Ratha Kanneer

Mohanasundaram 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, a cultured, well-mannered, conservative Indian village girl. But he develops an affair with Kantha, 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 attend the 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 loses the last of his riches and close ones, he gets struck down by leprosy. His life then turns upside down. With no money left 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, Mohan 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 recognise 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 recognise each other. Mohan also learns through Balu about Kantha's death in an air crash. Mohan marries Chandra off to Balu, in the hope that she can now only be loved and cared for by a better man than Mohan himself. As a last request he asks for a leper's statue to be risen in his likeness, as a threatening example to philanderers like himself. Some time after Mohan's death, a statue of him is erected per his request, and Balu breaks into a song about righteousness and values of life.

{{cast listing|

• M. R. Radha as Mohanasundaram
• Sriranjani as Chandra
• S. S. Rajendran as Balu

• Chandrababu as the pimp

;Dance

• Kusalakumari
• Sayee–Subbulakshmi

}}

Ratha Kanneer was a stage play written by Tiruvarur K. Thangaraj. The play was first staged on 14 January 1949 in Tiruchirappalli,{{Cite news |last=சரித்திரன் |date=6 April 2015 |title=இன்று அன்று {{!}} 1927 ஏப்ரல் 6: ரத்தக்கண்ணீர் படைப்பாளியின் பிறந்த தினம் |url=https://www.hindutamil.in/news/blogs/39770-1927-6.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210430201917/https://www.hindutamil.in/news/blogs/39770-1927-6.html |archive-date=30 April 2021 |access-date=16 November 2020 |work=Hindu Tamil Thisai |language=ta}} and was a success wherever it was staged, elevating its lead actor M. R. Radha to an icon in the field of Tamil theatre. The play was staged not only in South India but also in places like Malaya (now Singapore and Malaysia), Burma (now Myanmar) and Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) where it met with equal success. The director duo Krishnan–Panju decided to adapt the play into a feature film. AVM Productions who was supposed to produce the film backed out due to the negative approach of the plot.{{Cite magazine |date=18 March 1979 |title=நூற்றுக்கு நூறு வெற்றி பெற்றோம்! |url=https://archive.org/details/kalki1979-03-18/page/n61/mode/2up |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20230311191158/https://archive.org/details/kalki1979-03-18/page/n61/mode/2up |archive-date=11 March 2023 |access-date=11 March 2023 |magazine=Kalki |language=Ta |via=Internet Archive}} The film adaptation was produced by Perumal Mudaliar under National Pictures. Cinematography was handled by R. R. Chandran and editing by Panju under the alias S. Panjabi.

Though many film producers of the period hesitated to cast Radha in their films because of his caustic attitude, Mudaliar decided he should reprise his role from the play. Radha agreed to join the film after his conditions were met, one of which was him acting only at night after he acted in stage plays during the day.{{Cite news |date=3 May 2015 |title=எம்.ஆர்.ராதா - கலகக்காரனின் கதை! (12) |url=https://www.dinamalar.com/malarkal/vara-malar-weekly-magazine/mr-radha---the-story-of-the-riot-12/24882 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210501070142/https://www.dinamalar.com/supplementary_detail.asp?id=24882&cat=2 |archive-date=1 May 2021 |access-date=1 May 2021 |work=Dinamalar |language=ta}}{{Cite news |last=Ramakrishnan |first=Venkatesh |date=27 December 2020 |title='Madras' Radha – A Periyarist who used pungent dramatics as a social cleanser |url=https://www.dtnext.in/News/TopNews/2020/12/27044503/1268443/Madras-Radha--A-Periyarist-who-used-pungent-dramatics-.vpf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210501074500/https://www.dtnext.in/News/TopNews/2020/12/27044503/1268443/Madras-Radha--A-Periyarist-who-used-pungent-dramatics-.vpf |archive-date=1 May 2021 |access-date=1 May 2021 |work=DT Next}} The film marked the comeback of Radha to cinema after a long absence.{{Cite news |date=21 February 2018 |title=தமிழ் திரைப்பட நடிகர் எம்.ஆர்.ராதா பிறந்த தினம் - பிப்.21, 1907 |trans-title=Tamil film actor M. R. Radha's birthday: 21 February 1907 |url=https://www.maalaimalar.com/Timeline/Kalasuvadugal/2018/02/21044559/1146909/Tamil-Movie-Actor-MR-Radha-birthday.vpf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180815200717/https://www.maalaimalar.com/Timeline/Kalasuvadugal/2018/02/21044559/1146909/Tamil-Movie-Actor-MR-Radha-birthday.vpf |archive-date=15 August 2018 |access-date=15 August 2018 |work=Maalai Malar |language=ta}} M. N. Rajam was selected to portray the vamp Kantha, and had to put weight to portray the character.{{Cite news |last=Krishnamachari |first=Suganthy |date=6 May 2011 |title=In rewind mode |url=http://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/history-and-culture/in-rewind-mode/article1993343.ece |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150625045013/http://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/history-and-culture/in-rewind-mode/article1993343.ece |archive-date=25 June 2015 |access-date=25 June 2015 |work=The Hindu}} According to Rajam, no actress was willing to portray Kantha, but she agreed after she was approached by Krishnan–Panju. Rajam was hesitant to enact the scene where she had to kick Mohanasundaram (Radha's character) down from the staircase; she later relented after being requested by Krishnan.{{Cite news |last=Rangarajan |first=Malathi |date=26 January 2007 |title=Contented with her lot |url=https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-fridayreview/contented-with-her-lot/article2271268.ece |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200101075205/https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-fridayreview/contented-with-her-lot/article2271268.ece |archive-date=1 January 2020 |access-date=30 April 2021 |work=The Hindu}}

