The first season of the series named Pandian Stores Chapter 1 – Annan Thambikalin Kadhai (transl.Pandian Stores Chapter 1 – A Story of Brothers), premiered on 1 October 2018 and ended on 28 October 2023. It starred with an ensemble cast including Kumaran Thangarajan, V. J. Chitra, Sujitha, Stalin Muthu, Hema Rajkumar, Venkat Renganathan, Saravana Vickram and VJ Deepika in the prominent roles. Kathir Mullai played by Kumaran and Chitra were very well received by the audience becoming one of the most celebrated on screen pair.
As of October 2023, the series completion of 5+ years, a spin-off was introduced with the same title named Pandian Stores 2 / Pandian Stores Chapter 2 – Thandhai Sollmikka Manthiramilai (transl. "Pandian Stores Chapter 2 – Nothing Is Better Than Father's Words". The series premiered on 30 October 2023 starring Stalin Muthu, Hema Rajkumar and Venkat Renganathan from the previous season playing different roles in addition Nirosha, Raj Kumar Manoharan, VJ Kathirvel Kandasamy, Vasanth Vasi, Akash Premkumar, Shalini and Sharanya Turadi Sundarraj in other prominent roles.
Pandian's four sons (Sathyamoorthy, Jeevanandham, Kathiravan and Jayakannan) run Pandian Stores, a famous grocery store in their hometown Kundrakudi.
Dhanalakshmi, a well-educated courageous girl, enters the life of Sathyamoorthy against her family's wishes and leads the Pandian stores family to get well settled. She raises her brothers-in-law as her sons.
Many years later, Jeeva gets engaged to Malli's younger sister, Mullai, who loved Jeeva since they were children. However, Jeeva was in love with his collegemate Meenakshi. So, Mullai marries Kathir, whilst Meena marries Jeeva. Kannan, the last son of the family, elopes with Dhanam's sister-in-law's adopted daughter Aishwarya. The rest of the story concentrates on the incidents that happen within a joint family.
The plot centres on Dhanam and how she reunites the joint family after the arrival of the new in-laws, Meena, Mullai, and Aishwarya.
Cast
Season 1
Main
Stalin Muthu as Sathyamoorthy aka Moorthy – Lakshmi and Pandian's eldest son; Jeeva, Kathir and Kannan's brother; Dhanam's husband; Lakshmana Pandian and Lakshmi Pandian's father, Gopi's cousin
Sujitha as Dhanalakshmi aka Dhanam – Varadarajan and Kamakshi's daughter; Jaga's sister; Moorthy's wife; Lakshmana Pandian and Lakshmi Pandian's mother
V. J. Chitra (2018-2020)/ Kaavya Arivumani (Dec.2020-2022)/ Laavanya (2023) as Mullai as Mullai Kathiravan - Muruganandham and Parvathy's younger daughter; Malli's sister; Aishu's cousin; Kathir's wife; Sakthi's mother
Venkat Renganathan as Jeevanandham aka Jeeva – Lakshmi and Pandian's second son; Moorthy, Kathir and Kannan's brother; Meena's husband; Kayal's father
Hema Rajkumar as Meenatchi aka Meena –Jeeva's wife; Kayal's mother
K. S. Suchitra Shetty as Baakyalakshmi: Karpagam's daughter; Gopi's ex-wife; Chezhiyan, Ezhil and Iniya's mother. (2021–2022)
Sathish Kumar as Gopinath "Gopi": Moorthy's cousin, Ramamoorthy and Eshwari's son; Baakiya's ex-husband; Radhika's second husband; Chezhiyan, Ezhil and Iniya's father; Mayura's step-father. (2021–2022)
Reshma Pasupuleti as Raadhika: Kamala's daughter; Chandru's sister; Rajesh's ex-wife; Gopi's second wife; Mayura's mother; Chezhiyan, Ezhil and Iniya's step-mother, Baakiyalakshmi's friend. (2021–2022)
S. T. P. Rosary as Ramamoorthy: Sundaram's brother; Eshwari's husband; Gopi's father; Chezhiyan, Ezhil and Iniya's grandfather; Mayura's step-grandfather. (2021–2022)
Rajyalakshmi as Eshwari: Ramamoorthy's wife; Gopi's mother; Chezhiyan, Ezhil and Iniya's grandmother; Mayura's step-grandmother. (2021–2022)
Velu Lakshmanan (2021) / Vikash Sampath (2022) as Chezhiyan: Baakiya and Gopi's elder son; Radhika's step-son; Ezhil and Iniya's brother; Mayura's step-brother; Jenny's husband.
