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{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2022}}
{{Use Indian English|date=January 2022}}
{{Infobox film
| image = Cheran Pandian.jpg
| caption = Theatrical release poster
| director = [[K. S. Ravikumar]]
| screenplay = K. S. Ravikumar
| story = [[Erode Soundar]]
| producer = [[R. B. Choudary]]
| starring = [[Vijayakumar (Tamil actor)|Vijayakumar]]<br />[[R. Sarathkumar|Sarathkumar]]<br />[[Sreeja]]
| cinematography = Ashok Rajan
| editing = K. Thanikachalam
| music = [[Soundaryan]]
| studio = [[Super Good Films]]
| distributor = 
| released = {{Film date|df=yes|1991|05|31}}
| runtime = 144 minutes
| country = India
| language = Tamil
}}
'''''Cheran Pandian''''' is a 1991 Indian [[Tamil language|Tamil]]-language [[action drama film]] written and directed by [[K. S. Ravikumar]], from a story by [[Erode Soundar]]. The film stars [[Vijayakumar (Tamil actor)|Vijayakumar]], [[R. Sarathkumar|Sarathkumar]], [[Anand Babu]] and [[Sreeja]]. It was released on 31 May 1991, emerged a box office success and won several [[Tamil Nadu State Film Awards]]. The film was remade in [[Telugu language|Telugu]] as ''[[Balarama Krishnulu]]'' (<abbr>1992</abbr>), and in [[Hindi]] in as ''[[Sautela]]'' (<abbr>1999</abbr>).<ref>{{Cite web |date=21 August 2021 |title=RIP Chitra: A seasoned performer who left an impact |url=https://www.deccanherald.com/entertainment/rip-chitra-a-seasoned-performer-who-left-an-impact-1022032.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210821070840/https://www.deccanherald.com/entertainment/rip-chitra-a-seasoned-performer-who-left-an-impact-1022032.html |archive-date=21 August 2021 |access-date=27 January 2022 |website=[[Deccan Herald]]}}</ref>

== Plot ==
Manicheran Gounder or Periya Gounder is the rich head of the Muthupalayam village in [[Coimbatore District]]. He lives with his wife Paarvathi and daughter Vennila, and strictly adheres to the caste system. Rajapaandi Gounder or Chinna Gounder is Periya Gounder's half brother and also a rich landlord in the same village, and Parimalam is his sister. Since Rajapaandi's mother was from a suppressed caste, Periya Gounder stays aloof from him and always ignores and berates Rajapaandi and Parimalam. Manicheran had split his share of ancestral properties and went separate at age 18, when his father Bunglow Gounder married Rajapaandi's mother. Still Bunglow Gounder, before dying, had divided his entire self-earned property, including the house, equally between the two brothers, and they live on either side of the bungalow house, split by a wall in the middle. Yet, Periya Gounder's family gets first respect in the village and at the local temple, and he refuses to yield any privilege to Rajapaandi.

Chandran, a first cousin of Rajapaandi through his maternal uncle, comes to meet and work under him in the village since his parents are dead, and he could not find a job in [[Tirupur]]. He falls in love with Vennila. Periya Gounder is furious when he learns of this and tries to get Vennila married to his brother-in-law, and after being rebuked by him, he makes arrangements for Vennila's marriage with a womanising thug, son of a devious village elder, since he belongs to his own, supposedly higher caste. After a serious turn of events, Periya Gounder has a change of heart with some heartfelt advice from Paarvathi, Parimalam's while trying to save Vennila, renounces his caste-centric mindset and accepts Rajapaandi as his equal sibling. During the scuffle, the injured Parimalam saved her brother Periya Gounder and died by the shot. Chandran and Vennila end up getting married.

