Karnan (1964) Online
Born with an Armour and ear-rings, and bequeathed as a gift from Surya to an unwed Kunthi (M.V. Rajamma), Karna (Shivaji Ganesan) is abandoned so as to prevent embarrassment for her. He is set afloat in the Ganga, rescued and adopted by a horse-carriage driver, who is employed with Raja Dhritarashtra. Instead of adapting to his foster father's profession, he was more interested in obtaining training as a warrior. Upon being refused, he turned to Suryadev, and learned all aspects of warfare - little knowing that soon he will be befriended by Rajkumar Dhuryodhan (S.A. Ashokan), and be compelled to take up arms against the Pandavas - the sons of none other than Kunthi herself.
| Credited cast: | |||
 | Shivaji Ganesan | - | Karna |
 | Taraka Rama Rao Nandamuri | - | Bhagwan Shri Kishan (as N.T. Rama Rao) |
 | S.A. Ashokan | - | Duryodhana |
| R. Muthuraman | - | Arjun |
 | Savitri | - | Bhanumathi |
| Devika | - | Subhangi |
 | M.V. Rajamma | - | Kunthi Devi |
| Rest of cast listed alphabetically: | |||
| R. Balasubramanian | ||
 | Sandhya |
A few shots involving Sivaji Ganesan and N. T. Rama Rao took as many as four days to shoot, because of the large number of personnel involved.
It is the first "Tamil classic" to be digitized for re-release
Sivaji Ganesan's biggest film.
The entire soundtrack was completed in a span of three days.
Karnan was the most expected film during the festival occasion of Pongal on 14 January 1964, and Shanthi theatre in Chennai, which released the film, had a 60 feet tall banner of a chariot to attract the audience.
The film was dubbed in Telugu as Karna, and also in Hindi as Dhaan Veer Karna.
After the filming of Karnan was complete, all the chariots specially made for the film's war sequences in Kurukshetra, were donated to the Brihadeeswarar Temple in Thanjavur.
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