Pookkari

{{short description|1973 film by Krishnan–Panju}} {{Use Indian English|date=March 2024}} {{Use dmy dates|date=March 2024}} {{Infobox film | image = Pookkari poster.jpg | caption = Theatrical release poster | director = Krishnan–Panju | writer = T. N. Balu | starring = M. K. Muthu<br />Manjula<br />Nirmala | cinematography = Amritham | editing = Panju | music = M. S. Viswanathan | studio = Anjugam Pictures | released = {{film date|1973|10|25|df=y}} | country = India | language = Tamil }} '''''Pookkari''''' ({{IPAc-en|p|uː|k|k|ɑːr|i}} {{translation|Flower Selling Girl}}) is a 1973 Indian Tamil-language film directed by Krishnan–Panju and produced by Anjugam Pictures. The film stars M. K. Muthu, Manjula and Nirmala, with Jayachitra, Jayakumari, V. K. Ramasamy, S. V. Subbaiah and Ambareesh (credited as Amarnath) in supporting roles. It was released on 25 October 1973, and failed commercially. Despite this, in 1978 the film was remade in Kannada as ''Halli Haida'' directed by Amirtham, cinematographer of the original with Ambareesh reprising his role.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Halli Haida – ಹಳ್ಳೀ ಹೈದ (1978/೧೯೭೮) |url=https://kannadamoviesinfo.wordpress.com/2017/01/11/halli-haida-1978/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230405132813/https://kannadamoviesinfo.wordpress.com/2017/01/11/halli-haida-1978/ |archive-date=5 April 2023 |access-date=5 April 2023 |website=Kannada Movies Info|date=11 January 2017 }}</ref>

== Plot == Valli is a flower seller and her brother Murugesan is a real estate broker. One day, Valli meets Kanthan and they fall in love. Meanwhile, there is a wealthy man with a daughter, Shyamala. He has a nephew Ravi who is a womaniser. Although Ravi has a mistress, he is also after Muthu's sister, Dhanam, who he eventually rapes. Traumatised by the incident, she loses her voice.

Ravi and Kanthan fight frequently, but during one such incident, Dhanam pleads with Kanthan to spare Ravi. During that incident, she also regains her voice and Ravi agrees to marry her. Upon realising this, Ravi's mistress plans to go to the wedding hall in disguise, with a hidden gun, and shoot Ravi dead. Shyamala learns of the mistress' plans and rushes to save Ravi, but Valli takes the bullet instead. Before dying, she manages to unite Shyamala and Kanthan. Ravi and Dhanam marry.

== Cast == As per the opening credits:<ref>{{Cite AV media |title=Pookkari |type=Motion picture |language=Ta |publisher=Anjugam Pictures |year=1973 |time=0:00 to 2:18 |time-caption=Opening credits, from}}</ref> {{Cast listing| * M. K. Muthu as Kanthan * Manjula as Valli * Nirmala as Shyamala * Jayakumari as Ravi's mistress * Jayachitra as Dhanam * Sriranjani as Kanthan's mother * V. K. Ramasamy as Shyamala's father * S. V. Subbaiah as Kanthan's father * Moorthy as Velu * Thengai Srinivasan as Murugesan * Amarnath as Ravi * O. A. K. Thevar as Murugesan's elder brother * Senthamarai as Moneylender }}

== Production == ''Pookkari'' was directed by the duo Krishnan–Panju, and produced under the banner Anjugam Pictures. Panju edited the film under the pseudonym "Panjabi". It was photographed by Amritham, a relative of politician and screenwriter M. Karunanidhi. The story and dialogue were written by T. N. Balu.<ref name="RandorGuy" /> The scene where Muthu sings at a club was shot at Mysore Premier Studios.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://eap.bl.uk/archive-file/EAP372-6-22-1-60#?xywh=2574%2C1320%2C3753%2C2116&cv=3|date=8 August 1973|page=4|title=முத்துவை பாட வைக்க நிர்மலா தந்திரம் |work=Navamani|language=ta|access-date=18 October 2025|via=Endangered Archives Programme}}</ref>