While filming the climax where Mohan is seen joining his wife Chandra's (Sriranjani) hands to his friend Balu's (S. S. Rajendran), the directors were hesitant, believing that if the scene was featured in the film, people would not accept it and the scene would cause controversy. Radha threatened not to act further if the scene was not filmed, and shooting stopped for a few months. Eventually, the climax was filmed at the behest of Radha.{{Cite news |date=10 May 2015 |title=எம்.ஆர்.ராதா - கலகக்காரனின் கதை! (13) |url=https://www.dinamalar.com/malarkal/vara-malar-weekly-magazine/mr-radha---the-story-of-the-riot-13/24992 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20180104052534/http://www.dinamalar.com/supplementary_detail.asp?id=24992&cat=2&Print=1 |archive-date=4 January 2018 |access-date=4 January 2018 |work=Dinamalar |language=ta}} Though during filming a remuneration was fixed for Radha, by the time filming ended he charged three times the agreed upon remuneration; his overall pay was {{INRConvert|125000|year=1954}}. The final length of the film was {{convert|15895|feet|metres}}.

According to C. S. Lakshmi, Ratha Kanneer was built on a framework of purity and impurity. The title of the film meaning "Tears of Blood" refers to the tears of the wife who is pure.{{Sfn|Lakshmi|2008|page=19}} In Marja Evelyn Mogk's edited volume Different Bodies:Essays on Disability in Film and Television, Joyojeet Paal wrote that the film pairs "western debauchery with consequent traditional punitive reprisal in form of physical disfigurement" and also noted that the storyline of the film bears resemblance to Samba, son of the Hindu god Krishna.{{Sfn|Paal|2013|page=111}} Writer Perumal Murugan feels the views of Mohan actually reflect those of E. V. Ramasamy,{{Cite news |last=Kannadasan |first=Akila |date=17 August 2019 |title=Why Perumal Murugan thinks 'Ratha Kanneer' is relevant even today |url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/writer-perumal-murugan-on-ratha-kanneer/article29118843.ece |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191218142153/https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/writer-perumal-murugan-on-ratha-kanneer/article29118843.ece |archive-date=18 December 2019 |access-date=1 May 2021 |work=The Hindu}} of whom Thangaraj was a follower.{{Cite news |date=7 January 2014 |title=Leaders Pay Tributes to Thangarasu |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/tamil-nadu/2014/jan/07/Leaders-Pay-Tributes-to-Thangarasu-560376.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210501163223/https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/tamil-nadu/2014/jan/07/Leaders-Pay-Tributes-to-Thangarasu-560376.html |archive-date=1 May 2021 |access-date=1 May 2021 |work=The New Indian Express}} Researcher and ethnographer Preeti Mudliar compared Andha Naal (1954) to Ratha Kanneer because in both films, "the sin of foreignness is [neutralised] by a chaste Tamil woman, the virtuous wife".{{Cite web |last=Mudliar |first=Preeti |year=2015 |title=Watching from an Arm's Length: The Foreign Hand in Tamil Cinema |url=http://joyojeet.people.si.umich.edu/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/The-Foreign-Hand-in-Tamil-Cinema.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160718060127/http://joyojeet.people.si.umich.edu/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/The-Foreign-Hand-in-Tamil-Cinema.pdf |archive-date=18 July 2016 |access-date=19 August 2018 |website=Communication, Culture & Critique |pages=9–10}}

