Nice movie, if a bit too violent. What bothers us is why with so much money sloshing around, Bollywood is unable to come up with an original plot…Indians are supposed to be creative, no? In our opinion, it points to (a) laziness and/or (b) lack of confidence in writers (which goes hand in hand with the lack of respect/money going to the background creative class, all money reserved for the stars and for publicity).
That said, Siddharth Malhotra is good, Shraddha Kapoor is OK, Aamna Sharif is very good and Riteish Deshmukh is excellent. Recommended (no spoiler review below). Also please do NOT watch Humshakals.
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Released on
June 27 in more than 2,500 screens in India, the flick has netted Rs
50.70 crore at home in the first three days ….the
movie amassed a total of Rs 65.60 crore from India business after Day 5,
crossing Humshakals’ earnings (Rs 61.05 crore).
Ek Villain has now become the fifth highest grosser of 2014, surpassing the lifetime collections of Queen (Rs 61 crore), Main Tera Hero (Rs 55 crore), Heropanti (Rs 53.40 crore) and Ragini MMS 2
(Rs 47 crore).
“Ek Villain
passes ‘Monday test’ with flying colours. Weekend 50.70 cr, Mon 8.10
cr. Total: Rs 58.8 cr nett. India biz. MONSTROUS HIT,” tweeted trade
analyst and film critic Taran Adarsh. “Overseas weekend total is approx
$2.2 million [Rs 13.24 crore]. EXCELLENT,” he added.
….
There’s one in every love story, says the tagline of Ek Villain, and
the film strains every sinew to justify it. The three main characters —
Guru the loveless orphan grown into a gun-toting goon, Aisha the pretty
girl busy ticking off items from a to-do list, and Rakesh the
smarting-under-daily-humiliations-working-stiff — ricochet off each
other, resulting in a film doused in schmaltzy romance and creepy
violence.
Mohit Suri has a gift for vivid characterisation, even if some things
are underlined a tad too much. He also does a good job with weaving
high-octane moments around his characters. So you don’t really twig on
to the plot’s hokeyness to begin with, as Guru (Malhotra) encounters the
sprightly chatterbox Aisha (Kapoor), and the grimness dissolves into
softness, and as Rakesh (Deshmukh) becomes increasingly aware of his
oppressed state from one day to another. Then begin a spate of killings,
and a race to the bloody finish.
…
..the
know-alls are drawing parallels with the Korean thriller I SAW THE DEVIL
[2010]. The similarities apart, EK VILLAIN charters a novel route completely.
The characters, the reason that compel a simpleton to slip into the
robes of a serial killer, the clash between the good versus evil
factions are dissimilar when compared to the Korean film.
Guru
[Sidharth Malhotra] is a quiet, tough and ruthless guy working for a
gangster [Remo Fernandes] in Goa. A dark past continues to haunt Guru,
until he meets Aisha [Shraddha Kapoor]. He falls in love with her and
subsequently marries her. Guru quits his job and moves from Goa to Mumbai to make a new beginning
with Aisha. Just when things seem perfect, she falls prey to an
attack…
Devastated, Guru starts hunting the miscreant and is shocked to learn of
his seemingly innocuous and unpretentious identity. Something is amiss
and Guru is unable to place a finger on the precise problem. What is the
assailant’s motive?
Mohit makes EK VILLAIN an enthralling experience, no two opinions on
that. Although a number of movies have focused on serial killers, the
talented raconteur along with screenplay writer Tushar Hiranandani [also
the creative director of the film] makes sure they pack several
remarkable twists that transcend the genre, making it a novel experience
for the spectator. The undercurrent of tension and the violent crimes
are intertwined skillfully with the affectionate moments between the
lovers and the emotional turmoil that the protagonist goes through. The
writing, in short, keeps you captivated right through the finale, which,
again, is not of the run of the mill variety. As a matter of fact, the
clash between the good and the evil towards the concluding stages is the
icing on the cake.
One has come to expect a winning soundtrack from Mohit in film after
film and the music of EK VILLAIN lives up to the gargantuan
expectations. This being his first movie outside of Vishesh Films, a
production house synonymous with chartbusters, it’s imperative that
Mohit scores on this front as well and score he does. ‘Galliyan’,
‘Banjaara’, ‘Zaroorat’ and ‘Awari’ — each of the tracks is soulful and
reverberate in your memory even after the screening has concluded.
Mohit uses the supporting cast most appropriately. Aamna Shariff is in
super form as the nagging wife. Her sequences with Riteish are
first-rate. Shaad Randhawa is top notch. The coolness with which he
carries off his part is sure to catch your eye. Kamaal R. Khan springs a
pleasant surprise. He gets to reprise a character that’s sure to be an
instant hit with his fans. Remo Fernandes handles his part very well.
Asif Basra is perfect. Prachi Desai sizzles in the song ‘Awari’.
….
Link: http://www.businessinsider.in/BoxOffice-Ek-Villain-A-Runaway-Success-May-Soon-Enter-Rs-100-Crore-Club/articleshow/37631847.cms
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regards