Panjaa

Panjaa is a 2011 Indian Telugu-language action film directed by Vishnuvardhan and produced by Arka Media Works and Sanghamitra Art Productions. The film stars Pawan Kalyan, Sarah-Jane Dias, Anjali Lavania, Jackie Shroff, Adivi Sesh and Atul Kulkarni. The plot follows Jai, a gangster's loyal henchman who is forced to go on the run following a botched mission and killing his boss's son for committing a violent atrocity. The film features music scored by Yuvan Shankar Raja and cinematography by P. S. Vinod. The film marks Dias' debut in Telugu cinema and Lavania's film debut. Vishnuvardhan, who works primarily in the Tamil cinema, also makes his directorial debut in Telugu. Principal photography of the film commenced on 6 May 2011. The filming took place primarily at Kolkata, Pollachi, Karaikudi, Vagamon and Palasa. Panjaa was released theatrically on 9 December 2011. Upon release, it received mixed-to-negative reviews from both the critics and audience, alike. The performances (especially of Sesh's and Shroff's), songs, cinematography, action sequences, and production design were praised. However, the direction, story, screenplay, background score, and pace were highly criticized.