# A Gentleman
**A Gentleman** (अ जेंटलमैन) is a 2017 Indian Hindi-language action comedy directed by the duo Raj Nidimoru and Krishna D.K. and starring [Sidharth Malhotra](https://www.edgepedia.org/sidharth-malhotra), Jacqueline Fernandez, and [Suniel Shetty](https://www.edgepedia.org/suniel-shetty)[1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/a_gentleman). Its full on-screen title is *A Gentleman: Sundar, Susheel, Risky*, a tagline describing its hero as handsome, decent, and risky[2](https://ottasia.com/title/movie/469872/a-gentleman?country=BD). The plot turns on a case of double identity: Gaurav, a rule-following professional based in Miami who wants to marry his girlfriend Kavya, is secretly Rishi, a risk-taking government agent pursued by a spy unit, and his orderly life collapses[1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/a_gentleman) • [18](https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/bollywood/story/wahiyat-wednesday-why-a-gentleman-feels-like-a-flashback-of-cliches-1715347-2020-08-26). The film was a commercial failure, with Box Office India classifying its run as a disaster[3](https://www.boxofficeindia.com/movie-story.php?movieid=3589).
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Release | 25 August 2017 (India); produced by Fox Star Studios[4](https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movie/a-gentleman/) • [5](https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt5613834/) |
| Directors and writers | Raj Nidimoru and Krishna D.K., with Sita Menon, Siraj Kalla, and Sumit Batheja credited on story, screenplay, and dialogue[6](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5613834/fullcredits/) |
| Lead cast | Sidharth Malhotra as Gaurav/Rishi, Jacqueline Fernandez as Kavya, Suniel Shetty as Colonel Vijay Saxena, Darshan Kumaar as Yakub[2](https://ottasia.com/title/movie/469872/a-gentleman?country=BD) |
| Box office | Worldwide gross $3,438,746, of which $2,427,744 came from India; Box Office India records a ₹670 million (₹67 crore) budget against ₹177.2 million (₹17.72 crore) India net and labels the film a disaster[5](https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt5613834/) • [3](https://www.boxofficeindia.com/movie-story.php?movieid=3589) |
| Critical scores | 50% Tomatometer from 8 reviews and 57% Popcornmeter on Rotten Tomatoes; 6.3/10 on IMDb from about 8,100 votes[1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/a_gentleman) • [7](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5613834/ratings/) |
| Awards | Filmfail Award 2018 for Worst Actor of the Year (won); FOI Online Award nomination for Best Stunt Direction[8](https://www.tvguide.com/movies/a-gentleman/2000046670/) |
| Streaming | Available in India on JioHotstar (free with ads) and VI movies and tv, and rentable on Apple TV Store[9](https://www.justwatch.com/in/movie/a-gentleman) |
## Spoilers
### Plot
Gaurav (Sidharth Malhotra) is a simple, financially stable white-collar professional living in Miami. He is attracted to Kavya ([Jacqueline Fernandez](https://www.edgepedia.org/jacqueline-fernandez)), but she finds him too boring and wants a partner who takes risks and lives life to the full[4](https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movie/a-gentleman/) • [2](https://ottasia.com/title/movie/469872/a-gentleman?country=BD). A work assignment takes Gaurav (Sidharth Malhotra) to Mumbai, where it is revealed that Gaurav and Rishi, a secret government agent on the run, are the same person, and Rishi has incurred the wrath of the villainous Colonel Vijay Saxena (Suniel Shetty)[1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/a_gentleman) • [4](https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movie/a-gentleman/) • [18](https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/bollywood/story/wahiyat-wednesday-why-a-gentleman-feels-like-a-flashback-of-cliches-1715347-2020-08-26). Whether Rishi and Gaurav are the same person or different people forms the central mystery of the film[4](https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movie/a-gentleman/). The mistaken identity brings dangerous operatives into Gaurav's life and threatens everything he has worked for, including Kavya[10](https://www.nowrunning.com/movie/20978/bollywood.hindi/a-gentleman/) • [3](https://www.boxofficeindia.com/movie-story.php?movieid=3589).
## Production and the Raj and DK connection
Raj Nidimoru and Krishna D.K., known professionally as Raj and DK, were college friends and software engineers from [Andhra Pradesh](https://www.edgepedia.org/andhra-pradesh) who left jobs in the United States to try filmmaking with a six-month deadline in 2008[11](https://scroll.in/article/847813/portraits-of-indias-people-by-a-flemmish-artist-who-lived-on-the-margins-of-18th-century-calcutta). Before *A Gentleman* they had made *Flavors*, the crime comedy *99* (2009), *Shor in the City* (2010), the zombie comedy *Go Goa Gone* (2013), and the romcom *Happy Ending* (2014)[11](https://scroll.in/article/847813/portraits-of-indias-people-by-a-flemmish-artist-who-lived-on-the-margins-of-18th-century-calcutta). In interviews around the release they described *A Gentleman* as their most mainstream Bollywood film to date, calling it "'99' on steroids" and a genre film made with more money than their earlier work[11](https://scroll.in/article/847813/portraits-of-indias-people-by-a-flemmish-artist-who-lived-on-the-margins-of-18th-century-calcutta). DK noted that the film required extensive preparation because it was an action film[12](https://www.rediff.com/movies/report/we-are-outsiders-even-after-so-many-films/20170830.htm).
