Criminal (1994 film)

Criminal
Film poster (Telugu Version)
Directed by	Mahesh Bhatt
Screenplay by	Mahesh Bhatt
Story by	David Twohy
Dialogue by	Sainath Thotapalli (Telugu) Jay Dixit (Hindi)
Based on	The Fugitive by Roy Huggins
Produced by	K. S. Rama Rao (Telugu) Mukesh Bhatt (Hindi)
Starring	Nagarjuna Ramya Krishna Manisha Koirala
Cinematography	S. Gopal Reddy
Edited by	G. G. Krishna Rao (Telugu) Sanjay Sankla (Hindi)
Music by	M. M. Keeravani (credited as M. M. Kreem in Hindi)
Production companies	Creative Commercials (Telugu) Vishesh Films (Hindi)
Distributed by	T-Series Films
Release dates	14 October 1994 (1994-10-14) (Telugu) 21 July 1995 (1995-07-21) (Hindi)
Running time	142 mins
Country	India
Languages	Telugu Hindi

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.^[1][2]

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.^[3]

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.

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.

Hindi lyrics were written by Indeevar. Original audio was released on HMV audio. 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.

The soundtrack was released in Tamil as Ellame En Kadhali.^[5] The lyrics for songs were written by Piraisoodan.

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.^[7]

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.^[5]

• Criminal at IMDb