== Cast ==
{{cast listing|
* [[Vijayakumar (Tamil actor)|Vijayakumar]] as Mani Cheran Gounder (Periya Gounder)
* [[R. Sarathkumar|Sarathkumar]] as Raja Pandian Gounder (Chinna Gounder)
* [[Sreeja]] as Vennila<ref name="Cast">{{Cite web |last=யுவராஜ் |first=லாவண்யா |date=31 May 2024 |title=33 years of Cheran Pandian : 33 ஆண்டுகளைக் கடந்த சேரன் பாண்டியன்.. பட நாயகிகள் இப்போ என்ன செய்றாங்க |trans-title=33 years of Cheran Pandian.. What are the film's heroines doing now? |url=https://tamil.abplive.com/entertainment/33-years-of-cheran-pandian-what-is-the-current-situation-of-the-movie-heroines-185633 |access-date=15 February 2026 |website=[[ABP Nadu]] |language=ta |archive-date=31 May 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240531040229/https://tamil.abplive.com/entertainment/33-years-of-cheran-pandian-what-is-the-current-situation-of-the-movie-heroines-185633 |url-status=live }}</ref>
* [[Nagesh]] as Maniyam
* [[Anand Babu]] as Chandran
* [[Manjula Vijayakumar]] as Parvathi
* [[Goundamani]] as Mechanic Manikkam (motor mechanic)
* [[Senthil]] as Thangam
* Anuja as Sundari, Manikkam's wife
* [[Chithra (actress)|Chithra]] as Parimalam<ref name="Cast"/>
* [[K. S. Ravikumar]] as Sundaram
* [[Kumarimuthu]] as Mariappan
}}
Assistant director Krishna Mohan and [[Jiiva]] make uncredited appearances in the song "Chinna Thangam" with the former playing Parimalam's husband.<ref>{{Cite Instagram |postid=DS43UDkD5vD |user=cinemavikatan |title="Jiiva-வை சினிமாவில் அறிமுகப்படுத்தியது நாந்தான்!" - Padayappa Co-Director Krishna Mohan #Jeeva {{!}} #CheranPandian {{!}} #VellumTamilPengal {{!}} #CinemaVikatan {{!}} #VikatanReels |author=Cinema Vikatan |author-link=Ananda Vikatan |date=30 December 2025 |access-date=15 February 2026 |language=ta |trans-title=I'm the one who introduced Jiiva! - Padayappa Co-Director Krishna Mohan}}</ref><ref>{{Cite tweet |number=233212619723517953 |user=JiivaOfficial |title=Thts not me I did not act in tht film... I acted in perum puli n Cheran pandian |author=Jiiva |author-link=Jiiva |date=8 August 2012 |access-date=15 February 2026 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20260216073630/https://x.com/JiivaOfficial/status/233212619723517953 |archive-date=16 February 2026 |url-status=live}}</ref>


== Production ==
''Cheran Pandian'' is [[K. S. Ravikumar]]'s second film as director.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Darshan |first=Navein |date=22 April 2021 |title=Pariyerum Perumal is a masala film, says filmmaker KS Ravikumar |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/tamil/2021/apr/22/pariyerum-perumal-is-a-masala-film-says-filmmaker-ks-ravikumar-2293006.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220127104028/https://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/tamil/2021/apr/22/pariyerum-perumal-is-a-masala-film-says-filmmaker-ks-ravikumar-2293006.html |archive-date=27 January 2022 |access-date=27 January 2022 |website=[[The New Indian Express]]}}</ref> Producer [[R. B. Choudary]] had previously stated he would finance Ravikumar's second directorial film, regardless of how well his first (''[[Puriyaadha Pudhir]]'') performed at the box office.<ref name="30YearsOfKSRavikumar">{{Cite news |last=Lakshmi |first=V |date=7 September 2020 |title=#30YearsOfKSRavikumar: I came into the film industry because of piracy: KS Ravikumar |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/news/30yearsofksravikumar-i-came-into-the-film-industry-because-of-piracy-ks-ravikumar/articleshow/77968290.cms |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220122045859/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/news/30yearsofksravikumar-i-came-into-the-film-industry-because-of-piracy-ks-ravikumar/articleshow/77968290.cms |archive-date=22 January 2022 |access-date=27 January 2022 |work=[[The Times of India]]}}</ref> [[Cheran (director)|Cheran]] worked as an assistant director.<ref>{{Cite web |last=கோபாலகிருஷ்ணன் |first=எஸ். |date=12 December 2020 |title=சேரன் பிறந்த நாள் ஸ்பெஷல்: தமிழ் மனங்களில் தனி இடம்பெற்ற படைப்பாளி |trans-title=Cheran Birthday Special: The creator with a special place in Tamil minds |url=https://www.hindutamil.in/news/cinema/tamil-cinema/611007-cheran-birthday-special.html |website=[[Hindu Tamil Thisai]] |language=ta |access-date=15 February 2026 |archive-date=12 December 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201212093227/https://www.hindutamil.in/news/cinema/tamil-cinema/611007-cheran-birthday-special.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