## Reception
**Critics.** Reviews were mixed to negative. On Rotten Tomatoes the film holds a 50% Tomatometer from 8 reviews and a 57% audience score[1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/a_gentleman). The Times of India gave 3.5/5, saying the film offers plenty of entertainment but that revealing its cards too early hurts the suspense[13](https://www.bollywood.com/movies/a-gentleman/reviews/). [Hindustan Times](https://www.edgepedia.org/hindustan-times) (3/5) credited Raj and DK with turning a familiar story into an enjoyable action comedy through quirky humor, while NDTV (2/5) called it slick but ultimately dull, with Sidharth struggling to make his two sides distinct[13](https://www.bollywood.com/movies/a-gentleman/reviews/). [The Indian Express](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-indian-express)'s Shubhra Gupta rated it 2/5, writing that Malhotra is well cast as the decent Gaurav but less convincing in his "risky" avatar[14](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/movie-review/a-gentleman-movie-review-sidharth-malhotra-jacqueline-fernandez-star-rating-4811361/lite/). A common thread across reviews was praise for the stylish action and humor alongside criticism of a predictable, thin plot that loses momentum in the second half[13](https://www.bollywood.com/movies/a-gentleman/reviews/).
**Audiences and ratings.** IMDb records a weighted 6.3/10 from about 8,100 votes, with an unweighted mean of 6.9 and the most ratings coming from India, the United States, the United Kingdom, Guyana, and Bangladesh[7](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5613834/ratings/).
## Box office
The film opened on 24 August 2017 in the UAE, New Zealand, and Australia, and on 25 August in India, the United Kingdom, and the United States[5](https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt5613834/). [Box Office Mojo](https://www.edgepedia.org/box-office-mojo) records a worldwide gross of $3,438,746, of which $410,055 (11.9%) came from the domestic (North American) market and $2,427,744 from India[5](https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt5613834/). Box Office India lists 1,900 screens, a first-day net of ₹37.3 million (₹3.73 crore), a first weekend of ₹122.2 million (₹12.22 crore), and a lifetime India net of ₹177.2 million (₹17.72 crore) against a ₹670 million (₹67 crore) budget, and classifies the film's commercial performance as a disaster[3](https://www.boxofficeindia.com/movie-story.php?movieid=3589).
## Music
The soundtrack was composed by [Sachin–Jigar](https://www.edgepedia.org/sachin-jigar) and released through T-Series. Songs include "Disco Disco" ([Benny Dayal](https://www.edgepedia.org/benny-dayal) and [Shirley Setia](https://www.edgepedia.org/shirley-setia)), "Baat Ban Jaye", "Chandralekha" (Jonita Gandhi and Vishal Dadlani), "Bandook Meri Laila" (Ash King and Raftaar), and "Laagi Na Choote" (Arijit Singh and Shreya Ghoshal)[15](https://www.indianfilmhistory.com/movie/a-gentleman). The New Indian Express called "O Chandralekha" well-picturised and foot-tapping while judging the music overall ordinary[16](https://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/review/2017/Aug/25/a-gentleman-more-risky-to-watch-than-sundar-1648196.html).
## Aftermath
The film's theatrical failure did not end its directors' careers. Raj and DK went on to create the acclaimed web series *The Family Man*, *Farzi*, and *Guns & Gulaabs*[17](https://pynr.in/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/21-HYD-12-PAGES-PDF.compressed.pdf). The film is currently streaming in India on JioHotstar and VI movies and tv[9](https://www.justwatch.com/in/movie/a-gentleman).
## References
1. [A Gentleman, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/a_gentleman)
2. [A Gentleman (2017), OTTAsia](https://ottasia.com/title/movie/469872/a-gentleman?country=BD)
3. [A Gentleman – Sundar Susheel Risky, Box Office India](https://www.boxofficeindia.com/movie-story.php?movieid=3589)
4. [A Gentleman Movie, Bollywood Hungama](https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movie/a-gentleman/)
5. [A Gentleman (2017), Box Office Mojo](https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt5613834/)
6. [A Gentleman (2017) Full cast & crew, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5613834/fullcredits/)
7. [A Gentleman (2017) Ratings, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5613834/ratings/)
8. [A Gentleman, TV Guide](https://www.tvguide.com/movies/a-gentleman/2000046670/)
9. [A Gentleman streaming, JustWatch India](https://www.justwatch.com/in/movie/a-gentleman)
10. [A Gentleman, Nowrunning](https://www.nowrunning.com/movie/20978/bollywood.hindi/a-gentleman/)
11. ['A Gentleman' is '99' on steroids, say directors Raj and DK, Scroll.in](https://scroll.in/article/847813/portraits-of-indias-people-by-a-flemmish-artist-who-lived-on-the-margins-of-18th-century-calcutta)
12. ['We are outsiders even after so many films', Rediff.com](https://www.rediff.com/movies/report/we-are-outsiders-even-after-so-many-films/20170830.htm)
13. [A Gentleman (2017) Critics Reviews, Bollywood.com](https://www.bollywood.com/movies/a-gentleman/reviews/)
14. [A Gentleman movie review, The Indian Express](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/movie-review/a-gentleman-movie-review-sidharth-malhotra-jacqueline-fernandez-star-rating-4811361/lite/)
15. [A Gentleman, Indian Film History](https://www.indianfilmhistory.com/movie/a-gentleman)
16. [A Gentleman: More 'risky' to watch than 'sundar', The New Indian Express](https://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/review/2017/Aug/25/a-gentleman-more-risky-to-watch-than-sundar-1648196.html)
17. [The Pioneer, Hyderabad edition (Raj and DK web series report)](https://pynr.in/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/21-HYD-12-PAGES-PDF.compressed.pdf)
18. [Wahiyat Wednesday: Why A Gentleman feels like a flashback of cliches](https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/bollywood/story/wahiyat-wednesday-why-a-gentleman-feels-like-a-flashback-of-cliches-1715347-2020-08-26)
---
*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Individual films by title and year › Indian films (individual works) › Hindi films of the 2010s › Hindi films of 2017*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 18, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 3, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 18, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 3, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026; Oct 25, 2026; Nov 1, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license