Pokkiri Raja(1982)
Pokkiri Raja is a 1982 Indian Tamil-language action comedy film directed by S. P. Muthuraman. It stars Rajinikanth in a dual role as Ramesh and Raja, alongside Sridevi and Radhika. The story follows an honest office manager who is framed for murder and meets his lookalike in prison. Together, they devise a plan to expose the real killers. The film is a remake of the Telugu film Chuttalunnaru Jagratha (1980). It was a commercial success, running for over 100 days in theatres. The film helped establish Rajinikanth as a full-fledged action hero. It was released on 14 January 1982, on Pongal day.
Quick Facts
- Streaming on
- Amazon Prime Video, YouTube
- Theatrical Release
- 14 January 1982
- Director
- S. P. Muthuraman
- Language
- Tamil
- Runtime
- 2h 18m
- Rating
- 6.5/10
Storyline
Ramesh is a hardworking manager who is framed for the murder of his boss. In prison, he meets a petty thief who looks exactly like him. They switch places to find the real killers. Can Ramesh clear his name before time runs out?
“Two faces. One mission. Double the action.”
Film Details
Parental Guide
Where to Watch
Vibe & Tags
Cast & Crew
Reunion Meter
Frequent partnerships reunited for Pokkiri Raja
Cast reunions in this film: M. S. Viswanathan & R. Muthuraman (65 films together), M. S. Viswanathan & Manorama (63 films together), Rajinikanth & S. P. Muthuraman (23 films together), Rajinikanth & M. S. Viswanathan (20 films together), Rajinikanth & Manorama (17 films together), and Manorama & R. Muthuraman (17 films together).
Trivia
- This was the first Tamil film to feature actor Prabhu in a lead role, launching his career.
- The movie's title was inspired by a popular Tamil slang term for a rowdy or troublemaker.
- It was one of the few films where veteran actor Sivakumar played a supporting role to a newcomer.
- A song from the film, 'Oru Koottil', became a hit and was reused in later Tamil movies.
- Director S.P. Muthuraman and music composer Ilaiyaraaja collaborated on over 30 films, including this one.
- The film's plot of a framed murder in a business setting was uncommon for Tamil cinema at the time.