Paayum Puli is a 1983 Tamil martial arts film directed by S. P. Muthuraman and produced by AVM Productions. The story follows Bharani, portrayed by Rajinikanth, who joins a martial arts school after his sister Sumathi's death at the hands of smuggler Balram. Bharani trains rigorously under Master Poongiyar to become a formidable fighter and seek revenge, adopting the identity 'Paayum Puli' or Pouncing Tiger. Along the way, he falls in love with Radha.
The film features music composed by Ilaiyaraaja and stars Rajinikanth and Radha in lead roles, alongside Manorama, Silk Smitha, Jaishankar, and R. N. Sudarshan. Paayum Puli was released on January 14th, 1983, coinciding with the festival of Pongal, and became a commercial success for its production company.