Criminal (1994 film)

{{Short description|1994 Indian film in Telugu and Hindi directed by Mahesh Bhatt}}

{{Infobox film

| name = Criminal

| image = Criminal 1994 poster.jpg

| caption = Film poster (Telugu Version)

| producer = K. S. Rama Rao {{small|(Telugu)}}
Mukesh Bhatt {{small|(Hindi)}}

| director = Mahesh Bhatt

| screenplay = Mahesh Bhatt

| story = David Twohy

{{Infobox | decat = yes | child = yes

| label1= Dialogue by

| data1 = Sainath Thotapalli {{small|(Telugu)}}
Jay Dixit {{small|(Hindi)}}

}}

| starring = Nagarjuna
Ramya Krishna
Manisha Koirala

| music = M. M. Keeravani
{{small|(credited as M. M. Kreem in Hindi)}}

| cinematography = S. Gopal Reddy

| editing = G. G. Krishna Rao {{small|(Telugu)}}
Sanjay Sankla {{small|(Hindi)}}

| studio = Creative Commercials {{small|(Telugu)}}
Vishesh Films {{small|(Hindi)}}

| distributor = T-Series Films

| based_on = The Fugitive
by Roy Huggins

| released = {{Film date|df=y|1994|10|14|Telugu|1995|07|21|Hindi}}

| runtime = 142 mins

| country = India

| language = Telugu
Hindi

| budget =

}}

Criminal is a 1994 Indian action thriller film directed by Mahesh Bhatt, starring Nagarjuna, Ramya Krishna and Manisha Koirala. Shot simultaneously in Telugu and Hindi languages, the film was produced by K. S. Rama Rao under the Creative Commercials banner in Telugu, and by Mukesh Bhatt under the Vishesh Films banner in Hindi with the music composed by M. M. Keeravani (credited as MM Kreem in Hindi). Criminal was inspired by the 1993 American film The Fugitive.{{Cite web|date=24 May 2009|title=No ripoffs, please|url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/7-days/no-ripoffs-please/cid/623609|access-date=2020-10-28|website=The Telegraph|archive-date=3 June 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230603152711/https://www.telegraphindia.com/7-days/no-ripoffs-please/cid/623609|url-status=live}}{{Cite news|url = https://www.deccanchronicle.com/entertainment/tollywood/300117/copycats-in-tollywood.html|title = Copycats in Tollywood|newspaper = Deccan Chronicle|date = 30 January 2017|access-date = 2 February 2022|archive-date = 3 October 2021|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20211003064859/https://www.deccanchronicle.com/entertainment/tollywood/300117/copycats-in-tollywood.html|url-status = live}}

The Telugu version released on 14 October 1994, while the Hindi version released on 21 July 1995. Criminal was the last film of the Hindi film actor Ajit Khan. The Telugu version was not commercially successful.{{Cite web |date=12 January 2006 |title=TC Exclusive: K.S. Rama Rao - Interview |url=http://www.telugucinema.com/tc/stars/interview_ksramarao_2006.php |access-date=2024-09-14 |website=TeluguCinema.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061119100756/http://www.telugucinema.com/tc/stars/interview_ksramarao_2006.php |archive-date=19 November 2006 |quote=KSR: I liked the subject, and so we did that film. I still like that film though it was a flop.}}

Plot

After witnessing the unfortunate death of a woman, who was unable to afford hospital treatment, Dr. Ajay Kumar cancels his planned immigration to the U.S. and instead sets out to develop a plan to open a hospital that will be accessible to people who cannot afford treatment in regular hospitals, called "Amma Hospital". This draws quite a lot of attention, and he becomes popular, especially with two young women, Dr. Swetha and ACP Ramya. He falls in love with Swetha, and both get married, breaking Ramya's heart in the process. Shortly thereafter, much to their delight, Swetha becomes pregnant.

When Swetha discovers a frightening organ-smuggling operation in her hospital while going through a friend's diagnostic report, she calls Ramya. Soon after, Swetha is attacked by a killer and rings the police. Ajay enters their home to find Swetha, who soon succumbs to her injuries. The police arrive to find her dead body and arrest Ajay for murder. They deduce that Ajay's motive for killing Swetha was money, as Swetha was a wealthy heiress. Furthermore, she shouted Ajay's name as she was on the phone with the police. The court finds Ajay guilty, and he is sentenced to death. While being transported to the jail for the sentence to be carried out, the police bus meets with an accident as the other prisoners have staged a riot. Ajay escapes and changes his appearance. The police launch a manhunt for him but are unable to catch him. Ajay goes to Ramya's house to prove his innocence. Meanwhile, he used to know Ramya had a crush on him. Ajay catches the real killer and discovers the man behind everything - including the smuggling - was Ajay's friend Dr. Pratap. Finally, he reopens the hospital and puts garland on Swetha's picture.