The soundtrack was composed by C. S. Jayaraman while the background music was composed by Viswanathan–Ramamoorthy.{{Cite book |url=https://archive.org/download/sok.RatthaKanneer_Krishnan-Panchu_1954/19.%20RatthaKanneer_Krishnan-Panchu_1954.pdf |title=ரத்தக்கன்னீர் |publisher=National Pictures |year=1954 |language=ta |type=song book |access-date=18 October 2022 |via=Internet Archive}}{{Cite web |title=Ratha Kanneer |url=http://www.saregama.com/album/ratha-kanneer_15777 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924094341/http://www.saregama.com/album/ratha-kanneer_15777 |archive-date=24 September 2015 |access-date=11 September 2015 |website=Saregama}} The song "Kadhavai Saathadi" is set in the Carnatic raga known as Atana.{{Cite news |last=Mani |first=Charulatha |author-link=Charulatha Mani |date=14 September 2012 |title=Atana for inspiring valour |url=https://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/music/atana-for-inspiring-valour/article3896793.ece |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210501062916/https://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/music/atana-for-inspiring-valour/article3896793.ece |archive-date=1 May 2021 |access-date=1 May 2021 |work=The Hindu}} The songs "Kutram Purindhavan" and "Aalai Aalai" attained popularity.

Ratha Kanneer was released on 25 October 1954, during the week of Diwali.{{Cite news |last=ராம்ஜி |first=வி. |date=27 October 2020 |title='அடியே காந்தா...'வுக்கு 66 வயது! எம்.ஆர்.ராதாவின் 'ரத்தக்கண்ணீர்'... திருவாரூர் தங்கராசுவின் 'ரத்தக்கண்ணீர்'! |url=https://www.hindutamil.in/news/cinema/tamil-cinema/595270-66-years-of-ratthakkanneer-m-r-radha.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210430204739/https://www.hindutamil.in/news/cinema/tamil-cinema/595270-66-years-of-ratthakkanneer-m-r-radha.html |archive-date=30 April 2021 |access-date=1 May 2021 |work=Hindu Tamil Thisai |language=ta}} The film emerged a critical and commercial success, with particular praise towards Radha's performance, and ran for over 100 days in theatres.{{Sfn|Dhananjayan|2011|p=147}}

The play inspired an adaptation in Telugu starring Nagabhushanam, and later the Tamil film was dubbed into Telugu. After Radha's death, his eldest son Vasu played the protagonist in the play till his death, and at present donning the character is Radha's other son Ravi.{{Cite news |last=Rangarajan |first=Malathi |date=8 March 2012 |title=Refrains, old and new |url=https://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/refrains-old-and-new/article2973933.ece |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20210501121323/https://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/refrains-old-and-new/article2973933.ece |archive-date=1 May 2021 |access-date=1 May 2021 |work=The Hindu}} In 2002, whenever the play was staged with Ravi starring, the plot was amended to show the protagonist suffering from HIV/AIDS.{{Cite news |last=Dharmaraj |first=Vidyashree |date=25 July 2002 |title=Making big strides on small screen |url=https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-life/making-big-strides-on-small-screen/article28604383.ece |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20210430204051/https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-life/making-big-strides-on-small-screen/article28604383.ece |archive-date=30 April 2021 |access-date=1 May 2021 |work=The Hindu}}

Kannada actor Upendra who saw the film and adapted the play in Kannada for the current trend, he appeared in the lead role. Upendra, however, clarified that the Kannada version was not a remake.{{Cite web |last=Srinivasa |first=Srikanth |date=1 October 2014 |title='A remake is a remake even if the producer spends crores' |url=https://www.rediff.com/movies/report/a-remake-is-a-remake-even-if-the-producer-spends-crores-south/20141001.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220212182551/https://www.rediff.com/movies/report/a-remake-is-a-remake-even-if-the-producer-spends-crores-south/20141001.htm |archive-date=12 February 2022 |access-date=12 February 2022 |website=Rediff.com}} The film, titled Raktha Kanneeru, was directed by Sadhu Kokila. The film was released in 2003 and became a success.{{Cite web |last=Sri |date=10 July 2007 |title=Star Interviews: Upendra – Interview |url=http://www.telugucinema.com/c/publish/stars/upendra_interview_2.php |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080220132955/http://www.telugucinema.com/c/publish/stars/upendra_interview_2.php |archive-date=20 February 2008 |access-date=11 September 2015 |website=Telugucinema.com}} In August 2014, Vasu's son Sathish announced his intention to make another modern film version of the story, but those plans were cancelled due to his death in May 2015.{{Cite news |date=10 May 2015 |title=Dream Remake of Thespian Radha's Ratha Kanneer Sinks |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/chennai/2015/may/10/dream-remake-of-thespian-radhas-ratha-kanneer-sinks-758584.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20210501124443/https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/chennai/2015/may/10/Dream-Remake-of-Thespian-Radhas-Ratha-Kanneer-Sinks-758584.html |archive-date=1 May 2021 |access-date=1 May 2021 |work=The New Indian Express}}

