Villain

 

Villain is a 2017 Indian Malayalam-language mystery thriller film written and directed by B. Unnikrishnan and produced by Rockline Venkatesh. It stars Mohanlal, Vishal, Manju Warrier, Hansika Motwani, Raashi Khanna, and Srikanth. The film marks the debuts of Vishal, Khanna, Motwani, and Srikanth in Malayalam cinema. Manoj Paramahamsa and N. K. Ekambaram were the cinematographers. The songs were written by 4 Musics and the film score was composed by Sushin Shyam.

In the film's plot, ADGP Mathew Manjooran (Mohanlal) renounces his office after taking a sabbatical but is re-enlisted to deal with one last case involving a series of connected murders. Principal photography began on 3 March 2017 in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, and ended in mid-June. Villain is the first Indian film to be completely filmed in 8K resolution. It was released in India on 27 October 2017 and internationally on 2 November, debuting in the United Arab Emirates.

 

Plot

The film opens with the murder of three men who are killed by drug injection at gunpoint. ADGP Mathew Manjooran is retiring after a sabbatical; on his last day at work, he is called on by the DGP to investigate the case. Mathew takes the case; he is aided by officers Harshitha Chopra and DYSP Iqbal. Harshitha says that she saw a woman wearing a burqa rushing into a restaurant on the night of the murder; she offered help, but the woman refused and ran away.

Seven months before the murders, Mathew arrests drug lord Felix D. Vincent, who escapes from custody. Mathew and his wife Neelima accompany their daughter to her new college in Delhi. While en route, he receives a duty call and returns to work, leaving his family to continue their journey alone. Their car is hit by a lorry, leaving his daughter dead and Neelima comatose.

In the present, three more men are murdered in the same fashion; the victims have a connection with Tharakan's Hospital. Mathew deduces the killer to be Shaktivel Palanisamy, a doctor who works at the hospital. Shaktivel has a dark past. His father committed suicide, and witnessing the death causes Shaktivel mental trauma; he sees incidents of malpractice in the hospital, and after graduating, he starts killing the perpetrators, with his girlfriend Dr. Shreya as an accomplice (the woman in the burqa).

Meanwhile, Harshitha finds out that Mathew's family was murdered by Felix. She informs Mathew, who already knows this and shows no interest. They receive a video message from Shreya, revealing Felix's location. Mathew fights Felix and is about to kill him but draws back, realizing that this is what Shaktivel wants, and instead arrests him. Mathew discovers that Shaktivel's next target is the DGP, who is threatening patient Khalid Musthafa, who died in the hospital.

Mathew is sedated, and Shreya takes him to Shaktivel, who plans to kill the DGP in front of him. Mathew tries to dissuade Shaktivel, who believes that the legal system is corrupt and that what he does is alternative justice. He reveals that Mathew mercy-killed Neelima. They argue and engage in hand-to-hand combat; Mathew defeats Shaktivel and spares him because he believes that Shaktivel could still become a good doctor after treating his mental illness. Mathew is then seen building a school, completing Neelima's last wish.

 

Cast

·         Mohanlal as ADGP Mathew Manjooran IPS, he retired after a sabbatical but has to investigate a case on his last day at work

·         Vishal as Dr. Shaktivel Palanisamy, a mentally traumatic doctor who works at Tharakan's Hospital

·         Manju Warrier as Neelima Mathew, Mathew's wife who becomes comatose after an accident

·         Hansika as Dr. Shreya Venkatesh, Shaktivel's love interest and accomplice (voice-over by Angel Shijoy)

·         Raashi Khanna as ASP Harshita Chopra IPS, a police officer who aids Mathew in his case (voice-over by Shweta Menon)

·         Srikanth as Felix D. Vincent, a drug lord who murdered Mathew's family

·         Siddique as DGP Muhammad Mansoor IPS, Mathew's senior and one of Shaktivel's targets

·         Renji Panicker as Commissioner Sreenivasan IPS

·         Chemban Vinod Jose as DySP Iqbal, an officer who assists Mathew in his case