A character reversal for Deshmukh.
By Tathagata Mitra
BANGALORE: Director Mohit Suri’s next film ‘Ek Villain’ brings in an unexpected villain in the form of Riteish Deshmukh.
‘Ek Villain’ is a romantic thriller which stars Siddharth Malhotra and Shraddha Kapoor in lead roles. But more surprising than the protagonist of the story is the antagonist, Deshmukh.
Deshmukh is known for playing light comic roles like his Sajid Khan projects, Heyy Babyy, Housefull, Housefull 2 and Humshakals. But who would ever expect him to play a cold-hearted villain who is all set to murder the heroine of the story? ‘Ek Villain’ is exactly that. And perhaps it is because nobody expects Riteish to play a ruthless baddie that he is chosen to do it. And who knows? Maybe he will rock it, and we will all get to experience a new side of this delightful young actor.
It is nowhere near the first time that an unlikely actor, who is more used to be seen as a good guy, or even a hero, is being cast as in the negative light. Shah Rukh Khan rose to fame with films like Darr and Baazigar, where he played different shades of a charming maniac. Abhishek Bachchan’s first role to gain him any popularity was Yuva where he played a goon who is used as an enforcer by Bengali politicians. Vivek Oberoi has been a successful villain in Shootout at Lokhandwala. He also made a remarkable supervillain in Krrish 3. His fans have compared his performance to that of Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight.
Sanjay Dutt played a monstrous villain in the remake of Agneepath, starring Hrithik Roshan. Rishi Kapoor who is exploring his prowess as an actor, played commendable antagonists in Aurangzeb, D-Day and Agneepath. There are so many more stories. It is not uncommon for a hero to play the role of a villain these days. A guy who can beat up twenty people to protect someone can also be seen as someone who will beat up twenty people to kill someone. But an actor who makes the audience laugh, if cast as a villain, is sure to draw a special type of attention. Like Vijay Raaz’s act in Delhi Belly.
‘Ek Villain’ is set to release on June 27.