Ratha Kanneer
Encyclopedia
Ratha Kanneer is a 1954
Tamil
drama film directed by R. Krishnan and S. Panju. The screenplay was written by Tiruvarur K. Thangaraj, and the film features M. R. Radha in the lead role. The film was produced by Perumal Mudaliar of National Pictures. The story revolves around Mohanasundaram, a returned-from-abroad, westernized, rich man who shows arrogance and contempt towards anything part of Indian culture and anyone below his social standards.
Mohanasundaram (M. R. Radha) is a philanderer, chain-smoker and drunkard. He does not respect elders, or people below his social standards. He is ruthless and even beats his own mother. Immediately after his return to India, he is married to Chandra ( Sriranjani
), a cultured, well-mannered, conservative Indian village girl. But he develops an affair with Kantha (M. N. Rajam), a prostitute. His best friend Balu tries to advise him and mend his ways but Mohan turns a deaf ear. Mohan even failed to attend his own mother's post-death formalities as he wanted to attendthe birthday function of Kantha's mother. Mohan loses his mind over Kantha, even surrenders all his riches to her and also loses every loved one in his life. When he lost the last of his riches and close ones, he gets struck down by leprosy. His life then turns upside down. With no money lift for the treatment of his disease, he is totally ignored and despised by Kantha and her associates. She even locks him up in a room and treats him like an untouchable. In a few days, Kantha throws him out of her house and Mohan loses his eyesight soon after. As a poor leper, he wanders the streets to beg for food. In this last stage of his life, he learns the value of life itself and how to respect others. He feels remorseful for the way he treated his wife, mother and everyone else around him. He meets Chandra, his wife, who now lives a scarce life. Both do not recognize each other, as he is blind and she gets to see only his disfigured, leprosy-stricken face. He also meets his old best friend, Balu. The trio finally recognize each other. Mohan also learns through Balu about Kantha's death in an air crash. Mohan marries Chandra to Balu, in the hope that the still-virgin Chandra can now only be loved and cared for by a better man than Mohan himself. He also speaks his parting words and requests a leper's statue to be risen in his likeness, as a threatening example to philanderers like himself.
In the final scene, Balu finishes his narration in front of Mohan's statue (as seen in the beginning) and breaks into a song about righteousness and values of life.
1954 in film
The year 1954 in film involved some significant events and memorable ones.-Events:*May 12 - The Marx Brothers' Zeppo Marx divorces wife Marion Benda...
Tamil
Tamil cinema
Tamil cinema is the film industry based in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, dedicated to the production of films in the Tamil language. It is based in Chennai's Kodambakkam district, where several South Indian film production companies are headquartered...
drama film directed by R. Krishnan and S. Panju. The screenplay was written by Tiruvarur K. Thangaraj, and the film features M. R. Radha in the lead role. The film was produced by Perumal Mudaliar of National Pictures. The story revolves around Mohanasundaram, a returned-from-abroad, westernized, rich man who shows arrogance and contempt towards anything part of Indian culture and anyone below his social standards.
Plot
The film starts with Balu (S. S. Rajendran) giving a speech and narrating the story before an audience gathered around a man's statue.Mohanasundaram (M. R. Radha) is a philanderer, chain-smoker and drunkard. He does not respect elders, or people below his social standards. He is ruthless and even beats his own mother. Immediately after his return to India, he is married to Chandra ( Sriranjani
Sriranjani (junior)
Sriranjani was Telugu and Tamil film actress. She is the younger sister of Sriranjani. She is known mainly for her tragedy roles particularly as the long-suffering wife.-Brief life:...