Cast

class="wikitable"

!Cast (Telugu)

!Cast (Hindi)

!Role (Telugu)

!Role (Hindi)

colspan="2" style="text-align:center;"| Nagarjuna

| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;"| Dr. Ajay Kumar

colspan="2" style="text-align:center;"| Ramya Krishna

| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;"|A. C. P. Ramya

colspan="2" style="text-align:center;"|Manisha Koirala

| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;"|Dr. Swetha

style="text-align:center;"| Satyanarayana

| style="text-align:center;"| S M Zaheer

| style="text-align:center;"|Chandra Sekhar

| style="text-align:center;"|Varma

style="text-align:center;"| Kota Srinivasa Rao

| style="text-align:center;"| Ajit Khan

| style="text-align:center;"| Srinivasa Rao

| style="text-align:center;"| Jagdish Prasad

colspan="2" style="text-align:center;"| Nassar

| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;"|S. P. Teja

colspan="2" style="text-align:center;"|Sarath Babu

| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;"|Dr. Pratap

style="text-align:center;"| Sudha

| style="text-align:center;"|Beena Banerjee

| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;"| Yasoda

colspan="2" style="text-align:center;"| Gulshan Grover

| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;"|Robert Rakesh Kumar

style="text-align:center;"| Brahmanandam

| style="text-align:center;"| Johnny Lever

| style="text-align:center;"| Chitti Babu

| style="text-align:center;"| Changu

style="text-align:center;"| Gundu Hanumantha Rao

| style="text-align:center;"| Laxmikant Berde

| style="text-align:center;"| Tinku

| style="text-align:center;"| Mangu

style="text-align:center;" {{n/a}}

| style="text-align:center;"| Shrivallabh Vyas

| style="text-align:center;" {{n/a}}

| style="text-align:center;"| Advocate

colspan="2" style="text-align:center;"| Dharmavarapu Subramanyam

| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;"| Inspector

style="text-align:center;"| Devadas Kanakala

| style="text-align:center;" {{n/a}}

| style="text-align:center;"|Commissioner

| style="text-align:center;" {{n/a}}

style="text-align:center;"| Kota Shankar Rao

| style="text-align:center;" {{n/a}}

| style="text-align:center;"|Lawyer

| style="text-align:center;" {{n/a}}

colspan="2" style="text-align:center;"| Visweswara Rao

| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;"| Servant

colspan="2" style="text-align:center;"| Husain

| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;"| Prisoner

colspan="2" style="text-align:center;"| Jenny

| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;"| Inspector Nanda Gopal

style="text-align:center;"| Johnny Lever

| style="text-align:center;" {{n/a}}

| style="text-align:center;"|Himself

| style="text-align:center;" {{n/a}}

colspan="2" style="text-align:center;"| Trishna

| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;"| item number

Soundtrack

All the music is composed by M. M. Keeravani. The song "Paapki Paapki/Keemti Keemti" is inspired by Lonely Monday Morning from 12 Inches of Snow (1993) by the Canadian musician Snow. The track "Thelusa Manasa" (Only humming portion) was inspired from the English album- The Cross Of Changes & the song Age of Loneliness composed by Enigma. K. S. Chithra took 4 days to practice & replicate the same humming in her style. The song was set in Raga Abheri/Bhimpalasi, and became a popular Cult Classical song.

= Telugu Version =

{{Infobox album

| name = Criminal

| type = film

| artist = M. M. Keeravani

| cover =

| alt =

| released = 1994

| recorded =

| venue =

| studio =

| genre = Soundtrack

| length = 25:50

| label = ANAND AUDIO

| producer = M. M. Keeravani

| prev_title = Major Chandrakanth

| prev_year = 1993

| next_title = Bhairava

| next_year = 1994

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = Track list{{cite web | url = https://www.jiosaavn.com/album/criminal/8-FsKVQ9MKs_ | website = JioSaavn | title = Criminal | date = 8 April 1996 | accessdate = 29 January 2021 | archive-date = 3 December 2020 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20201203085004/https://www.jiosaavn.com/album/criminal/8-FsKVQ9MKs_ | url-status = live }}

| extra_column = Singer(s)

| total_length = 32:11

| all_music = M. M. Keeravani

| title1 = Mudante Vadante

| lyrics1 = Vennelakanti

| extra1 = S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, K. S. Chithra

| length1 = 4:57

| title2 = Paapki Paapki

| lyrics2 = Sirivennela Sitaramasastri

| extra2 = K. S. Chithra, S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, M. M. Keeravani

| length2 = 4:58

| title3 = Hello Guru

| lyrics3 = Vennelakanti

| extra3 = K. S. Chithra, S. P. Balasubrahmanyam

| length3 = 4:48

| title4 = Thelusa Manasa

| lyrics4 = Sirivennela Sitaramasastri

| extra4 = K. S. Chithra, S. P. Balasubrahmanyam

| length4 = 6:13

| title5 = Jama Jama Jama

| lyrics5 = Sirivennela Sitaramasastri

| extra5 = K. S. Chithra, S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, Sujatha

