Panna Rittikrai

Infobox_Celebrity
name = Panna Rittikrai

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caption = Actor, Comedian Petchtai Wongkamlao, left, and director Panna Rittikrai attend ceremonies for the press screening of "Tom-Yum-Goong" on August 4, 2005 at Major Cineplex Ratchayothin in Bangkok.
birth_date = February 17, 1961 (aged 46)
birth_place = Khon Kaen, Thailand
death_date =
death_place =
occupation = Martial arts choreographer,
film director, screenwriter,
actor
salary =
networth =
spouse =
website =
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children =

Panna Rittikrai (born 1961 in Khon Kaen Province, Thailand) is a Thai martial arts action choreographer, film director, screenwriter and actor. The leader of the Muay Thai Stunt team, he is best known for his work as martial arts and action choreographer on the 2003 film "" and 2005's "Tom-Yum-Goong" (known as "The Protector" in the US), which starred Tony Jaa, whom Panna mentored.

Biography

Early films

Before "Ong-Bak", Panna had toiled for decades as an actor, stuntman, and director of B-movie action flicks in Thailand.

"You've probably never heard of my movies," Panna told the "Bangkok Post" in a 2004 interview. "They are popular among taxi drivers and som tam vendors and security guards and Isan coolies. My loyalest fans are folk people in the far-out tambons, where they lay out mattresses on the ground and drink moonshine whisky while watching my outdoor movies."

Panna started out in the movie business in 1979 as a physical trainer for actors in Bangkok. Learning a little about filmmaking and inspired by the films of Jackie Chan and Bruce Lee, as well as stunts seen in James Bond movies, Panna moved back to Khon Kaen and formed his own stunt team, the Muay Thai Stunt and set about making movies. [Rithdee, Kong (July 16, 2004). [http://www.planetbangkok.com/archives/2004/07/dont_try_this_a.html "Don't try this at home"] , "Bangkok Post".]

His first was "Kerd ma lui" ("Born to Fight"), which he remade in 2004. With more than 50 titles in his filmography, which stretches back to the late 1970s, dozens of his movies are available in the inexpensive VCD format at markets throughout Thailand.

International fame

With the worldwide releases of "Ong-Bak" and "Tom-Yum-Goong", with their gritty, hard-hitting stunts, action-film fans the world over have wanted to see more, so film distributors are starting to release some of Panna's older titles on DVDs geared for the international market. Among the films finding new life on the home video market are "Spirited Killer", or "Puen Hode", co-starring Tony Jaa, as well as "Mission Hunter 2", in which Jaa portrays a villain. [ [http://www.twitchfilm.net/archives/005492.html "More on the upcoming release of "Spirited Killer"] , Twitchfilm.net.]

Panna's martial-arts choreography work also can be seen in the action-comedy, "The Bodyguard", which starred and was directed by Thai comic actor Petchtai Wongkamlao. Recent and upcoming projects include "Mercury Man", a Thai superhero film in which he coordinated the martial arts; the sequel to "Ong-Bak", "Ong Bak 2"; and "Chocolate", a film directed by Prachya Pinkaew that will star a female martial artist. He co-starred in "Dynamite Warrior", a 2006 martial-arts action comedy set in 1800s Siam and starring Dan Chupong from "Kerd ma lui". It was Panna's first acting role in 10 years. [ [http://www.thaicinema.org/kit33tabunfire.asp#ktabun Tabunfire] , ThaiCinema.org, October 30, 2006.]

Partial filmography

Director

*"Kerd ma lui" (1979)
*"Nuk leng klong yao" (2001)
*"Kon dib lhek nam pee" (2001)
*"Kerd ma lui" ("Born to Fight") (2004)

Martial arts choreographer

*"The Legend of Suriyothai" (2001) (as Panna Ritthikrai)
*"" (2003)
*"Kerd ma lui" ("Born to Fight") (2004)
*"Tom-Yum-Goong (2005)
*"Mercury Man" (2006)
*"Ong Bak 2" (2008)
*"Chocolate" (2008)

Actor

*"Dynamite Warrior" (2006)

References

External links

*imdb name|id=1437277|name=Panna Rittikrai