), a cultured, well-mannered, conservative Indian village girl. But he develops an affair with Kantha (M. N. Rajam), a prostitute. His best friend Balu tries to advise him and mend his ways but Mohan turns a deaf ear. Mohan even failed to attend his own mother's post-death formalities as he wanted to attendthe birthday function of Kantha's mother. Mohan loses his mind over Kantha, even surrenders all his riches to her and also loses every loved one in his life. When he lost the last of his riches and close ones, he gets struck down by leprosy. His life then turns upside down. With no money lift for the treatment of his disease, he is totally ignored and despised by Kantha and her associates. She even locks him up in a room and treats him like an untouchable. In a few days, Kantha throws him out of her house and Mohan loses his eyesight soon after. As a poor leper, he wanders the streets to beg for food. In this last stage of his life, he learns the value of life itself and how to respect others. He feels remorseful for the way he treated his wife, mother and everyone else around him. He meets Chandra, his wife, who now lives a scarce life. Both do not recognize each other, as he is blind and she gets to see only his disfigured, leprosy-stricken face. He also meets his old best friend, Balu. The trio finally recognize each other. Mohan also learns through Balu about Kantha's death in an air crash. Mohan marries Chandra to Balu, in the hope that the still-virgin Chandra can now only be loved and cared for by a better man than Mohan himself. He also speaks his parting words and requests a leper's statue to be risen in his likeness, as a threatening example to philanderers like himself.
In the final scene, Balu finishes his narration in front of Mohan's statue (as seen in the beginning) and breaks into a song about righteousness and values of life.
Cast
- M. R. Radha as Mohanasundaram
- S. S. Rajendran as Balu
- M. N. Rajam as Kantha
- J. P. Chandrababu as The pimp
- SriranjaniSriranjani (junior)Sriranjani was Telugu and Tamil film actress. She is the younger sister of Sriranjani. She is known mainly for her tragedy roles particularly as the long-suffering wife.-Brief life:...
as Chandra - S. R. Janaki as Mohanasundaram's mother
Soundtrack
- aalai aalai paarkiRaar by T. V. RathinamT. V. RathinamTenkasi Vallinayagam Rathinam hails from Tenkasi, Madras Presidency, British India. She was a playback singer for Tamil films.-Early life:...
- kutram puRinthavan vaazhkaiyil nimmadhi by C. S. JayaramanC. S. JayaramanC. S. Jayaraman was a playback singer who songs were featured in numerous Tamil films.-Discography:Desam Gnanam Kalvi - C. S. JayaDesam Gnanam Kalvi - C. S. Jaya-References:...
- kadhavai saathadi by M. L. VasanthakumariM. L. VasanthakumariMadras Lalitangi Vasanthakumari , was a Carnatic musician and playback singer for film songs in many Indian languages. MLV and her contemporaries D. K. Pattammal and M. S. Subbulakshmi were popularly referred to as the "female trinity of Carnatic Music. A prime disciple of the G. N...
- malai itta manna yaarO by T. V. RathinamT. V. RathinamTenkasi Vallinayagam Rathinam hails from Tenkasi, Madras Presidency, British India. She was a playback singer for Tamil films.-Early life:...
- tatti parithaar en vaazhvai by T. S. Bagavathi
- manithar vaazhvile manam athu pOlE by A. P. KomalaA. P. KomalaA. P. Komala was a South Indian playback singer. She has sung songs in Tamil, Malayalam and Telugu languages.-Filmography:These are some of the films where she was playback singer.-References:...
- valavayathaagi azhagaagi madhanaagi by C. S. JayaramanC. S. JayaramanC. S. Jayaraman was a playback singer who songs were featured in numerous Tamil films.-Discography:Desam Gnanam Kalvi - C. S. JayaDesam Gnanam Kalvi - C. S. Jaya-References:...
- pengale ulaga kangale by T. S. Bagavathi
- aalaiyin sangge nee oothaayo by M. L. VasanthakumariM. L. VasanthakumariMadras Lalitangi Vasanthakumari , was a Carnatic musician and playback singer for film songs in many Indian languages. MLV and her contemporaries D. K. Pattammal and M. S. Subbulakshmi were popularly referred to as the "female trinity of Carnatic Music. A prime disciple of the G. N...
- thannai aRinthu by C. S. JayaramanC. S. JayaramanC. S. Jayaraman was a playback singer who songs were featured in numerous Tamil films.-Discography:Desam Gnanam Kalvi - C. S. JayaDesam Gnanam Kalvi - C. S. Jaya-References:...