# Hebbuli (ಹೆಬ್ಬುಲಿ)
**Hebbuli** (ಹೆಬ್ಬುಲಿ) is a 2017 Indian Kannada-language action thriller film directed by S. Krishna, starring Sudeep as a para commando who investigates the death of his elder brother, an IAS officer.[1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/hebbuli) The title translates as "Ferocious Tiger"; in the Kannada-English etymological dictionary, *hebbuli* is glossed as "huge tiger", a compound of *peru* (big) and *puli* (tiger).[2](https://www.aa.tufs.ac.jp/~tjun/data/kandic/kannada-english_dictionary.pdf)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Title meaning | *hebbuli* = "huge tiger" in Kannada, from *peru* + *puli*; English renderings include "Ferocious Tiger"[2](https://www.aa.tufs.ac.jp/~tjun/data/kandic/kannada-english_dictionary.pdf) |
| Release | 23 February 2017 (India), 23 March 2017 (United Arab Emirates); Kannada language, U/A certificate[3](https://www.moviebuff.com/hebbuli) |
| Runtime | 141 minutes (2h 21m)[1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/hebbuli) |
| Director | S. Krishna, a cinematographer-turned-director whose earlier film was *Gajakesari*[4](https://biffes.org/frontend/images/widget/10th-Biffes-Festival-Catalogue-2018.pdf) |
| Lead cast | Sudeep (Ram), V. Ravichandran (Sathyamurthy), Amala Paul (Nandini, her Kannada debut)[3](https://www.moviebuff.com/hebbuli) |
| Music | Arjun Janya; audio rights held by Zee Music, the label's first Kannada project[5](https://kannadamoviesinfo.wordpress.com/2017/02/22/hebbuli-2017/) |
| Release scale | Over 400 screens, described at the time as Sandalwood's biggest release ever[6](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/kannada/movies/news/hebbuli-frenzy-begins-today/amp_articleshow/57291676.cms) |
| Awards | Karnataka State Film Awards 2017: Best Art Director (Ravi Santhehaklu) and Special Jury Award for Best Production Manager (Suresh K Mysore)[5](https://kannadamoviesinfo.wordpress.com/2017/02/22/hebbuli-2017/) |
## Spoilers
### Plot
Captain Ram (Sudeep) is a para commando officer in the [Indian Army](https://www.edgepedia.org/indian-army) who carries out cross-border operations against terrorists. He returns home to Bengaluru when his elder brother, the IAS officer Sathyamurthy (V. Ravichandran), is found dead in what the police rule a suicide. Ram does not accept that verdict, finds clues that others were present in the room at the time of death, and investigates the events leading to the crime.[7](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/movie-review/hebbuli-movie-review-strictly-for-sudeep-fans-4539829/) His search leads him to fight the system and to pursue his brother's vision.[8](https://www.zee5.com/movies/details/hebbuli/0-0-2682)
The antagonists are played by [Ravi Kishan](https://www.edgepedia.org/ravi-kishan) (as Amruth Shah), P. [Ravi Shankar](https://www.edgepedia.org/ravi-shankar) (as Arasikere Anjanappa), and Kabir Duhan Singh, with Ravi Kishan making his Kannada debut.[3](https://www.moviebuff.com/hebbuli) Reviewers identified the story's core as a nexus between a corrupt politician and a greedy industrialist behind the brother's death, and noted that the film embeds a social message about a healthcare issue within a commercial revenge plot.[9](https://www.thenewsminute.com/flix/review-hebbuli-action-film-book-tailor-made-sudeep-fans-57665)
## Production
S. Krishna, who worked primarily as a cinematographer before directing, wrote the story and screenplay; Siri wrote the dialogue, and Rudresh M. Gowda served as co-director.[5](https://kannadamoviesinfo.wordpress.com/2017/02/22/hebbuli-2017/) The film was produced by Raghunath and Umapathy Srinivas under the banners SRV Productions and Umapathy Films, with A. Karunakar as director of photography, [Arjun Janya](https://www.edgepedia.org/arjun-janya) composing the music and score, and Deepu S. Kumar editing.[3](https://www.moviebuff.com/hebbuli) • [5](https://kannadamoviesinfo.wordpress.com/2017/02/22/hebbuli-2017/)
