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{{short description|2001 film by Saravana Subbiah}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2026}}
{{Use Indian English|date=May 2026}}
{{Infobox film
| image = Citizen 2001 poster.jpg
| caption = Theatrical release poster
| director = [[Saravana Subbiah]]
| writer = Saravana Subbiah<br />[[Balakumaran]] (dialogues)
| producer = [[S. S. Chakravarthy]]
| starring = {{plainlist|
*[[Ajith Kumar]]
*[[Meena (actress)|Meena]]
*[[Vasundhara Das]]
*[[Nagma]]
}}
| cinematography = [[Ravi K. Chandran]]<br />[[R. D. Rajasekhar]] <small>(one song)</small>
| editing = [[A. Sreekar Prasad]]
| music = [[Deva (composer)|Deva]]
| studio = NIC Arts
| released = {{film date|df=yes|2001|06|09}}
| runtime = 172 minutes
| country = India
| language = Tamil
}}

'''''Citizen''''' is a 2001 Indian [[Tamil language|Tamil]]-language [[Political fiction|political]] [[action film]] written and directed by [[Saravana Subbiah]] (in his debut) and produced by [[S. S. Chakravarthy]]. The film stars [[Ajith Kumar]] in dual roles with [[Meena (actress)|Meena]], [[Vasundhara Das]] and [[Nagma]] playing the lead actresses. The film's score and soundtrack were composed by [[Deva (composer)|Deva]], and cinematography was handled by [[Ravi K. Chandran]]. The film was released theatrically on 9 June 2001,<ref>{{Cite web |last=நவநீதகிருஷ்ணன் |first=பா ஸ்டாலின் |date=8 June 2021 |title=20 Years Of Citizen: அஜித்தை அல்டிமேட் ஸ்டாராக்கிய ‛சிட்டிசன்' ; விமர்சனங்களை உடைத்தெறிந்த சுப்பிரமணி! |trans-title=''Citizen'', the film that made Ajith the Ultimate Star; Subramani, who shattered criticisms! |url=https://tamil.abplive.com/entertainment/actor-ajith-in-citizen-movie-cross-20-years-5430 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20260505020541/https://tamil.abplive.com/entertainment/actor-ajith-in-citizen-movie-cross-20-years-5430 |archive-date=5 May 2026 |access-date=5 May 2026 |website=[[ABP Nadu]] |language=ta }}</ref> and became a commercial success.<ref>{{Cite web |author=S Saraswathi |date=5 February 2015 |title=Ajith's Top 10 Hits |url=https://m.rediff.com/movies/report/ajiths-top-10-hits-south/20150205.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210624220755/https://m.rediff.com/movies/report/ajiths-top-10-hits-south/20150205.htm |archive-date=24 June 2021 |access-date=22 June 2021 |work=[[Rediff.com]] |language=en}}</ref>

==Plot==
Abdullah runs a motorcycle workshop with a few workers. He also gives casual legal advice to the locals. A [[computer science]] student named Indhu develops a crush on him and tries to woo him, although Abdullah has nothing of it.

In a massive street protest by lawyers across the city, Abdullah, in an altered appearance, kidnaps judge Vedhachalam after introducing himself as 'Citizen'. Later on, Abdullah kidnaps [[District magistrate|collector]] Santhanam by posing as freedom fighter Sundaramoorthy. On both occasions, Abdullah mentions 'Attipatti', which left his victims speechless.

With these two high-profile kidnappings, the [[Central Bureau of Investigation|CBI]], which Senior Officer Sarojini Harichandran leads, handles the case. Sarojini finds out that both kidnap victims worked together in the [[Mayiladuthurai|Mayavaram]] division some years ago and were involved in a riot in Attipatti. However, a check with the Mayiladuthurai sub-collector's office and the [[Nagapattinam]] collector's office found no town or village named Attipatti existed. She visits the collector's office in [[Thanjavur]] and is shocked to discover that the hamlet, Attipatti, existed in records before 1973 but not in the years after. She becomes convinced that the kidnapper has a link to Attipatti.

Meanwhile, Abdullah becomes irritated with Indhu, who longs for his affection. He scolds her and says she doesn't know who he is or the pain he endures in his heart.

