Gentleman (2016 film)

Gentleman, also referred to as Nani Gentleman, is a 2016 Telugu-language romantic thriller from India. The film was directed by Mohan Krishna Indraganti, who co-wrote the screenplay with R. David Nathan. Sivalenka Krishna Prasad produced it under his Sridevi Movies banner. The cast features Nani in a double role, with Nivetha Thomas, Surbhi, Tanikella Bharani, Srinivas Avasarala, and Vennela Kishore in supporting parts.

The plot centers on two women, Aishwarya and Catherine. Their respective partners, Jayaram (called Jai) and Gautham, happen to be identical in appearance. After Gautham dies in an accident, Catherine begins to suspect Jai had a hand in it. She decides to spy on him, and this investigation reveals hidden truths about Jai and those around him, including Gautham.

This project marked Prasad’s return to film production after an eight-year break. P. G. Vinda handled cinematography, Mani Sharma composed the music and score, and Marthand K. Venkatesh edited the film. Principal photography started in November 2015 and wrapped up in April 2016. Most of the movie was shot in and around Hyderabad, with one schedule taking place in Kodaikanal.

Made on a budget of ₹15 crore, Gentleman hit theaters on 17 June 2016, playing on 700 screens worldwide. At the time, it was the third-largest South Indian film release in the United States in terms of screen count. Critics and audiences gave it positive reviews, and it became a commercial success. The film earned ₹32.6 crore globally, with a distributor share of ₹16.3 crore. Nivetha Thomas won the SIIMA Award for Best Female Debut (Telugu) at the 6th South Indian International Movie Awards for her performance. The movie was later remade in Bengali as Villain (2018) and in Odia as Blackmail (2018).