== Soundtrack ==
The music was composed by [[Soundaryan]], who also wrote the lyrics.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Cheran Pandiyan (1991) Tamil Super Hit Film LP Vinyl Record by Soundaryan |url=https://dmcvinyl.com/collection/cheran-pandiyan-by-soundaryan/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220127104033/https://dmcvinyl.com/collection/cheran-pandiyan-by-soundaryan/ |archive-date=27 January 2022 |access-date=27 January 2022 |website=Disco Music Center}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Cheran Pandiyan (1991) |url=http://play.raaga.com/tamil/album/Cheran-Pandiyan-songs-T0001971 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150521041019/http://play.raaga.com/tamil/album/Cheran-Pandiyan-songs-T0001971 |archive-date=21 May 2015 |access-date=3 December 2016 |website=[[Raaga.com]]}}</ref> Ravikumar rewrote the screenplay according to some of the songs after hearing them.<ref>{{Cite web |title=பிளாஷ்பேக்: பாடலுக்காக திரைக்கதையை மாற்றிய கே.எஸ்.ரவிகுமார் |trans-title=Flashback: K. S. Ravikumar rewrote the screenplay for the songs |url=https://www.dinamalar.com/cinemanews/129534 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250514093754/https://www.dinamalar.com/cinemanews/129534 |archive-date=14 May 2025 |access-date=14 May 2025 |website=[[Dinamalar]] |language=Ta}}</ref> The song "Kadhal Kaditham" is set in [[Mohanam]] raga.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Parameswaran |first=Prathibha |date=7 February 2006 |title=A Sunday vibrates with razzmatazz |url=https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-tamilnadu/a-sunday-vibrates-with-razzmatazz/article18395752.ece |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220111155259/https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-tamilnadu/a-sunday-vibrates-with-razzmatazz/article18395752.ece |archive-date=11 January 2022 |access-date=29 August 2020 |work=[[The Hindu]]}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"
! Title !! Singer(s) !! Length
|-
| "Kangal Ondraga" || [[Mano (singer)|Mano]], [[K. S. Chithra]] || 04:49
|-
| "Kadhal Kaditham" || Labson Rajkumar, [[Swarnalatha]] || 04:34
|-
| "Samba Naathu" || [[Swarnalatha]] || 04:41
|-
| "Va Va Endhan" ||[[S. P. Balasubrahmanyam]]|| 04:43
|-
| "Kodiyum Thoranamum" || [[Malaysia Vasudevan]], [[Sunanda (singer)|Sunandha]] || 05:05
|-
| "Chinna Thangam" || [[K. J. Yesudas]] || 4:33
|-
| "Ethirveetu Jannal" || [[Malaysia Vasudevan]], Krishnaraj || 5:22
|-
| "Ooru Vittu Ooru" || [[S. P. Sailaja]] || 5:24
|}

== Release and reception ==
''Cheran Pandian'' was released on 31 May 1991.<ref>{{Cite news |date=31 May 1991 |title=Cheran Pandian |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=P9oYG7HA76QC&dat=19910531&printsec=frontpage&hl=en |access-date=27 January 2022 |work=[[The Indian Express]] |pages=5 |via=[[Google News Archive]]}}{{cbignore}}</ref> C. R. K. of ''[[Kalki (magazine)|Kalki]]'' appreciated the songs but criticised their abundance. He also criticised Ravikumar's direction and writing.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=சி.ஆர்.கே. |date=6 June 1991 |title=சேரன்–பாண்டியன் |url=https://kalkionline.com/kalkionline_archive/imagegallery/archiveimages/kalki/1991/jun/09-06-1991/p64.jpg |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20220911160719/https://kalkionline.com/kalkionline_archive/imagegallery/archiveimages/kalki/1991/jun/09-06-1991/p64.jpg |archive-date=11 September 2022 |access-date=26 April 2022 |magazine=[[Kalki (magazine)|Kalki]] |page=64 |language=ta}}</ref> ''Cheran Pandian'' won the [[Tamil Nadu State Film Awards]] for [[Tamil Nadu State Film Award Special Prize|Special Prize for Best Film]], [[Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Story Writer|Best Story Writer]] ([[Erode Soundar]]) and Best Sound Recording (Sampath).<ref>{{Cite news |date=30 October 1992 |title=Chinnathambi bags six awards |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=P9oYG7HA76QC&dat=19921030&printsec=frontpage&hl=en |access-date=14 February 2021 |work=[[The Indian Express]] |pages=3 |via=[[Google News Archive]]}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Saravanan |first=T. |date=23 June 2016 |title=Sound knowledge |url=https://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/Sound-knowledge/article14397113.ece |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220426052424/https://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/Sound-knowledge/article14397113.ece |archive-date=26 April 2022 |access-date=26 April 2022 |work=[[The Hindu]]}}</ref> Vijayakumar won the [[Cinema Express Awards|Cinema Express Award for Best Character Actor]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=25 February 1992 |title='Chinnathambhi' bags Cinema Express award |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=VZBlAAAAIBAJ&sjid=lJ4NAAAAIBAJ&pg=1432%2C722114 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240510080013/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=VZBlAAAAIBAJ&sjid=lJ4NAAAAIBAJ&pg=1432%2C722114 |archive-date=10 May 2024 |access-date=27 January 2022 |work=[[The Indian Express]] |pages=3 |via=[[Google News Archive]]}}</ref>

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
* {{IMDb title}}
* {{Rotten Tomatoes}}
{{K. S. Ravikumar}}
[[Category:1991 Tamil-language films]]
[[Category:1991 action drama films]]
[[Category:1991 films]]
[[Category:1991 Indian films]]
[[Category:Films directed by K. S. Ravikumar]]
[[Category:Films produced by R. B. Choudary]]
[[Category:Films scored by Soundaryan]]
[[Category:Films with screenplays by K. S. Ravikumar]]
[[Category:Indian action drama films]]
[[Category:Super Good Films films]]
[[Category:Tamil films remade in other languages]]
[[Category:Tamil-language action drama films]]
[[Category:Tamil-language Indian films]]

Cheran Pandian - Revision history

Raj kumar at 05:00, 3 March 2026