Panakkaari () is a 1953 Indian Tamil-language drama film directed by K. S. Gopalakrishnan. Starring T. R. Rajakumari, M. G. Ramachandran and V. Nagayya, it is an adaptation of the 1877 novel Anna Karenina by Russian writer Leo Tolstoy.
Cast
List adapted from the database of Film News Anandan
Male cast
M. G. Ramachandran
V. Nagayya
Javert Seetharaman
C. V. V. Panthulu
T. S. Durairaj
K. A. Thangavelu
Female cast
T. R. Rajakumari
(Yogam)-Mangalam
K. R. Chellam
T. S. Jaya
Production
Panakkaari was based on Russian writer Leo Tolstoy's novel Anna Karenina. It was directed by K. S. Gopalakrishnan under the technical supervision of Newtone Studio founder Jiten Bannerjee.
Soundtrack
The music of the film was composed by S. V. Venkatraman, with lyrics by Papanasam Sivan, Thanjai Ramaiah Das, Lakshmana Das and Kuyilan.
Release and reception
Panakkaari was released on 1 May 1953. According to film historian Randor Guy, the film failed at the box office "mainly because of its ‘anti-sentimental’ storyline". During the same period, another film, Pitchaikkari, became a major commercial success; people in Madras would often joke, "Those who bought Panakkari became pitchaikkaarans (beggars), while buyers of Pitchaikkari became panakkarans (rich men)!"