Villain (2003 film)


Villain is a 2003 Indian Telugu-language action masala film written and directed by K. S. Ravikumar. The film stars Rajasekhar in dual roles, alongside Neha Dhupia
and Tulip Joshi. The film is a remake of the director's own Tamil film of the same name, which released in the previous year. Sujatha and Vijayan reprise their respective roles while Vidyasagar, who composed the soundtrack for the original, was signed to compose the music for this film as well. This film marks the Telugu debuts of Dhupia, Joshi, and Vijayan.

Plot

Shiva and Vishnu are identical twins. Shiva, the elder one, is a bus conductor, while Vishnu, the younger one, has a mild intellectual disability. Shiva overhears his parents' plot to kill Vishnu. He runs away to another city with Vishnu and strives hard to look after him. Vijayan, who runs a beggar trade, beats Vishnu brutally, and Vishnu becomes handicapped for life. Shiva leaves Vishnu in a home run by a social worker. During the day, Shiva works as a bus conductor, and at the same time, poses as Vishnu: to play Robin Hood and steal from the rich and corrupt. A gang including Neha Dhupia and others assist him in these operations. He is never suspected, and so, with the stolen money, he takes care of not only Vishnu, but also 800 people in other institutions for the physically handicapped. A college student Tulip Joshi falls in love with Shiva, but he later comes to know she is Vijayan's sister-in-law. Matters worsen when Vijayan becomes the chairman of the institute for the physically disabled. How Shiva deals with the situation forms the rest of the story. Meanwhile, Neha is in love with Shiva, though he does not know this. Later she gives up her love and lets Tulip marry Shiva. At last, Shiva marries Tulip and Neha marries Vishnu.

Cast

watched Villain and enjoyed the film, but was initially hesitant to act in a remake. He decided to act in the remake after a member of his team encouraged him to do so. Neha Dhupia, who did an item number, in Ninne Ishtapaddanu, was signed to make her Telugu film debut with this film.

Soundtrack

composed the songs for the film. Sohan Music bought the audio rights for the soundtrack. The audio launch for Villain was held on 29 October 2003. Chandrababu Naidu, the former Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, released the audio of the film and gave the first cassette to Pullela Gopichand, a badminton player. An event was held at Annapurna Studios in Hyderabad. During the event, Rajashekhar, the vice president of the Red Cross of Andhra Pradesh donated 50 stitching machines and wheel chairs. AVS and Anitha handled the event.
The film was scheduled to release on 14 November to coincide with Children's Day. Idlebrain gave the film of 2.75 out of 5 and stated how the director, K. S. Ravikumar, didn't make enough changes to the film to suit the Telugu audience. The reviewer also commented on how the first half of the film resembles Gentleman. The Full Hyderabad criticized the film and wrote how there is nothing good about the film save for Rajashekhar's performance and the twins' childhood scene.