| length5 = 5:04

| title6 = Thelusa Manasa - 1

| lyrics6 = Sirivennela Sitaramasastri

| extra6 = M. M. Keeravani, K. S. Chithra (Humming)

| length6 = 6:11

}}

= Hindi Version =

{{Infobox album

| name = Criminal

| type = film

| artist = M. M. Kreem

| cover =

| alt =

| released = 1995

| recorded =

| venue =

| studio =

| genre = Soundtrack

| length = 38:16

| label = His Master's Voice

| producer = M. M. Kreem

| prev_title = Major Chandrakanth

| prev_year = 1995

| next_title = Bhairava

| next_year = 1995

}}

Hindi lyrics were written by Indeevar. Original audio was released on His Master's Voice. At first the tracks of "Tu Mile Dil Khile- All versions" were recorded in the voice of K. S. Chithra but due to some unforeseen reasons all the tracks sung by Chithra were replaced by Alka Yagnik, but still Keeravani managed to keep the humming portion sung by Chithra intact in all the tracks.

{{Track listing

| extra_column = Singer(s)

| total_length = 38:16

| all_lyrics =

| all_music =

| title1 = Tu Mile Dil Khile

| extra1 = K.S.Chithra ,Kumar Sanu, Alka Yagnik

| length1 = 6:03

| title2 = Janu Janu Janu

| extra2 = Kumar Sanu, Alka Yagnik

| length2 = 5:10

| title3 = Tu Mile Dil Khile (Male)

| extra3 = Kumar Sanu , K.S.Chithra

| length3 = 6:13

| title4 = Mujhko Chhupa Le

| extra4 = Kumar Sanu, Alisha Chinai

| length4 = 4:49

| title5 = Kisi Ka Tu Ho Ja

| extra5 = Abhijeet Bhattacharya, K.S. Chithra

| length5 = 5:00

| title6 = Kimti Kimti Hai Zindagi

| extra6 = S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, K.S. Chithra

| length6 = 5:01

| title7 = Tu Mile Dil Khile (Female)

| extra7 = K.S. Chithra, Alka Yagnik

| length7 = 5:57

}}

=Tamil version=

The soundtrack was released in Tamil as Ellame En Kadhali. The lyrics for songs were written by Piraisoodan.

{{Track listing

| headline = Track list{{cite web | url = https://www.raaga.com/tamil/movie/ellame-en-kadhali-songs-T0004058 | website = Raaga | title = Ellame En Kadhali | accessdate = 5 December 2023 | archive-date = 5 December 2023 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20231205154122/https://www.raaga.com/tamil/movie/ellame-en-kadhali-songs-T0004058 | url-status = live }}

| extra_column = Singer(s)

| total_length = 32:11

| all_music = Maragathamani

| title1 = Muthathin

| lyrics1 = Piraisoodan

| extra1 = Mano, K. S. Chithra

| length1 = 4:57

| title2 = Party Party

| lyrics2 = Piraisoodan

| extra2 = K. S. Chithra, Mano

| length2 = 4:58

| title3 = Anbe Thodu

| lyrics3 = Piraisoodan

| extra3 = K. S. Chithra, Mano

| length3 = 4:48

| title4 = Uyire Uyire

| lyrics4 =Piraisoodan

| extra4 = K. S. Chithra, Mano

| length4 = 6:13

| title5 = Jama Jama Jama

| lyrics5 = Piraisoodan

| extra5 = K. S. Chithra, Mano

| length5 = 5:04

}}

Release and reception

Alluru Rahim of Zamin Ryot, reviewing the Telugu version of the film on 21 October 1994, described it as "the film which drives the audience out the theatres [sic]." While appreciating the Nagarjuna's performance and the soundtrack by Keeravani, Rahim opined that the film lacked good story and screenplay.{{Cite news|last=Alluru|first=Rahim|date=21 October 1994|title=చిత్ర సమీక్ష: క్రిమినల్|language=te|trans-title=Film review: Criminal|pages=9|work=Zamin Ryot|url=http://www.zaminryot.com/pdf/1994/Oct/21-oct-1994.pdf|access-date=28 October 2020|archive-date=1 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201101162051/http://www.zaminryot.com/pdf/1994/Oct/21-oct-1994.pdf|url-status=live}}

After the film's success, it was later dubbed and released in Tamil as Ellame En Kadhali. K. Vijiyan reviewing this version for New Straits Times on 3 July 1995, opined that Bhatt had made a faithful remake of The Fugitive.{{Cite news |last=Vijiyan |first=K. |date=3 July 1995 |title=Indian version of 'The Fugitive' |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=rLdOAAAAIBAJ&sjid=yR4EAAAAIBAJ&pg=3734%2C1025055 |access-date=22 August 2019 |work=New Straits Times |pages=26}}{{cbignore}}