# Veerappan (2016 film)
**Veerappan** (वीरप्पन) is a 2016 Indian Hindi-language docudrama thriller written and directed by [Ram Gopal Varma](https://www.edgepedia.org/ram-gopal-varma), based on the manhunt that ended with the killing of the sandalwood smuggler Koose Muniswamy Veerappan by a police Special Task Force in 2004.[1](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/research-for-veerappan-took-15-years-ram-gopal-varma-2784425/) It is a Hindi remake of Varma's own Kannada film *Killing Veerappan*, released earlier the same year, and Varma stated that the Hindi version was completely redone rather than dubbed.[1](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/research-for-veerappan-took-15-years-ram-gopal-varma-2784425/) The film released in India on 27 May 2016.[2](https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movie/killing-veerappan/cast/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Director and writers | Ram Gopal Varma; writers Sharath Vijai Bogapathi, Jai Priyadarshi, and R.D. Tailang[3](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5632164/fullcredits/) |
| Release | 27 May 2016 (India)[2](https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movie/killing-veerappan/cast/) |
| Principal cast | Sandeep Bharadwaj as Veerappan, Sachiin Joshi as the STF officer Kannan, Usha Jadhav as Muthulakshmi, Lisa Ray as Priya[2](https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movie/killing-veerappan/cast/) |
| Subject | The events leading to Operation Cocoon, the operation in which Veerappan was killed on 18 October 2004[4](https://in.bookmyshow.com/movies/ncr/veerappan-/ET00041058) |
| Production | Viiking Media and Entertainment; producers B.V. Manjunath and Raina Sachiin Joshi[2](https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movie/killing-veerappan/cast/) |
| Box office | $1,234,745 worldwide, all from international markets[5](https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt5632164/credits/) |
| Audience rating | 5.3/10 on IMDb (about 978 votes)[6](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5632164) |
## Spoilers
### Plot and subject
The film dramatizes the pursuit of [Veerappan](https://www.edgepedia.org/veerappan), the bandit and smuggler who operated for decades in the forests on the Karnataka–[Tamil Nadu](https://www.edgepedia.org/tamil-nadu) border and was killed by the Special Task Force (STF) during [Operation Cocoon](https://www.edgepedia.org/operation-cocoon) on the night of 18 October 2004.[4](https://in.bookmyshow.com/movies/ncr/veerappan-/ET00041058) • [7](https://www.newindianexpress.com/amp/story/entertainment/kannada/2016/Jan/06/how-did-the-brigand-fall-865110.html) The story is told largely from the police side: officer Kannan, described as a non-conformist willing to flout rules to capture Veerappan, assembles a network of spies and undercover operatives.[4](https://in.bookmyshow.com/movies/ncr/veerappan-/ET00041058) • [8](https://www.netflix.com/in/title/80201822) A central device is the infiltration of Veerappan's household: Priya, the widow of a police officer killed by the bandit, is hired to befriend Muthulakshmi, Veerappan's wife, so the STF can get closer to him and lure him out of the forest.[4](https://in.bookmyshow.com/movies/ncr/veerappan-/ET00041058) • [9](https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/reviews/story/veerappan-movie-review-ram-gopal-varma-325838-2016-05-27)
The narrative is presented in docudrama style and opens with a quotation attributed in the film to Voltaire, "A society gets the criminal it deserves"; the critic Raja Sen pointed out that the line actually derives from the novelist [Val McDermid](https://www.edgepedia.org/val-mcdermid)'s riff on [Joseph de Maistre](https://www.edgepedia.org/joseph-de-maistre).[10](https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/magazines/panache/veerappan-review-brilliant-camerawork-but-mediocre-otherwise/articleshow/52463610.cms) • [11](https://www.rediff.com/movies/review/review-veerappan-ends-up-an-exhausting-watch/20160527.htm) One review notes the film's narration runs from 5 April 2004 to Veerappan's death on 18 October 2004.[10](https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/magazines/panache/veerappan-review-brilliant-camerawork-but-mediocre-otherwise/articleshow/52463610.cms)
