{{short description|1957 film by A. S. A. Sami}} {{No plot|date=September 2021}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2017}} {{Use Indian English|date=February 2017}} {{Infobox film | image = Karpukkarasi poster.jpg | caption = Theatrical release poster | director = A. S. A. Sami | producer = M. Somasundaram | screenplay = A. S. A. Sami <br /> Aru. Ramanathan | story = Siva-Sundaram | starring = Gemini Ganesan <br /> Savitri <br /> M. N. Nambiar <br /> M. K. Radha <br /> G. Varalakshmi <br /> K. A. Thangavelu | music = G. Ramanathan | cinematography = P. Ramasamy | editing = K. Govindasamy | studio = Jupiter Pictures | distributor = Jupiter Pictures | released = {{film date|1957|6|14|df=y}} | runtime = 137 minutes | country = India | language = Tamil }}
'''''Karpukkarasi''''' is a 1957 Indian Tamil-language swashbuckler film directed by A. S. A. Sami and produced by M. Somasundaram under Jupiter Pictures. The story and screenplay were written by A. S. A. Sami and Aru. Ramanathan. The dialogues were written by Siva-Sundaram. The film stars Gemini Ganesan, M. N. Nambiar, R. Balasubramaniam, and K. A. Thangavelu, with G. Varalakshmi, M. K. Radha, Savitri E. V. Saroja and M. Saroja in supporting roles.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Guy |first=Randor |author-link=Randor Guy |date=10 November 2006 |title=A Star Fades Away |url=https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-fridayreview/a-star-fades-away/article3231270.ece |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200407151944/https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-fridayreview/a-star-fades-away/article3231270.ece |archive-date=7 April 2020 |access-date=30 May 2016 |work=The Hindu}}</ref> It was released on 14 June 1957.<ref>{{Cite web |title=1957 – கற்புக்கரசி ஜுபிடர் பிக்சர்ஸ் |url=http://www.lakshmansruthi.com/cineprofiles/1957-cinedetails5.asp |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200407152422/http://www.lakshmansruthi.com/cineprofiles/1957-cinedetails5.asp |archive-date=7 April 2020 |access-date=7 April 2020 |website=Lakshman Sruthi |language=Tamil}}</ref>
== Cast == {{Col-begin|width=65%}} {{col-break|width=50%}} ;Male cast<ref name="song book">{{Cite book |url=https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B7JevgDCLbuNV0w1QS1XOXVkRjQ/view |title=கற்புக்கரசி |publisher=Jupiter Pictures |year=1957 |language=ta |type=song book |access-date=24 December 2019}}{{cbignore}}</ref> * Gemini Ganesan as Prathaban * M. N. Nambiar as Jagaveeran * M. K. Radha as Vajarapuri King * K. A. Thangavelu as Chilamban * R. Balasubramanyam as the wizard * P. S. Venkatachalam as Sachithananda Yogi * P. B. Rangachari as Sage {{Col-break|width=50%}} ;Female cast<ref name="song book" /> * K. Savithri as Manjula * G. Varalakshmi as Chandrika * E. V. Saroja as Sasikala * K. R. Chellam as Singari * M. Saroja as Pankajam * S. Revathi as Magical Queen * S. Mohana as Mohana {{Col-break|width=50%}} ;Dance<ref name="song book" /> * Sayee * Subbulakshmi * Ragini * Kantha {{col-end}}
== Production == One scene required Ganesan to throw a knife at Nambiar. He did so, but the director had not called for "action" when Nambiar saw something come straight at him like a "bat out of hell". Nambiar had only one second to turn his head as the knife grazed his eye and impaled itself on the wall, leaving Nambiar with a permanent black spot on the eye. Ganesan had thrown the knife long before the shot was supposed to roll, only to impress two women who had walked on to the set.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Dipak Nambiar |first=M. N. |title=Nambiarswami: The Good, the Bad and the Holy |date=7 March 2019 |publisher=HarperCollins |isbn=978-93-5302-843-5 |pages=42–43}}</ref>
== Soundtrack == Music was by G. Ramanathan.<ref name="song book" /> {| class="wikitable" |- ! Song !! Singers !! Lyrics !! Length |- | "Kaniyaa Kanniyaa Vaazhvil Inbam Sollavaa || T. M. Soundararajan & Jikki || || 03:28 |- | "Nalvaakku Nee Kodadi || S. C. Krishnan & A. G. Rathnamala || || 03:31 |- | "Sellakkiliye Allik Kulame || A. P. Komala || || 01:50 |- | "Aadum Ponne Aasai Kanne || K. Jamuna Rani || || 01:00 |- | "Anbe Aandavan Aagum || Seerkazhi Govindarajan || || 01:00 |- | "Enakkoru Manakkurai Agatridal Vendum" || V. T. Rajagopalan || || 00:25 |- | "Thoongaadhu Kann Thoongaadhu" || T. M. Soundararajan || Pattukkottai Kalyanasundaram|| 01:45 |- | "Thatthkaa Putthakaa Naalu Kaalu" || Seerkazhi Govindarajan & P. Leela || || 02:00 |- | "Kaayame Idhu Meiyadaa" || T. M. Soundararajan & Seerkazhi Govindarajan || Pattukkottai Kalyanasundaram || 02:40 |- | "Ambigaapathi Seidha Pizhai" || T. M. Soundararajan || || 01:45 |- | "Vizhiyodu Vilayaadum" || M. L. Vasanthakumari & P. Leela || A. Maruthakasi|| 06:22 |- | "Illaadha Adhisayamaai Irukkudhudhadi" || A. P. Komala & K. Jamuna Rani || Pattukkottai Kalyanasundaram || 02:50 |- | "Marundho Marundhu...Naattu Vaitthiyar" || T. M. Soundararajan & Seerkazhi Govindarajan || || 01:42 |- | "Pudhu Vaazhvum...Pirinndhavar Koodinaal" || K. Jamuna Rani || || 00:50 |- | "Idhaya Vaanile Udhayamaanadhe" || T. M. Soundararajan & Jikki || || 01:59 |- | "Kaniyo Paago Karkando" || P. B. Sreenivas & M. L. Vasanthakumari || Udumalai Narayana Kavi || 03:42 |- | "Ellai Merudhe Manam Thulli Aadudhe" || K. Jamuna Rani, A. P. Komala & A. G. Rathnamala || Pattukkottai Kalyanasundaram || 04:30 |}
== References == {{reflist}}
== External links == * {{IMDb title}}
Category:1950s feminist films Category:1950s historical fantasy films Category:1957 Indian films Category:1957 Tamil-language films Category:1957 films Category:Films directed by A. S. A. Sami Category:Films scored by G. Ramanathan Category:Indian black-and-white films Category:Indian feminist films Category:Indian historical fantasy films Category:Indian swashbuckler films Category:1950s swashbuckler films Category:Jupiter Pictures films Category:Tamil-language Indian films Category:1957 fantasy films