Zuko: Minor edits and structural improvements

2026-03-03T23:29:16Z

Minor edits and structural improvements

>Fad Ariff at 13:00, 6 July 2021

2021-07-06T13:00:59Z

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{{Short description|1994 Indian film in Telugu and Hindi directed by Mahesh Bhatt}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2015}}
{{Use Indian English|date=October 2015}}
{{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 = [[Akkineni 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 (company)|T-Series]] Films
| based_on = ''[[The Fugitive (1963 TV series)|The Fugitive]]'' by [[Roy Huggins]]
| released = {{Film date|df=y|1994|10|14}} {{small|(Telugu)}} {{Film date|df=y|1995|07|21}} {{small|(Hindi)}}
| runtime = 142 mins
| country = India
| language = Telugu Hindi
| budget =
}}

'''''Criminal''''' is a 1994 Indian [[action thriller]] film directed by [[Mahesh Bhatt]], starring [[Akkineni Nagarjuna]], [[Ramya Krishna]] and [[Manisha Koirala]]. Shot simultaneously in [[Telugu language|Telugu]] and [[Hindi]] languages, the film is 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 [[M. M. Keeravani|MM Kreem]] in Hindi). The film is inspired by the American film, ''[[The Fugitive (1993 film)|The Fugitive]]'' (1993).<ref>{{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 (Kolkata)|The Telegraph]]}}</ref> Telugu version is released in 1994, while the Hindi version is released in 1995. This is the last film of the Hindi film actor [[Ajit Khan]].

== 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. He and Ramya remain as friends.

== Cast ==

=== Telugu version ===
{{colbegin}}
* [[Akkineni Nagarjuna]] as Dr. Ajay Kumar
* [[Ramya Krishna]] as A.C.P. Ramya
* [[Manisha Koirala]] as Dr. Swetha Kumar
* [[Kaikala Satyanarayana|Satyanarayana]] as Advocate Chandra Shekar
* [[Kota Srinivasa Rao]] as Srinivasa Rao
* [[Nassar (actor)|Nassar]] as S. P. Teja
* [[Sarath Babu]] as Dr. Pratap
* [[Sudha (Telugu actress)|Sudha]] as Yashoda
* [[Gulshan Grover]] as Robert Rakesh Kumar
* [[Brahmanandam]] as Compounder Chitti Babu
* [[Dharmavarapu Subramanyam]] as Inspector
* [[Johnny Lever]] as himself
* [[Gundu Hanumantha Rao]] as Compounder Tinku
* [[Devadas Kanakala]] as Commissioner
* Kota Shankar Rao as Lawyer
* Garimalla Visweswara Rao as Servant
* Husain as Prisoner
* [[Jenny (actor)|Jenny]] as Inspector Nanda Gopal
* Trishna as [[item number]]
{{Div col end}}

=== Hindi version ===
The lead cast and the characters portrayed by Grover, Nassar, Babu, Subramanyam, Kanakala, Visweswara Rao, Husain, and Jenny were retained from the Telugu version in the Hindi version. Trishna performed an item number in both versions.
{{colbegin}}
* [[Akkineni Nagarjuna]] as Dr. Ajay Kumar Varma
* [[Manisha Koirala]] as Dr. Shweta Varma
* [[Johnny Lever]] as Changu
* [[Laxmikant Berde]] as Mangu
* [[Ajit Khan]] as Jagdish Prasad
* [[Shrivallabh Vyas|Palav Vyas]] as Advocate
* Gurbachan
* Mukesh Pandey
* [[S M Zaheer|Zaheer]] as Advocate Varma (Ajay's father)
* [[Beena Banerjee|Beena]] as Ajay's mother
{{Div col end}}

== Soundtrack ==
All the music is composed by [[M. M. Keeravani]]. The track Telusaa Manasa/Tum Mile is inspired from a Engima album (German Band)- "Age Of Lonliness". [[K. S. Chithra]] recreated the same humming for all the versions, for which she practised 4 days to sing it perfectly & making the song an evergreen hit.
=== 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 = AKASH Audio
| producer = [[M. M. Keeravani]]
| prev_title = [[Major Chandrakanth (1993 film)|Major Chandrakanth]]
| prev_year = 1993
| next_title = [[Allari Premikudu]]
| next_year = 1994
}}