## Production
**Long-gestating research.** Varma said he had been fascinated by Veerappan since the mid-1990s, when a reward was announced for his capture, and that he carried out research of almost 15 years, speaking to Veerappan's wife and to the police who hunted him.[1](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/research-for-veerappan-took-15-years-ram-gopal-varma-2784425/) • [12](https://www.hindustantimes.com/bollywood/i-take-sex-very-seriously-ram-gopal-varma/story-SEP69POupm7jbU9NykQTFK_amp.html) In the early 2000s he had planned a bounty-hunting film called *Let's Catch Veerappan*, which was shelved when Veerappan was killed.[12](https://www.hindustantimes.com/bollywood/i-take-sex-very-seriously-ram-gopal-varma/story-SEP69POupm7jbU9NykQTFK_amp.html)
**Casting.** Theatre actor Sandeep Bharadwaj, a [National School of Drama](https://www.edgepedia.org/national-school-of-drama) graduate, plays the title role and reprised it from *Killing Veerappan*; Varma said people complimented the resemblance, saying it seemed the real Veerappan had come back.[1](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/research-for-veerappan-took-15-years-ram-gopal-varma-2784425/) • [13](https://scroll.in/reel/801122/making-a-movie-about-veerappan-keep-a-lawyer-on-the-sets) [Zareen Khan](https://www.edgepedia.org/zareen-khan) appears as a dancer in the "Khallas" item number.[14](https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/veerappan)
**Legal disputes.** The Kannada predecessor *Killing Veerappan* faced several petitions challenging its version of events and opened on 1 January 2016 after a two-month delay; Veerappan's widow [Muthulakshmi](https://www.edgepedia.org/muthulakshmi) obtained a stay on a scheduled November 2015 release from a Bengaluru civil court, claiming the film misrepresented her and violated a contract, and later withdrew the petition after an out-of-court settlement.[13](https://scroll.in/reel/801122/making-a-movie-about-veerappan-keep-a-lawyer-on-the-sets) The film's depiction of the STF killing people, including a former police officer who helped bring Veerappan out of the forest, was dismissed by the real-life STF chief [K. Vijay Kumar](https://www.edgepedia.org/k-vijay-kumar) as the director's "wild imagination".[7](https://www.newindianexpress.com/amp/story/entertainment/kannada/2016/Jan/06/how-did-the-brigand-fall-865110.html)
## Release and reception
The theatrical trailer was released on 18 April 2016.[15](https://thereviewmonk.com/movie/veerappan/) The film was certified A (adults only) by the CBFC.[16](https://play.google.com/store/movies/details/Veerappan?hl=en_US&id=SxsVnFrKqEA) Reported runtimes differ across platforms: 2 hours 5 minutes on IMDb and [Box Office Mojo](https://www.edgepedia.org/box-office-mojo), 2 hours 15 minutes on Rotten Tomatoes, 1 hour 57 minutes on Apple TV, and 117 or 125 minutes on [Google Play](https://www.edgepedia.org/google-play) and FilmiBeat.[6](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5632164) • [17](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/veerappan) • [18](https://tv.apple.com/us/movie/veerappan/umc.cmc.3c5v0hb81ldns95z10ga79i9e) • [16](https://play.google.com/store/movies/details/Veerappan?hl=en_US&id=SxsVnFrKqEA) • [19](https://www.filmibeat.com/bollywood/movies/veerappan/ott.html)
**Critical response** was largely negative to mixed, with most reviewers finding it a disappointment relative to Varma's earlier work.[15](https://thereviewmonk.com/movie/veerappan/) Recurring criticisms targeted the loud background score by John Stewart Eduri and Sachiin Joshi's lead performance, while Sandeep Bharadwaj's portrayal and Aniket Khandagale's cinematography drew praise.[9](https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/reviews/story/veerappan-movie-review-ram-gopal-varma-325838-2016-05-27) • [20](https://www.livemint.com/Leisure/2RNIVLqILZK6TcSws82kaK/Film-Review-Veerappan.html) Rajeev Masand wrote that Varma "takes frequent liberties with the truth" and complained of "shattered eardrums from the incessant background music"; Raja Sen called the film exhausting and let down by its writing.[15](https://thereviewmonk.com/movie/veerappan/) • [11](https://www.rediff.com/movies/review/review-veerappan-ends-up-an-exhausting-watch/20160527.htm) Namrata Joshi of *The Hindu* found the film watchable chiefly for Usha Jadhav's performance as Muthulakshmi.[15](https://thereviewmonk.com/movie/veerappan/) The trade magazine Film Information called it "an ordinary fare" expected to do well mainly in single-screen cinemas that favor action films.[21](https://filminformation.com/reviews/veerappan/)
The film earned $1,234,745 worldwide, all of it from international markets according to Box Office Mojo.[5](https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt5632164/credits/) It later streamed on Netflix (added 15 October 2017, removed 15 October 2020 in the UK) and is available to rent or buy on Amazon Video and Apple TV.[22](https://uk.newonnetflix.info/info/80201822) • [14](https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/veerappan)