The CBI team tracks down a former local government employee, which Attipatti was under, and visits Father Louis at Lutheran Chapel. At the chapel, Sarojini and her team meet Father Kuriakose, who informs them that Father Louis died ten years ago but left a box to hand over to whoever comes to the church and asks about Attipatti. Sarojini and her team find hundreds of dead bodies buried near the coastal area where the location of Attipatti was and a tombstone bearing the names of all who perished. Sarojini concludes that Arivanandam and Anthony, the name of a boy baptised after the atrocity, are the same people, and her further investigation leads her to Abdullah, who escapes via a secret route. Sarojini discovers Citizen's operation room within the mosque. There, she discovers Citizen's next target is [[Director general of police|DGP]] Devasagayam. However, simultaneously, Citizen kidnapped the DGP. The CBI officers receive information that Citizen is hiding in Tada Forest and go after him. Indhu comes to meet Abdullah and reveals she already knew he was Citizen some time ago. The CBI officers arrive at the forest and finally arrest Citizen. In the trial, Citizen narrates what happened in his village, Attipatti.

In 1973, Attipatti was a village of 700 inhabitants surrounded by the sea. Therefore, it is often flooded by rising sea levels, causing deaths. The hamlet's [[Member of the Legislative Assembly (India)|MLA]] had promised to build a wall in exchange for votes but never constructed it. When the villagers, led by Citizen's father, Subramani, go to the collector's office to ask about its status, the collector sends them away, saying they cannot build a wall in that area as the number of people is too small. The villagers later found out that the district collector, the MLA, the DGP, and the judge had taken 150 million rupees allocated by the government to build the wall. After that, when the four visited Attipatti, the outraged villagers embarrassed them by forcing them to eat mouldy rice and pouring water over them. In response, the four officials vowed to make Attipatti disappear from the map. One night, they arrived at Attipatti with henchmen, caught all the villagers, tied them on a boat, tortured them, and pushed them to the sea, killing all except Arivanandam.

In the present, at the trial, Citizen explains he did not kidnap the MLA because he got punished after losing the election. With the judge, DGP, and district collector on the witness stand, Citizen tells the court that the death penalty or life imprisonment is lenient for them. He says corruption exists because government officers want to provide a luxurious life for their family members. Arivanandam suggests stripping the wealth and citizenship of the three and all their family members. The court amends the retribution suggested by Arivanandam. The film ends with the court releasing Citizen as innocent because he fought for the good of the country.

==Cast==

{{Cast listing|
* [[Ajith Kumar]] as
** Arivanandham / Anthony / Abdullah (Citizen)
** Subramaniam (Subramani), Citizen's father
* [[Meena (actress)|Meena]] as Sevali, Subramani's wife
* [[Vasundhara Das]] as Indhupriya
* [[Nagma]] as Sarojini Harichandran
* [[Pandiyan (actor)|Pandiyan]] as Rahim Bhai, Subramani's friend
* [[Rajesh (Tamil actor)|Rajesh]] as Judge Krishnan
* [[Nizhalgal Ravi]] as [[District magistrate|Collector]] B. Santhanam
* [[Vagai Chandrasekhar|Chandrasekhar]] as Church Father Louis
* [[Rajeev (Tamil actor)|Rajeev]] as Public Prosecutor
* [[Vinu Chakravarthy]] as Minister Idithaangi Vaithiyar
* [[Pandu (actor)|Pandu]] as Citizen's friend
* Mohan Natarajan as [[Judge]] Vedhachalam
* [[Devan (actor)|Devan]] as [[Director general of police|DGP]] Devasagayam [[Indian Police Service|IPS]]
* [[Cochin Haneefa|V. M. C. Haneefa]] as Manmadha Kutty
* [[Dr. Sharmila]] as Fathima, Rahim's wife
* [[Udayaraj|Master Udayaraj]] as young Arivanandham
* [[Ajay Rathnam]] as [[Assistant commissioner of police|ACP]] Krishnamoorthy [[Indian Police Service|IPS]]
* [[K. R. Vatsala]] as Devasakayam's wife
* [[Sethu Vinayagam]] as Minister
* [[Besant Ravi]] as Police Officer
* Rathan as Judge
* Sivakumar as Nair
* [[Kottachi]] as Mechanic
* [[Bonda Mani]]
* [[Saravana Subbiah]] (Guest Appearance)
* [[Kanal Kannan]] in a cameo appearance as comic rowdy
* [[Citizen Mani|Mani]] as Tea master (uncredited)<ref>{{Cite web |last=Siva |date=7 December 2022 |title=5 ரூபாவோடு சென்னைக்கு வந்து டீ கடைல வேல செஞ்சேன் – விவேக் வடிவேலுவுடன் நடித்த காமெடி நடிகரின் மறுபக்கம். |url=https://tamil.behindtalkies.com/citizen-mani-interview-about-ajith/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250222090256/https://tamil.behindtalkies.com/citizen-mani-interview-about-ajith/ |archive-date=22 February 2025 |access-date=12 June 2024 |website=Behind Talkies |language=ta}}</ref>
* [[Supergood Subramani]] as a butcher (uncredited)
}}

