Panchathanthiram(2002)
Panchathanthiram is a 2002 Indian Tamil-language comedy film directed by K. S. Ravikumar. The film stars Kamal Haasan, Jayaram, Ramesh Aravind, Sriman, Yugi Sethu, Simran, and Ramya Krishnan. The story follows Ram, a pilot whose marriage collapses after a misunderstanding at his wedding reception. His four friends arrange a night with a prostitute to cheer him up, but the plan goes wrong when a dead body and diamonds appear. The film is known for its slapstick humor and witty dialogue written by Crazy Mohan. It was a commercial success and is considered one of the best Tamil comedies of the 2000s.
Quick Facts
- Streaming on
- Sun NXT, ZEE5, Airtel Xstream Play, YouTube
- Theatrical Release
- 27 June 2002
- Director
- K. S. Ravikumar
- Language
- Tamil
- Runtime
- 2h 30m
- Rating
- 6.3/10
Storyline
Ram is a pilot who loses his wife Mythili after she sees him kiss an ex-girlfriend at their wedding. His four friends try to help him win her back. They hire a prostitute named Maggie, but she brings a dead body and stolen diamonds. Ram must clear his name, save his marriage, and survive the chaos.
“Five friends, one dead body, endless laughter”
Film Details
Parental Guide
Where to Watch
Vibe & Tags
Cast & Crew
Reunion Meter
Frequent partnerships reunited for Panchathanthiram
Cast reunions in this film: Kamal Haasan & Nagesh (19 films together), K. S. Ravikumar & Deva (11 films together), Deva & Sanghavi (11 films together), Sriman & Deva (9 films together), Urvashi & Deva (8 films together), and Simran & Deva (8 films together).
Trivia
- The film's title 'Panchatanthiram' refers to the ancient Indian collection of animal fables, hinting at the clever, story-within-a-story plot.
- Actress Rambha, who plays Maggie, had to perform her own stunts for the scene where she falls from the building.
- The comedy track involving the character 'Anandraj' was largely improvised by the actors during filming.
- Director K.S. Ravikumar and actor Kamal Haasan reportedly completed the final script in just three days.
- The film was shot in a single schedule across various locations in Chennai and Hyderabad to maintain continuity.
- A subplot involving a fictional political party was trimmed from the final cut to keep the focus on the core comedy.
- The movie was a major box office success, running for over 100 days in many theaters across Tamil Nadu.