Rishi 2001

Rishi R. Sarathkumar is a tough, suave, professional criminal who serves as the right-hand to Sathya, the underworld kingpin. During a mission, he witnesses Minister Devaraj Devan kill Hema, a TV reporter who is about to expose him. Before dying, Hema hands a floppy to Rishi. Devaraj wants that floppy back.

Complications arise when Velu R. Sarathkumar, who looks like Rishi, enters the picture. Velu is the opposite of Rishi: simple-minded, easygoing, and working for a moneylender. The “seth” lends money for buying cars, and Velu, with his friend Cheenu Ramesh Khanna, persuades errant customers to either repay dues or part with their cars.

Complications arise when the paths of the duo cross, for Rishi and Velu are lookalikes. Only Indu Meena, a salesgirl, seems to have some family to speak of.

The narration moves forward with Rishi and Velu leading their own lives, then their paths cross. One is mistaken for the other, and complications arise. The underworld guns for Velu.

Meanwhile, Rishi turns over a new leaf when one of his tasks ends up in a singer and dancer named Nandhini Sanghavi being blinded. He saves her life, finances for her eye operation, and turns her protector, knowing fully well that she could identify him and the rest of the gang. He even parts ways with Sathya on the issue, but his is unwilling to let him go. Indu, who becomes Velu’s girlfriend, sees Rishi with Nandhini and misunderstands Velu for his duplicity.

Velu is puzzled when he is attacked by a gang who demands the floppy from him. When Indu accuses him of having an affair with Nandhini she sees him in the hospital, Velu visits the hospital and encounters Rishi. The duo strikes a good rapport. The puzzle pieces fall in place. Devaraj, realising that his ministerial position is shaky, kidnaps Nandhini, with Sathya’s help and blackmails Rishi to kill the Chief Minister, but Velu goes in his place. The scene where he tries to warn the security personnel about the assassination attempt, only to find that they too are part of the conspiracy is taken straight from a Die Hard 2.

The movie ends rather abruptly, with Velu being shot, the Chief Minister’s life being saved by Rishi and Devaraj getting arrested.