==Production==
''Citizen'' is the directorial debut of [[Saravana Subbiah]].<ref name="20years">{{Cite news |date=12 June 2021 |title=20 Years of Thala Ajith's Citizen: Five interesting facts about the film |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/news/20-years-of-thala-ajiths-citizen-five-interesting-facts-about-the-film/photostory/83435205.cms |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230925075219/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/news/20-years-of-thala-ajiths-citizen-five-interesting-facts-about-the-film/photostory/83435205.cms |archive-date=25 September 2023 |access-date=7 September 2024 |work=[[The Times of India]] |language=en}}</ref> [[Ajith Kumar]] put on weight for the film, which would feature him in nine roles, and he claimed that he was inspired by [[Kamal Haasan]]'s award-winning performances.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Qureshi |first=Nilufer |title=Meet the Southern sensation Ajith |url=http://downloads.movies.indiatimes.com/site/dec2000/ivw8.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131006164915/http://downloads.movies.indiatimes.com/site/dec2000/ivw8.html |archive-date=6 October 2013 |access-date=13 May 2013 |work=[[Filmfare]] |language=en}}</ref> [[Sameera Reddy]] was initially part of the cast but opted out due to conflicting commitments.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Kamath |first=Sudhish |author-link=Sudhish Kamath |date=21 March 2008 |title=Grill mill -- Sameera Reddy |url=http://www.hindu.com/cp/2008/03/21/stories/2008032150311600.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080324232135/http://www.hindu.com/cp/2008/03/21/stories/2008032150311600.htm |archive-date=24 March 2008 |work=[[The Hindu]] |language=en |access-date=20 March 2008 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=28 November 2000 |title=Ajith moving from Tamil? |url=http://www.tamilmovies.com/cgi-bin/news/archives.cgi?category=1&view=11-00 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081011030150/http://tamilmovies.com/cgi-bin/news/archives.cgi?category=1&view=11-00 |archive-date=11 October 2008 |access-date=24 October 2015 |work=Tamilmovies |language=en}}</ref> Subsequently, [[Vasundhara Das]], who had earlier appeared in ''[[Hey Ram]],'' was chosen to play the leading lady, while [[Nagma]] was selected to play a police officer.<ref>{{Cite web |date=16 November 2000 |title=Ajith's Citizen: A Movie To Talk About |url=http://ajithkumar.free.fr/derniere08.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120326190805/http://ajithkumar.free.fr/derniere08.htm |archive-date=26 March 2012 |access-date=13 May 2013 |website=ajithkumar.fr.fm |language=en}}</ref><ref name="birthday">{{Cite web |title=Ajith Celebrates His Birthday |url=http://ajithkumar.free.fr/derniere07.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120326191018/http://ajithkumar.free.fr/derniere07.htm |archive-date=26 March 2012 |access-date=13 May 2013 |website=ajithkumar.fr.fm |language=en}}</ref> A special feature on the making of the film was broadcast by [[Sun TV (India)|Sun TV]] in May 2001.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Rao |first=Thara Mohan |date=10 May 2001 |title=Fiesta for film buffs |url=http://hindu.com/2001/05/10/stories/09100462.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120913054229/http://hindu.com/2001/05/10/stories/09100462.htm |archive-date=13 September 2012 |access-date=5 May 2026 |website=[[The Hindu]] |language=en}}</ref> Dubbing for Nagma was provided by actress Anuradha.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Director's dilemma |url=http://cinematoday2.itgo.com/HOTNEWS-%2011072001.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120324015129/http://cinematoday2.itgo.com/HOTNEWS-%2011072001.htm |archive-date=24 March 2012 |access-date=13 May 2013 |website=Cinematoday2.itgo.com |language=en}}</ref> [[Gemini Ganesan]] was also initially meant to play a role in the film, but his character was later altered in the script and replaced by [[Pandiyan (actor)|Pandiyan]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=21 July 2000 |title=Ajit backs off Nanda |url=http://www.rediff.com/movies/2000/jul/21spice.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130516053658/http://www.rediff.com/movies/2000/jul/21spice.htm |archive-date=16 May 2013 |access-date=21 October 2015 |website=[[Rediff.com]] |language=en}}</ref>