The soundtrack comprises six songs plus a theme track, with playback singers including Shaan, Shreya Ghoshal, Armaan Malik, and [Vijay Prakash](https://www.edgepedia.org/vijay-prakash).[5](https://kannadamoviesinfo.wordpress.com/2017/02/22/hebbuli-2017/) The film was certified U/A by the CBFC on 21 February 2017.[5](https://kannadamoviesinfo.wordpress.com/2017/02/22/hebbuli-2017/)
## Release and reception
Hebbuli released on 23 February 2017, timed to Mahashivaratri, on more than 400 screens, which the Times of India described as Sandalwood's biggest release ever; director Krishna compared the fan frenzy to that surrounding [Rajinikanth](https://www.edgepedia.org/rajinikanth), noting one fan who booked 800 tickets for a special screening.[6](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/kannada/movies/news/hebbuli-frenzy-begins-today/amp_articleshow/57291676.cms) • [10](https://www.ottplay.com/news/hebbuli-re-release-advance-booking-for-kiccha-sudeeps-revenge-thriller-is-now-open/b0c021be9e607) It ran for over seven weeks at its main theater, Santhosh plus Menaka.[5](https://kannadamoviesinfo.wordpress.com/2017/02/22/hebbuli-2017/) Filmibeat lists a box office figure of 560 million (56.00 crore).[11](https://www.filmibeat.com/kannada/movies/hebbuli.html)
Critical reception was mixed to positive. The Times of India gave 4/5, calling it a film that "cleverly integrates an important issue, while still retaining massy elements".[12](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/kannada/movie-reviews/hebbuli/movie-review/57309591.cms) The New Indian Express rated it 3.5/5, praising Sudeep's commando portrayal while calling the climax predictable.[13](https://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/kannada/2017/Feb/24/hebbuli-review-sudeeps-grand-command-1574273.html) Bangalore Mirror gave 3/5, describing it as a formula film with a touch of social message that is a feast for Sudeep's fans.[14](https://bangaloremirror.indiatimes.com/entertainment/reviews/sundaranga-jaana-movie-review-generic-dose-of-action-and-revenge-drama/amp_articleshow/57317690.cms) [The Indian Express](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-indian-express) was the most critical at 2/5, judging it strictly for Sudeep fans and faulting a predictable screenplay.[7](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/movie-review/hebbuli-movie-review-strictly-for-sudeep-fans-4539829/) The News Minute called it a by-the-numbers commercial action film that deserved credit for raising a healthcare issue usually confined to debates about patents and intellectual property.[9](https://www.thenewsminute.com/flix/review-hebbuli-action-film-book-tailor-made-sudeep-fans-57665)
## Legacy
The film returned to theaters in a limited re-release on 2 August 2024, more than seven years after its first release, timed to anticipation for Sudeep's next film *Max*.[10](https://www.ottplay.com/news/hebbuli-re-release-advance-booking-for-kiccha-sudeeps-revenge-thriller-is-now-open/b0c021be9e607) It remains available on ZEE5.[8](https://www.zee5.com/movies/details/hebbuli/0-0-2682)
