Rickshawkaran(1971)
Rickshawkaran is a 1971 Indian Tamil-language vigilante film directed by M. Krishnan and produced by R. M. Veerappan. The film stars M. G. Ramachandran, Padmini, and Manjula in lead roles. The story follows Selvam, a rickshaw puller who witnesses a murder and uncovers a human trafficking conspiracy. The film explores themes of justice, corruption, and the dignity of labor. M. G. Ramachandran won the National Film Award for Best Actor for his performance, becoming the first South Indian actor to achieve this honor. The film was a major commercial success with a theatrical run of over 100 days. It was released on 29 May 1971.
Quick Facts
- Theatrical Release
- 29 May 1971
- Director
- M. Krishnan Nair
- Language
- Tamil
- Runtime
- 2h 30m
- Rating
- 7.6/10
Storyline
A rickshaw puller named Selvam witnesses a brutal murder. The killer is a powerful criminal who traffics women. Selvam decides to fight for justice and protect a young college student from being kidnapped. He must overcome corrupt officials and dangerous gangsters to expose the truth.
“One man's fight against a city of evil”
Film Details
Parental Guide
Vibe & Tags
Cast & Crew
Reunion Meter
Frequent partnerships reunited for Rickshawkaran
Cast reunions in this film: M. S. Viswanathan & Thengai Srinivasan (57 films together), M. S. Viswanathan & Major Sundarrajan (54 films together), M. S. Viswanathan & M. G. Ramachandran (37 films together), Thengai Srinivasan & Major Sundarrajan (32 films together), Manjula Vijayakumar & M. S. Viswanathan (17 films together), and M. G. Ramachandran & Thengai Srinivasan (12 films together).
Trivia
- The film was a remake of the 1970 Malayalam movie 'Rickshawkaran', which also starred Prem Nazir in the lead role.
- This was one of the few Tamil films directed by the noted Malayalam director M. Krishnan Nair.
- The movie's plot about a rickshaw puller fighting corruption was considered a social drama for its time.
- Actor Muthuraman, known for his comic roles, played a more serious character as the lawyer in this film.
- The film featured music by the popular composer M.S. Viswanathan, with lyrics by Kannadasan.
- It was part of a trend in early 1970s Tamil cinema adapting successful stories from other South Indian languages.
- The title refers to the protagonist's profession, highlighting the working-class hero theme common in that era.