After 2 months of pre-production, shooting started on 28 December 2000 with Ajith and Vasundhara Das, after the former completed the shooting for his previous film [[Dheena]], which was also released in January 2001 during the [[Pongal (festival)|Pongal]] festival, with [[Ravi K. Chandran]] as cinematographer who had replaced [[P. C. Sriram]] in the project.<ref>{{Cite web |date=1 May 2001 |title=Citizen |url=http://cinematoday2.itgo.com/Citizen.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120324015320/http://cinematoday2.itgo.com/Citizen.htm |archive-date=24 March 2012 |access-date=13 May 2013 |website=Cinematoday2.itgo.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last1=Kamath |first1=Sudhish |author-link=Sudhish Kamath |last2=Kannan |first2=Ramya |last3=Kumar |first3=S.Shiva |date=29 December 2000 |title=Talk of the town |url=http://www.hindu.com/2000/12/29/stories/0429401w.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121110143145/http://www.hindu.com/2000/12/29/stories/0429401w.htm |archive-date=10 November 2012 |access-date=13 May 2013 |work=[[The Hindu]] |language=en}}</ref> The location for the Athipatty scenes was an island situated on the outskirts of Chennai, and it took three hours for the team to travel from the city and then by boat to get there.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Prasad |first=Ayyappa |date=13 January 2001 |title=Kamal Hassan inspired me – Ajith |url=http://www.indianexpress.com/Storyold/168736/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231005031032/https://indianexpress.com/article/news-archive/kamal-hassan-inspired-me-ajith-3/ |archive-date=5 October 2023 |access-date=13 May 2013 |website=[[The Indian Express]] |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Kumar |first=N. Ravi |date=9 March 2001 |title=Placid isle makes waves |url=http://hindu.com/2001/03/09/stories/0909022j.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121005005610/http://hindu.com/2001/03/09/stories/0909022j.htm |archive-date=5 October 2012 |access-date=13 May 2013 |work=[[The Hindu]] |language=en}}</ref> A scene filmed at Rajaji Hall featured five thousand of Ajith's fans as extras.<ref name="birthday" /> A song in the film was shot in Australia in March 2001, delaying the proposed release date of 1 May.<ref>{{Cite web |date=29 May 2001 |title=My wife is the source of my success |url=http://ajithkumar.free.fr/filmographie/inter21.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140505215113/http://ajithkumar.free.fr/filmographie/inter21.htm |archive-date=5 May 2014 |access-date=13 May 2013 |website=[[Dinakaran]] |language=en |via=ajithkumar.fr.fm}}</ref>

==Soundtrack==
The music was composed by [[Deva (composer)|Deva]] and all lyrics were penned by [[Vairamuthu]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=CITIZEN / BADHRI – Imported Deva Tamil Audio Cd |url=https://www.audiocdworld.com/product/citizen-badhri-imported-deva-tamil-audio-cd/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260116054401/https://www.audiocdworld.com/product/citizen-badhri-imported-deva-tamil-audio-cd/ |archive-date=16 January 2026 |access-date=5 May 2026 |website=Audio CDs World |language=ta}}</ref> The song "I Like You" is based on "[[I Feel Lonely]]" by German singer [[Sasha (German singer)|Sasha]],<ref>{{Cite web |last=S |first=Karthik |author-link=Karthik Srinivasan |title=Deva [Tamil] |url=https://www.itwofs.com/tamil-deva.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251115124538/http://itwofs.com/tamil-deva.html |archive-date=15 November 2025 |access-date=5 May 2026 |website=[[ItwoFS]] |language=en}}</ref> and parts of "Pookara Pookara" were taken from "[[Take a Chance on Me]]" by the Swedish group [[ABBA]].<ref name="20years" /> A Swamy of ''Indiainfo'' wrote, "This Ajith starrer has some good foot beating notes but sadly they are all lifts and blatant".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Swamy |first=A |title=Citizen not bad! |url=http://movies.indiainfo.com/tamil/audio/index.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020203015741/http://movies.indiainfo.com/tamil/audio/index.html |archive-date=3 February 2002 |access-date=7 September 2024 |website=Indiainfo.com |language=en}}</ref>

