Karnan is a 1964 Indian
Tamil epic-
biographical film produced and directed by
B. R. Panthulu. It features
Sivaji Ganesan leading an ensemble cast consisting of
N. T. Rama Rao,
S. A. Asokan,
R. Muthuraman,
Devika,
Savithri and
M. V. Rajamma. The film is based on the story of
Karna, a character from the
Hindu epic
Mahabharata. He is born to an unmarried mother
Kunti who abandons him in the
Ganges to avoid embarrassment. The child is discovered and adopted by a charioteer. Karnan does not want to follow his foster father's profession, and instead, becomes a warrior. He then befriends
Duryodhana, the
Kaurava prince, eventually setting the initial grounds of the
Kurukshetra war, where he will join Duryodhana to fight against his own half-brothers, the
Pandavas.