{{Track listing
| headline = Track list<ref name = "Criminal Telugu Songs">{{cite web | url = https://www.jiosaavn.com/album/criminal/8-FsKVQ9MKs_ | website = [[JioSaavn]] | title = Criminal | accessdate = 29 January 2021}}</ref>
| extra_column = Singer(s)
| total_length = 32:11
| all_music = [[M. M. Keeravani]]<ref name = "Criminal Telugu Songs" />

| title1 = Mudante Vadante
| lyrics1 = [[Vennelakanti]]
| extra1 = [[S. P. Balasubrahmanyam]], [[K. S. Chithra]]
| length1 = 4:57

| title2 = Papiki Papiki
| lyrics2 = [[Sirivennela Seetharama Sastry]]
| extra2 = S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, K. S. Chithra, [[M. M. Keeravani]]
| length2 = 4:58

| title3 = Hello Guru
| lyrics3 = Vennelakanti
| extra3 = S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, K. S. Chithra
| length3 = 4:48

| title4 = Thelusa Manasa
| lyrics4 = Sirivennela Seetharama Sastry
| extra4 = S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, K. S. Chithra
| length4 = 6:13

| title5 = Jama Jama Jama
| lyrics5 = Sirivennela Seetharama Sastry
| extra5 = S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, [[Sujatha Mohan|Sujatha]]
| length5 = 5:04

| title6 = Thelusa Manasa - 1
| lyrics6 = Sirivennela Seetharama Sastry
| extra6 = M. M. Keeravani, K. S. Chithra (Humming)
| length6 = 6:11
}}

=== Hindi Version ===
{{Infobox album
| name = Criminal
| type = film
| artist = [[M. M. Keeravani|M. M. Kreem]]
| cover =
| alt =
| released = 1995
| recorded =
| venue =
| studio =
| genre = Soundtrack
| length = 38:16
| label = HMV Audio
| producer = [[M. M. Keeravani|M. M. Kreem]]
| prev_title = Lady Boss
| prev_year = 1995
| next_title = [[Mounam]]
| next_year = 1995
}}

Hindi lyrics were written by [[Indeevar]]. Original audio was released on HMV audio.
{{Track listing
| extra_column = Singer(s)
| total_length = 38:16
| all_lyrics =
| all_music =
| title1 = Tu Mile Dil Khile (Included in the film)
| extra1 = [[Kumar Sanu]], [[K. S. Chithra|Chitra]]
| length1 = 6:03

| title2 = Tu Mile Dil Khile (Only Cassette version)
| extra2 = [[Kumar Sanu]], [[Alka Yagnik]] [[K. S. Chithra|Chitra]] (Humming)
| length2 = 6:03

| title3 = Janu Janu Janu
| extra3 = Kumar Sanu, Alka Yagnik
| length3 = 5:10

| title4 = Tu Mile Dil Khile (Male)
| extra4 = Kumar Sanu, Chitra (Humming)
| length4 = 6:13

| title5 = Mujhko Chhupa Le
| extra5 = Kumar Sanu, [[Alisha Chinai]]
| length5 = 4:49

| title6 = Kisi Ka Tu Hoja
| extra6 = [[Abhijeet Bhattacharya]], Chitra
| length6 = 5:00

| title7 = Keemti Keemti Keemti Hai Zindagi
| extra7 = [[S. P. Balasubramanyam|SP Balu]], Chitra, Alka Yagnik
| length7 = 5:01

| title8 = Tu Mile Dil Khile (Female)
| extra8 = Alka Yagnik, Chitra (Humming), [[Sonu Nigam]]
| length8 = 5:57
}}

== Release and reception ==
Alluru Rahim of ''Zamin Riot'', 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.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Alluru|first=Rahim|date=21 October 1994|title=చిత్ర సమీక్ష: క్రిమినల్|language=te|trans-title=Film review: Criminal|page=9|work=Zamin Ryot|url=http://www.zaminryot.com/pdf/1994/Oct/21-oct-1994.pdf}}</ref>

After the film's success, it was later dubbed and released in Tamil as ''Ellame En Kadhali''. K. Vijayan reviewing the Tamil dubbed version for ''[[New Straits Times]]'' on 3 July 1995, opined that Bhatt had made a faithful remake of ''The Fugitive'' (1993).<ref>{{Cite news|last=Vijiyin|first=K.|date=3 July 1995|title=Indian version of 'The Fugitive'|page=26|work=[[New Straits Times]]|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=rLdOAAAAIBAJ&sjid=yR4EAAAAIBAJ&pg=3734%2C1025055}}</ref>

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* {{IMDb title|id=0112738|title=Criminal}}

{{Mahesh Bhatt}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:1990s crime action films]]
[[Category:1990s Hindi-language films]]
[[Category:1990s multilingual films]]
[[Category:1990s Telugu-language films]]
[[Category:1995 action thriller films]]
[[Category:1995 crime thriller films]]
[[Category:1995 films]]
[[Category:Films about amputees]]
[[Category:Films about miscarriage of justice]]
[[Category:Films directed by Mahesh Bhatt]]
[[Category:Films featuring an item number]]
[[Category:Films scored by M. M. Keeravani]]
[[Category:Films shot in Mumbai]]
[[Category:Hindi-language films]]
[[Category:Indian action thriller films]]
[[Category:Indian crime action films]]
[[Category:Indian crime thriller films]]
[[Category:Indian films about revenge]]
[[Category:Indian films]]
[[Category:Indian multilingual films]]
[[Category:T-Series (company) films]]
[[Category:Telugu-language films]]

Criminal (1994 film) - Revision history

Zuko: Minor edits and structural improvements

>Fad Ariff at 13:00, 6 July 2021