Billa

“Billa” (2008), directed by Vishnuvardhan, is a stylish action thriller that takes place in the criminal underworld, with Ajith Kumar starring in an especially stylish double role opposite Nayanthara and Namitha. After a rival gang kills a powerful don, a cop uses his secret twin to infiltrate the gang and take them down from inside.


David Billa is an international mafia don based out of Malaysia, wanted by Interpol and hunted for nearly a decade by DSP Jayaprakash. In the midst of a police raid, Billa dies unexpectedly, and Jayaprakash conceals the death and buries him in silence. In order to complete the impossible mission, he locates Saravana Velu, a petty criminal who happens to match Billa’s appearance perfectly. Velu reluctantly agrees to impersonate Billa and infiltrate the gang in exchange for support for his adopted son Karan’s education. Jayaprakash trains Velu to mimic Billa, and soon Velu is inducted into the gang, feigning amnesia. Meanwhile, Velu begins to gather more data to track their crimes, not knowing that danger lurks in the form of Sasha, a member of Billa’s rival gang who wants revenge for her brother and fiancé, both murdered by Billa.


As Velu builds momentum and earns the gang’s trust, he attracts danger from all sides within the gang. In a charged, violent encounter, he inadvertently kills Billa’s girlfriend. C.J. During a celebratory shootout at a wedding, Jayaprakash is fatally shot and Velu is arrested but manages to escape. He then finds out that Interpol officer Gokulnath is none other than Jagadish, a corrupt officer and the actual traitor. Velu negotiates a deal with Officer Menon and agrees to provide him with the original pen drive that outlines the entire gang’s operations in full detail. In a dramatic climax, Velu faces off against Jagadish and kills him. Now his name cleared, Velu passes the evidence to Menon and is reunited with Sasha and Karan, putting his murky past behind.


What makes "Billa" different besides its aural and visual opulence, rapid-fire choreography, and cool factor on steroids? Ajith Kumar is amazing in both roles, making them both three-dimensional characters with strong juxtaposition between the feared don and kind-hearted Velu. The movie strikes a nice balance between high-octane action and quieter, emotional sequences.