Pattham Pasali(1970)
'Pattham Pasali' (1970) is a Tamil-language comedy-drama film written and directed by K. Balachander. It stars Gemini Ganesan, Nagesh, and Rajasree in lead roles. The story follows Pasali, a kind-hearted farmer who trusts everyone, leading greedy villagers to cheat him out of his land and home. His family suffers as a result, but Pasali eventually learns to combine his innocence with wisdom. The film is a remake of Balachander's own 1969 Telugu film 'Sattekalapu Satteya'. It was produced by Alangudi Somu under the banner Alangudi Movies, with cinematography by Nemai Ghosh and editing by N. R. Kittu. The soundtrack was composed by V. Kumar with lyrics by Alangudi Somu. Despite a mixed critical reception and commercial failure, the film remains notable for its emotional portrayal of innocence and betrayal. It was released on 11 April 1970.
Quick Facts
- Theatrical Release
- 31 December 1970
- Director
- K. Balachander
- Language
- Tamil
- Rating
- 7.5/10
Storyline
A simple farmer named Pasali trusts everyone he meets. Greedy villagers trick him into signing away his land and home. His family is left homeless and broken. Pasali must learn to be wise while staying kind to win back everything he lost.
“Innocence can be a trap.”
Film Details
Parental Guide
Vibe & Tags
Cast & Crew
Reunion Meter
Frequent partnerships reunited for Pattham Pasali
Cast reunions in this film: K. Balachander & Nagesh (19 films together), Nagesh & V. Kumar (14 films together), Nagesh & Rajasree (10 films together), K. Balachander & V. Kumar (9 films together), Nagesh & Vijaya Lalitha (7 films together), and K. Balachander & Rajasree (3 films together).
Trivia
- The film's title 'Patham Pasali' refers to a type of coin, symbolising the story's themes of money and value.
- This was one of the few films where comedian Nagesh played a serious, non-comedic lead role.
- Director K. Balachander originally wrote the story for a stage play before adapting it for cinema.
- The film features music by V. Kumar, who was a relatively lesser-known composer compared to his contemporaries.
- Actress Vijayalalitha, who plays a key role, was also a trained Bharatanatyam dancer.
- The movie is noted for its realistic portrayal of middle-class family conflicts, a hallmark of Balachander's work.
- It was produced and released under the banner of Chitralaya, the production company of director-actor Gemini Ganesan.