After the success of the film, Radha became a much sought-after artiste in Tamil cinema. In July 2007, S. R. Ashok Kumar of The Hindu asked eight Tamil film directors to list their all-time favourite Tamil films; Mahendran and Balu Mahendra named Ratha Kanneer as one of their favourite films in Tamil. Mahendran said: "Ratha Kaneer, has progressive ideas and great acting by M.R.Radha".{{Cite news |last=Ashok Kumar |first=S. R. |date=13 July 2007 |title=Filmmakers' favourites |url=https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-fridayreview/filmmakers-favourites/article2272999.ece |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141011060705/http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-fridayreview/article2272999.ece |archive-date=11 October 2014 |access-date=30 April 2021 |work=The Hindu}} Actor Sivakumar stated that "You can't reproduce movies like Parasakthi, Pasamalar, Devadas, Veerapandiya Kattabomman or Ratha Kanneer [...] By remaking such films, you are lowering yourself, while it enhances the original artists’ image."{{Cite news |last=Anand |first=N. |date=3 January 2008 |title=Sivakumar not for old wine in new bottle |url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-tamilnadu/sivakumar-not-for-old-wine-in-new-bottle/article1170631.ece |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150326134402/http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-tamilnadu/sivakumar-not-for-old-wine-in-new-bottle/article1170631.ece |archive-date=26 March 2015 |access-date=20 February 2015 |work=The Hindu}}

{{reflist|refs=

{{Cite web |last=Sundaram |first=Nandhu |date=31 May 2020 |title='Ratha Kanneer': MR Radha's film is a scathing indictment of our culture |url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/ratha-kanneer-mr-radha-s-film-scathing-indictment-our-culture-125619 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210127065651/https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/ratha-kanneer-mr-radha-s-film-scathing-indictment-our-culture-125619 |archive-date=27 January 2021 |access-date=30 April 2021 |website=The News Minute}}

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{{Cite web |title=1954 – ரத்தக்கண்ணீர் – நேஷனல் பிக்சர்ஸ்-ரத்தக்கண்ணீரு(தெ-டப்) |trans-title=1954 – Ratha Kanneer – National Pictures-Ratha Kanneeru (Telugu, dub) |url=http://lakshmansruthi.com/cineprofiles/1954-cinedetails26.asp |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://archive.today/20180104051409/http://lakshmansruthi.com/cineprofiles/1954-cinedetails26.asp |archive-date=4 January 2018 |access-date=4 January 2018 |website=Lakshman Sruthi |language=ta}}

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}}

• {{Cite book |last=Dhananjayan |first=G. |author-link=G. Dhananjayan |title=The Best of Tamil Cinema, 1931 to 2010: 1931–1976 |publisher=Galatta Media |year=2011 |oclc=733724281}}
• {{Cite book |last=Lakshmi |first=C. S. |author-link=C. S. Lakshmi |title=Tamil Cinema: The Cultural Politics of India's Other Film Industry |publisher=Psychology Press |year=2008 |isbn=978-0-203-93037-3 |editor-last=Velayutham |editor-first=Selvaraj |chapter=A good woman, a very good woman: Tamil cinema's women}}
• {{Cite book |last=Paal |first=Joyojeet |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3SfTAAAAQBAJ |title=Different Bodies: Essays on Disability in Film and Television |publisher=McFarland |year=2013 |isbn=978-1-4766-0621-7 |editor-last=Mogk |editor-first=Marja Evelyn |chapter=Physical Disability and Indian Cinema}}

• {{IMDb title}}
• {{Rotten Tomatoes}}

{{Krishnan–Panju}}

Category:1950s Indian films

Category:1950s Tamil-language films

Category:1954 drama films

Category:1954 films

Category:Films directed by Krishnan–Panju

Category:Films scored by C. S. Jayaraman

Category:Films scored by Viswanathan–Ramamoorthy

Category:Indian black-and-white films

Category:Indian drama films

Category:Indian films based on plays

Category:Tamil-language drama films

Category:Tamil-language Indian films