It could have been great **POSSIBLE SPOILERS**

I think the problem with the film is it can't decide whether it's supposed to be a redemptive love story or a revenge drama. It leans towards the love story which is a real shame since the real meat of the story lies in the relationship between Guru and Rakesh.

The script totally wastes a golden opportunity as their cat-and-mouse game kicks in far too little, far too late in the narrative.

And since the film's premise is based on the question of who really is the villain, putting the focus on the antagonistic relationship between these two men would have made for a much better film, instead of focusing on a drippy love story that we've seen before, and seen done much better too.

I think it would have been far more interesting if Guru had started out good, but his wife's death galvanizes him into a more morally ambiguous figure that has him questioning his true nature.

Rakesh also didn't need the explanation for why he does what he does. He could have just been an ordinary man who also happens to be a sadistic, serial killer, with no rhyme or reason other than he gets off on the violence of his crimes.

That could have made for a great study on the origin of original sin - do we learn evil (like Guru) or is it something inherent in our nature (like Rakesh)? My biggest lament with Ek Villain is I see the potentially great film it could have been, if only slightly different choices had been made.