## Relation to other Veerappan films
Veerappan's life has been filmed repeatedly. *Killing Veerappan*, the Kannada–Telugu predecessor starring Shivarajkumar as the police officer, received a 4/5 critic rating from *The Times of India* and a 7.0 user rating on [JustWatch](https://www.edgepedia.org/justwatch), higher than the Hindi version's 5.3.[23](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/kannada/movie-reviews/Killing-Veerappan/movie-review/50423613.cms) • [24](https://www.justwatch.com/in/movie/killing-veerappan) AMR Ramesh's *Vana Yuddham* (Attahasa, 2013) went by the official version of Veerappan's death and was cleared by the [Madras High Court](https://www.edgepedia.org/madras-high-court) after objections from Muthulakshmi.[7](https://www.newindianexpress.com/amp/story/entertainment/kannada/2016/Jan/06/how-did-the-brigand-fall-865110.html) • [25](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/news/film-on-veerappan-cleared-by-court/articleshow/18301989.cms) Varma had earlier touched on the Veerappan myth in *[Jungle](https://www.edgepedia.org/jungle-2000-film)* (2000), though he denied its villain was inspired by the bandit.[13](https://scroll.in/reel/801122/making-a-movie-about-veerappan-keep-a-lawyer-on-the-sets) • [1](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/research-for-veerappan-took-15-years-ram-gopal-varma-2784425/)
## References
1. [Research for 'Veerappan' took 15 years: Ram Gopal Varma, The Indian Express (4 May 2016)](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/research-for-veerappan-took-15-years-ram-gopal-varma-2784425/)
2. [Veerappan Cast & Crew, Bollywood Hungama](https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movie/killing-veerappan/cast/)
3. [Veerappan (2016) Full cast & crew, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5632164/fullcredits/)
4. [Veerappan, BookMyShow](https://in.bookmyshow.com/movies/ncr/veerappan-/ET00041058)
5. [Veerappan (2016), Box Office Mojo](https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt5632164/credits/)
6. [Veerappan (2016), IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5632164)
7. [How did the Brigand FALL?, The New Indian Express (6 January 2016)](https://www.newindianexpress.com/amp/story/entertainment/kannada/2016/Jan/06/how-did-the-brigand-fall-865110.html)
8. [Veerappan, Netflix](https://www.netflix.com/in/title/80201822)
9. [Veerappan movie review, India Today (27 May 2016)](https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/reviews/story/veerappan-movie-review-ram-gopal-varma-325838-2016-05-27)
10. ['Veerappan' review: Brilliant camerawork but mediocre otherwise, The Economic Times (27 May 2016)](https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/magazines/panache/veerappan-review-brilliant-camerawork-but-mediocre-otherwise/articleshow/52463610.cms)
11. [Review: Veerappan ends up an exhausting watch, Rediff.com (27 May 2016)](https://www.rediff.com/movies/review/review-veerappan-ends-up-an-exhausting-watch/20160527.htm)
12. [I take sex very seriously: Ram Gopal Varma, Hindustan Times (25 April 2016)](https://www.hindustantimes.com/bollywood/i-take-sex-very-seriously-ram-gopal-varma/story-SEP69POupm7jbU9NykQTFK_amp.html)
13. [Making a movie about Veerappan? Keep a lawyer on the sets, Scroll.in (31 December 2015)](https://scroll.in/reel/801122/making-a-movie-about-veerappan-keep-a-lawyer-on-the-sets)
14. [Veerappan streaming, JustWatch](https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/veerappan)
15. [Veerappan (2016) Critic Reviews, TheReviewMonk](https://thereviewmonk.com/movie/veerappan/)
16. [Veerappan, Google Play Movies](https://play.google.com/store/movies/details/Veerappan?hl=en_US&id=SxsVnFrKqEA)
17. [Veerappan, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/veerappan)
18. [Veerappan, Apple TV](https://tv.apple.com/us/movie/veerappan/umc.cmc.3c5v0hb81ldns95z10ga79i9e)
19. [Veerappan OTT Release, FilmiBeat](https://www.filmibeat.com/bollywood/movies/veerappan/ott.html)
20. [Film Review: Veerappan, Mint (27 May 2016)](https://www.livemint.com/Leisure/2RNIVLqILZK6TcSws82kaK/Film-Review-Veerappan.html)
21. [VEERAPPAN review, Film Information (Komal Nahta)](https://filminformation.com/reviews/veerappan/)
22. [Is 'Veerappan' on Netflix UK?, New On Netflix UK](https://uk.newonnetflix.info/info/80201822)
23. [Killing Veerappan Movie Review, The Times of India](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/kannada/movie-reviews/Killing-Veerappan/movie-review/50423613.cms)
24. [Killing Veerappan streaming, JustWatch India](https://www.justwatch.com/in/movie/killing-veerappan)
25. [Film on Veerappan cleared by court, The Times of India (2 February 2013)](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/news/film-on-veerappan-cleared-by-court/articleshow/18301989.cms)
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