“Palnati Puli” (Tiger of Palnadu) is a 1984 Indian Telugu-language action film produced by Gogineni Prasad under the Sai Chakra Productions banner and directed by Tatineni Prasad. The film features Nandamuri Balakrishna and Bhanupriya in lead roles, with music composed by Chakravarthy.
Plot: The story revolves around a town where two cunning individuals, Mukundam, an advocate, and his brother-in-law Bhupati, engage in fraudulent activities. Raju, a rickshaw driver and labor union leader, constantly opposes the wrongdoings of Mukundam and Bhupati. He also has frequent disagreements with Rani, Bhupati’s daughter. However, as fate would have it, Raju and Rani fall in love.
When Bhupati investigates Raju’s background, he discovers that Raju is the son of Parvati, the wife of their henchman Kannaiah, who is currently in prison. The plot takes a dark turn when Kannaiah attacks Parvati, leading to her injury. Raju, upon learning the truth about his parentage, is devastated. He finds out that Parvati is his foster mother, and his true mother is Sarada, a woman victimized by Mukundam and left for dead.
Blinded by rage and seeking revenge, Raju transforms into the valiant “Palnati Puli” and confronts the wrongdoers, with the assistance of Rani. Raju also works to reform Kannaiah. Mukundam eventually realizes his mistakes and pleads for forgiveness, accepting Raju as his son. The movie concludes on a positive note with the marriage of Raju and Rani.
Cast:
- Nandamuri Balakrishna as Raju
- Bhanupriya as Rani
- Satyanarayana as Bhupathi
- Jaggayya as Lawyer Mukundam
- Gokina Rama Rao as Kannaiah
- Mada as Kondandam
- Bhimaraju as Gangulu
- Jaya Malini as an item number
- Shyamala Gowri as Gowri
- Prameela as Parvathi
- Anitha as Sharada
- Bindu Madhavi as Saroja
Soundtrack: The film’s music was composed by Chakravarthy, with lyrics by Veturi. The soundtrack features memorable songs, including:
- “Osi Othari Bithari” – Sung by S. P. Balasubrahmanyam
- “Kottamaka Thittamaka” – Sung by Madhavapeddi Ramesh and P. Susheela
- “Abba Swamy Ranga” – Sung by P. Susheela
- “Neeku Pettanivvu” – Sung by Madhavapeddi Ramesh and P. Susheela
- “Baka Baaja Dolu” – Sung by S. P. Balasubrahmanyam
“Palnati Puli” is an action-packed Telugu film that tells a tale of revenge, redemption, and love, featuring Nandamuri Balakrishna in a prominent role.