== Soundtrack == The soundtrack was composed by M. S. Viswanathan.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Pookkari (1973) |url=http://mio.to/album/M.S.+Viswanathan/Pookkari+%281973%29 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20180814113238/http://mio.to/album/M.S.+Viswanathan/Pookkari+(1973) |archive-date=14 August 2018 |access-date=14 August 2018 |website=Music India Online}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Pookkari Tamil Film EP Vinyl Record by MS viswanathan |url=https://mossymart.com/product/pookkari-tamil-film-ep-vinyl-record-by-ms-viswanathan/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221110204811/https://mossymart.com/product/pookkari-tamil-film-ep-vinyl-record-by-ms-viswanathan/ |archive-date=10 November 2022 |access-date=10 November 2022 |website=Mossymart}}</ref> The song "Kaadhalin Pon Veedhiyil", written by Panchu Arunachalam and sung by T. M. Soundararajan and S. Janaki, attained popularity.<ref name="RandorGuy" />

{{Track listing | headline = Track listing | extra_column = Singer(s) | title1 = Kaadhalin Pon Veedhiyil | note1 = | lyrics1 = Panchu Arunachalam | extra1 = S. Janaki, T. M. Soundararajan | length1 = | title2 = Muppathu Paisa | note2 = | writer2 = | lyrics2 = Vaali | music2 = | extra2 = L. R. Eswari | length2 = | title3 = Muththuppal Sirippennavo | note3 = | writer3 = | lyrics3 = Vaali | music3 = | extra3 = P. Susheela, T. M. Soundararajan | length3 = }}

== Release and reception == ''Pookkari'' was released on 25 October 1973,<ref>{{Cite news |date=27 July 2018 |title=திரையுலகில் கலைஞர் |url=http://www.dinamalar.com/karunanidhi/newsdetail.asp?id=8 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181026182640/http://www.dinamalar.com/karunanidhi/newsdetail.asp?id=8 |archive-date=26 October 2018 |access-date=26 October 2018 |work=Dinamalar |language=ta}}</ref> and failed commercially.<ref>{{Cite news |date=18 April 2012 |title=Karunanidhi's grandson's ambitious debut bombs |url=http://www.dnaindia.com/entertainment/report-karunanidhi-s-grandson-s-ambitious-debut-bombs-1677601 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20170918124154/http://www.dnaindia.com/entertainment/report-karunanidhi-s-grandson-s-ambitious-debut-bombs-1677601 |archive-date=18 September 2017 |access-date=18 September 2017 |work=Daily News and Analysis}}</ref> ''Kalki'' criticised the film for being anti-progressive towards Tamil cinema but praised some of the cast performances.<ref>{{Cite magazine |date=11 November 1973 |title=பூக்காரி |url=https://kalkionline.com/kalkionline_archive/imagegallery/archiveimages/kalki/1973/nov/11-11-1973/p20.jpg |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20220727085806/https://kalkionline.com/kalkionline_archive/imagegallery/archiveimages/kalki/1973/nov/11-11-1973/p20.jpg |archive-date=27 July 2022 |access-date=28 July 2022 |magazine=Kalki |page=20 |language=ta}}</ref> ''Navamani'' praised the acting, cinematography, music, dialogues and direction.<ref>{{Cite news |date=7 November 1973 |title=பூக்காரி |url=https://images.eap.bl.uk/EAP372/EAP372_6_22_2_18/4.jp2/0,129,4983,4243/4983,4243/0/default.jpg |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251004160100/https://images.eap.bl.uk/EAP372/EAP372_6_22_2_18/4.jp2/0,129,4983,4243/4983,4243/0/default.jpg |archive-date=4 October 2025 |access-date=4 October 2025 |work=Navamani |pages=4 |language=ta |via=Endangered Archives Programme}}</ref>

== References == {{Reflist|refs= <ref name="RandorGuy">{{Cite news |last=Guy |first=Randor |author-link=Randor Guy |date=16 July 2016 |title=Pookari (1973) |url=http://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/Pookari-1973/article14492660.ece |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20170918120820/http://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/Pookari-1973/article14492660.ece |archive-date=18 September 2017 |access-date=18 September 2017 |work=The Hindu}}</ref> }}

== External links == * {{IMDb title}} {{Krishnan–Panju}}

Category:1973 Indian films Category:1973 Tamil-language films Category:1973 films Category:Films directed by Krishnan–Panju Category:Films scored by M. S. Viswanathan Category:Tamil films remade in other languages Category:Tamil-language Indian films