{{Track listing
| headline = Track listing
| extra_column = Singer(s)
| total_length = 39:17
| title1 = Australia Desam
| extra1 = [[Hariharan (singer)|Hariharan]], [[Harini (singer)|Harini]]
| length1 = 6:46
| title2 = Merkey Vidhaitha
| extra2 = [[Tippu (singer)|Tippu]]
| length2 = 6:13
| title3 = Pookara Pookara
| extra3 = [[Shankar Mahadevan]], [[Vasundhara Das]]
| length3 = 6:20
| title4 = Chikkimukki Kallu
| extra4 = Shankar Mahadevan, [[Sadhana Sargam]]
| length4 = 6:51
| title5 = I Like You
| extra5 = Vasundhara Das
| length5 = 6:53
| title6 = Merkey Vidhaitha Sooriyaney
| extra6 = Shankar Mahadevan
| length6 = 6:13
}}

==Reception==
Malathi Rangarajan from ''[[The Hindu]]'' labelled ''Citizen'' a "definite milestone in Ajit's acting career".<ref>{{Cite news |last=Rangarajan |first=Malathi |date=15 June 2001 |title=Film Review: Citizen |url=https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-miscellaneous/tp-others/film-review-citizen/article27940190.ece |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191231054922/https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-miscellaneous/tp-others/film-review-citizen/article27940190.ece |archive-date=31 December 2019 |access-date=3 May 2026 |work=[[The Hindu]] |language=en}}</ref> Visual Dasan of ''[[Kalki (magazine)|Kalki]]'' wrote that Ajith's dream of trying out makeup techniques has come true but the director's celluloid dream is not valid due to weak screenplay and tense direction.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=தாசன் |first=விஷுவல் |date=24 June 2001 |title=சிட்டிசன் |url=https://archive.org/details/kalki2001-06-24/page/84/mode/2up |access-date=23 April 2022 |magazine=[[Kalki (magazine)|Kalki]] |pages=85–86 |language=ta |via=[[Internet Archive]]}}</ref> The film was dubbed in Telugu under the same title and released on 28 December 2001. Reviewing this version, Gudipoodi Srihari of ''The Hindu'' wrote, "A well-made film, thanks to director Subbaih, its Tamil original was a big hit. The Telugu dubbing is equally interesting, supported by good dialogues".<ref>{{Cite news |last=Srihari |first=Gudipoodi |date=28 December 2001 |title=Citizen |url=http://www.idlebrain.com/movie/archive/mrg-citizen.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120308174810/http://idlebrain.com/movie/archive/mrg-citizen.html |archive-date=8 March 2012 |access-date=13 May 2013 |work=[[The Hindu]] |via=[[Idlebrain.com]]}}</ref>

The actor and director began to work on another project titled ''Itihasam'', written by [[Sujatha (writer)|Sujatha]] and focusing on caste issues, but the film was shelved.<ref>{{Cite web |date=3 April 2002 |title=Next |url=http://www.tamilguardian.com/tg155/culture.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131022213751/http://www.tamilguardian.com/tg155/culture.htm |archive-date=22 October 2013 |access-date=13 May 2013 |website=[[Tamil Guardian]] |language=en}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

== External links ==
* {{IMDb title}}
* {{Rotten Tomatoes}}

[[Category:2000s political action films]]
[[Category:2000s vigilante films]]
[[Category:2001 action films]]
[[Category:2001 directorial debut films]]
[[Category:2001 films]]
[[Category:2001 Indian films]]
[[Category:2001 Tamil-language films]]
[[Category:Central Bureau of Investigation in fiction]]
[[Category:Films about mass murder]]
[[Category:Films about social issues in India]]
[[Category:Films about the caste system in India]]
[[Category:Films directed by Saravana Subbiah]]
[[Category:Films produced by S. S. Chakravarthy]]
[[Category:Films scored by Deva (composer)]]
[[Category:Films set in Tamil Nadu]]
[[Category:Films shot in Australia]]
[[Category:Indian Army in films]]
[[Category:Indian courtroom films]]
[[Category:Indian films about revenge]]
[[Category:Indian nonlinear narrative films]]
[[Category:Indian political action films]]
[[Category:Indian vigilante films]]
[[Category:Tamil-language action films]]
[[Category:Tamil-language Indian films]]
[[Category:Tamil-language political films]]

Citizen 2001 film - Revision history

BharatpediaContributor at 02:53, 5 May 2026