NFAI rescues lost Tamil classic 'Ratha Kanneer'
The National Film Archive of India (NFAI) just scored a rare find: the original reels of Ratha Kanneer, a 1954 Tamil film that's been nearly impossible to watch in good quality.
Directed by Krishnan-Panju and starring M.R. Radha, it's a bold story about Mohanasundaram—a rich guy who looks down on Indian culture and faces harsh consequences for his choices.
Why does this old movie matter?
Ratha Kanneer isn't just vintage drama—it takes on big issues like caste bias, blind faith, and how society treats diseases like leprosy.
The main character's fall from privilege is both dramatic and thought-provoking, making the film surprisingly relevant even today.
How did it survive?
Thanks to Aparna Subramaniam donating eight jumbo 35mm reels (seriously rare!), NFAI can finally restore the movie for everyone. Until now, only blurry versions existed online.
This means new generations can actually see what progressive Tamil cinema looked like in the 1950s—no more grainy YouTube clips required.