Rakesh? Does Guru return to his old bad world or continue in Aisha's path of living? Sidharth Malhotra as Guru has proved again that he can carry a movie on his shoulders. He emotes well. And his screen presence is also great. Riteish is superb.
Teaser Of The Movie Was Kickass But The Film Isn't.It Is Treated In A Bad Way By Mohit Suri.Acting Of Sid Is Avg, Impresses In Few Scenes & Disappoints In Others.Story Is Not Good Too, Because Of Bad Execution & Writing.But Despite All These It Is Ritesh Deshmukh's Performance Who Makes It Watchable Atleast For Once
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