Antihero thriller is well worth the big build-up

EK Villain comes with gigantic expectations and raises some interesting questions.

EK VILLAIN (8/10)

Can director Mohit Suri recreate the same Aashiqui 2 musical magic and could he be as successful working out of the Mahesh Bhatt camp, for which he has delivered cult hits such as Woh Lamhe and Raaz 2?

The movie is also an acid test for Shraddha Kapoor to prove that Aashiqui 2 was no fluke.

And EK Villain answers the question of whether Sidharth Malhotra and Ritesh Deshmukh can pull off villainous characters.

I kept asking myself whether the long countdown was going to be worth it. And the answer to all the questions is a thumping yes. Ek Villain is a big winner .

Told in an engaging flashback manner, the movie introduces a free-spirited live wire named Aisha (Kapoor), who falls in love with a mysterious and dangerous criminal named Guru (Malhotra).

Aisha is living her life according to a wish list. Guru's life is transformed as their romance blossoms, but the arrival of Rakesh ( Deshmukh), a henpecked husband, creates havoc and destroys their new-found happiness.

Suri has delivered another smash hit with a novel concept. Within a few minutes, he creates the panic then reduces the pace - but just after the interval he sets the stage for explosive action and confrontational drama while retaining the emotion with some well-crafted dialogue.

The three lead characters have well-developed roles that display signs of anger, the human spirit and revenge.

Kapoor looks drop-dead gorgeous and yet again delivers beautifully in an innocent yet lively role. Malhotra and Deshmukh deliver the goods in a top-notch manner.

Gone are the days when Malhotra was only the cute chocolate boy hero - he transforms magically into the devious Guru and manages myriad emotions coupled with facial expressions that make him a winner.

His character is dark and intense and one that he masterfully handles.

This has to be Deshmukh's best role to date - and he takes the opportunity and proves that his acting talents lie far beyond nonsensical comedy. He emotes with his eyes and captures the attention with his carefully restrained performance, which should win loads of acclaim.

One of the other strong points is the haunting music score featuring songs such as Galiyaan and Banjaara, which are beautifully composed.

Check out this riveting thriller that is coupled with a heartfelt story and strong underlying emotions of pure romance and dedication - both of which could lead to or destroy happiness.