Divya Ganesan as Jennifer aka Jenny: Joseph and Maria's daughter; Chezhiyan's wife. (2021–2022)
VJ Vishal as Ezhilan aka Ezhil: Baakiya and Gopi's younger son; Radhika's step-son; Chezhiyan and Iniya's brother; Mayura's step-brother. (2021–2022)
Neha Rajesh Menon as Iniya: Baakiya and Gopi's daughter; Radhika's step-daughter; Chezhiyan and Ezhil's sister; Mayura's step-sister. (2021–2022)
Sherine Farhana as Mayura: Radhika and Rajesh daughter; Gopi's step-daughter; Chezhiyan, Ezhil and Iniya's step-sister. (2021–2022)
Deepak Dinkar as Thamizharasan Natesan "Thamizh" - Kothai and Natesan's elder son; Karthikeyan and Raagini's brother; Saraswathi's love interest. (2021)
Nakshatra Nagesh as Saraswathi Thamizharasan - Chokkalingam and Vasuki's elder daughter; Tamizh's love interest. (2021)
Meera Krishna as Kodhainayagi Natesan, Natesan's wife; Thamizh, Karthik and Raagini's mother (2021)
Ramachandran Mahalingam as Natesan, Kodhai's husband; Thamizh, Karthik and Raagini's father (2021)
Navin Vetri as Karthikeyan Natesan, Kodhai and Natesan's younger son; Thamizh's younger brother and Vasundhara's husband; Ragini's elder brother (2021)
Dharshna Sripal Golecha as Vasundhra Devi Karthikeyan, Karthik's wife and Chandrakala's daughter (2021)
Lavanya Manickam as Raagini, Kodhai and Natesan's daughter; Thamizh and Karthik's younger sister (2021)
KPY Yogi as Namachivayam, Thamizh's best friend (2021)
Rekha Krishnappa as Chandrakala Devi, Vasundhara and Aditya's mother (2021)
Syed Saif as Adithya (Adhi), Chandrakala's son and Vasundhara's elder brother (2021)
The Indian Express quoted the series as "A simple serial with no violence, hostility, envy!".[2]
Ratings
The highest TRP in week 36 the special episode of the character Meena's baby shower aired on 11 September 2020, garnered 11.462 million impressions becoming the most watched Tamil GEC program of the week and the first Star Vijay program to enter the top five.[3][4] The special three-hour episode of the naming ceremony of Meena's baby aired on 23 November 2020 in week 49 garnered 10.987 million impressions occupying third position.[5][6][7]
Kavitha Gowda was signed to play the role Meenakshi (Meena), but left the serial after making only a promo appearance. She was then replaced by Hema Rajkumar.[12]
Venkat Subha had played the role Jaganathan, but after his death, he was replaced by Ravichandran.[13]
V. J. Chitra initially played the role of Mullai. She was replaced by Kaavya Arivumani, due to her sudden death. After that, in October 2022, Kavya announced her exit in the serial. Mullai is currently played by Lavanya.[14]
Nellai Siva, a well known supporting actor, played the role Kumaresan, His character was written out of the serial after his death due to COVID-19.[15]
Vaishali Taniga initially played the role of Aishwarya but she left in December 2020 and was replaced by VJ Deepika Lakshmanapandian until September 2021. After that the role was temporarily given to Sai Gayathri, but VJ Deepika came back in March 2023 as Aishwarya.
Filming
Due to the COVID-19 outbreak in India, Pandian Stores, and all other Indian television series and films production were suspended from 27 March 2020.[16] The show commenced telecasting new episodes from 27 July 2020.[17]
Crossovers and special episodes
Season 1
On 11 September 2020, Pandian Stores held a three-hour non-stop special episode titled Pandian Stores: Kudumba Valaikappu Vizha for Meena's baby shower.[3]
On 23 November 2020, Pandian Stores Kulandaiyin Peyar Suttum Vizha held a three-hour non-stop special episode for Meena's Baby's name function.[5]
On 29 and 30 April 2021, Pandian Stores held two-and-a-half-hour non-stop special episodes titled Pandian Stores: Sathyamoorthy Dhanam Thirumana Vaibogam for Moorthy and Dhanam Marriage.[18]
From 22 to 27 July 2021, Pandian Stores celebrated Dhanalakshmi's baby shower.[19]
On 2019, Pandian Stores had a week of crossover episodes with Bharathi Kannamma (episodes 327–331).[20]
On 2021, Pandian Stores had crossover episodes with Baakiyalakshmi from February 5 to February 28.[21][22]
It had a crossover with Thamizhum Saraswathiyum from November 15, 2021, to November 28, 2021.