Sudeep's hairstyle in the film became a cultural reference point strong enough to seed another film: *Hebbuli Cut* (2024), directed by Bheemarao P, is about a boy from a cobbler family in Raichur district who wants the same haircut as Sudeep's character in *Hebbuli*, and uses that wish as an allegory of caste discrimination.[15](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/movie-review/hebbuli-cut-movie-review-a-deeply-perspective-caste-allegory-disguised-as-teen-romance-10106427/lite/) The title has also been used by earlier, unrelated Kannada films, including *Hasida Hebbuli* (1983) and *Huli Hebbuli* (1987), the latter directed by Vijay and starring [Tiger Prabhakar](https://www.edgepedia.org/tiger-prabhakar) and [Shankar Nag](https://www.edgepedia.org/shankar-nag).[16](https://kannadamoviesinfo.wordpress.com/2013/03/30/hasida-hebbuli-1983/) • [17](https://tv.apple.com/in/movie/%E0%B2%B9%E0%B2%B2-%E0%B2%B9%E0%B2%AC%E0%B2%AC%E0%B2%B2/umc.cmc.3ljc1sk0ipym9bea86mtdflrk?l=kn)
## References
1. [Hebbuli, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/hebbuli)
2. [Kannada-English Etymological Dictionary, Research Institute for Languages and Cultures of Asia, Tokyo University of Foreign Studies](https://www.aa.tufs.ac.jp/~tjun/data/kandic/kannada-english_dictionary.pdf)
3. [Hebbuli on Moviebuff.com](https://www.moviebuff.com/hebbuli)
4. [10th BIFFES Festival Catalogue (2018), Bengaluru International Film Festival](https://biffes.org/frontend/images/widget/10th-Biffes-Festival-Catalogue-2018.pdf)
5. [Hebbuli – ಹೆಬ್ಬುಲಿ (2017), Kannada Movies Info](https://kannadamoviesinfo.wordpress.com/2017/02/22/hebbuli-2017/)
6. [Hebbuli frenzy begins today, The Times of India (23 February 2017)](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/kannada/movies/news/hebbuli-frenzy-begins-today/amp_articleshow/57291676.cms)
7. [Hebbuli movie review: Strictly for Sudeep fans, The Indian Express (23 February 2017)](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/movie-review/hebbuli-movie-review-strictly-for-sudeep-fans-4539829/)
8. [Watch Hebbuli Full HD Movie Online on ZEE5](https://www.zee5.com/movies/details/hebbuli/0-0-2682)
9. [Review: 'Hebbuli' is an action film by the book, tailor-made for Sudeep fans, The News Minute (23 February 2017)](https://www.thenewsminute.com/flix/review-hebbuli-action-film-book-tailor-made-sudeep-fans-57665)
10. [Hebbuli re-release: Advance booking for Kiccha Sudeep's revenge thriller is now open, OTTplay (31 July 2024)](https://www.ottplay.com/news/hebbuli-re-release-advance-booking-for-kiccha-sudeeps-revenge-thriller-is-now-open/b0c021be9e607)
11. [Hebbuli 2017, Filmibeat](https://www.filmibeat.com/kannada/movies/hebbuli.html)
12. [Hebbuli Review {4/5}, The Times of India (23 February 2017)](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/kannada/movie-reviews/hebbuli/movie-review/57309591.cms)
13. [Hebbuli review: Sudeep's grand command, The New Indian Express (24 February 2017)](https://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/kannada/2017/Feb/24/hebbuli-review-sudeeps-grand-command-1574273.html)
14. [Hebbuli movie review: Generic dose of action and revenge drama, Bangalore Mirror (23 February 2017)](https://bangaloremirror.indiatimes.com/entertainment/reviews/sundaranga-jaana-movie-review-generic-dose-of-action-and-revenge-drama/amp_articleshow/57317690.cms)
15. [Hebbuli Cut movie review, The Indian Express (4 July 2025)](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/movie-review/hebbuli-cut-movie-review-a-deeply-perspective-caste-allegory-disguised-as-teen-romance-10106427/lite/)
16. [Hasida Hebbuli – ಹಸಿದ ಹೆಬ್ಬುಲಿ (1983), Kannada Movies Info](https://kannadamoviesinfo.wordpress.com/2013/03/30/hasida-hebbuli-1983/)
17. [ಹುಲಿ ಹೆಬ್ಬುಲಿ, Apple TV](https://tv.apple.com/in/movie/%E0%B2%B9%E0%B2%B2-%E0%B2%B9%E0%B2%AC%E0%B2%AC%E0%B2%B2/umc.cmc.3ljc1sk0ipym9bea86mtdflrk?l=kn)
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*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) › Kannada films of the 2010s*
*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 25, 2026; Nov 1, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
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