''Ratnakumar'' is a 1949 Indian Tamil-language film starring P. U. Chinnappa and P. Bhanumathi.

M. G. Ramachandran Maruthur Gopalan Ramachandran (17 January 1917 24 December 1987), also popularly known as M.G.R., was an Indian politician, actor, philanthropist, and filmmaker who served as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu from 1977 until his death in 1987 ...

did a supporting role. The film was released on 15 December 1949.

Plot

Despite his poverty, the protagonist Rathnakumar woos and wins the hand of Bhanumati. At the bidding of the hero, a skeleton hurls a giant rock on the ground, and diamonds, rubies and emeralds pop out. Falling into evil company, he becomes addicted to vices that make him ill-treat his wife and then desert her without any qualms. He proceeds to fall for a beautiful princess and impresses her under false pretences. However, he eventually receives his comeuppance as his dubious past is revealed and he is imprisoned. Thereupon his conscience awakes and he is filled with remorse at the thought of his patient wife. Rathnakumar is an ordinary man of shifting loyalties, greed, lust, deceit and ultimately penitence.

Cast

;Male cast * P. U. Chinnappa as Rathnakumar *

as Balathevan * Mahadevan * D. Balasubramanyam * N. S. Krishnan as Begger *

T. S. Durairaj T. S. Durairaj (31 December 1910 – 2 June 1986) was a Tamil film comedian, drama artist, producer and director in the early stages of the Tamil film industry (Kollywood). He received a Kalaimamani award from the Tamil Nadu Government in 2 ...

* K. Radhakrishnan as Kingdom's guard * K. P. Kesavan * T. P. Ponnusami Pillai * C. S. Pandian ;Female cast * P. Bhanumathi as Malathi * T. A. Mathuram as Nandini * K. Malathi * Parvathi

Soundtrack

The music was composed by G. Ramanathan and C. R. Subbaraman. The lyrics were written by

Papanasam Sivan Paapanaasam Raamayya Sivan (26 September 1890 – 1 October 1973) was an Indian composer of Carnatic music and a singer. He was awarded the Madras Music Academy's Sangeetha Kalanidhi in 1971. He was also a film score composer in Kannada cine ...

and Surabhi. C. R. Subburaman made K. Malathi to sing a solo and a duet with PUC in this film. Although she is a talented singer, this is the only film in which she sang.

Reception

The film did poorly at the box office.

References

External links

* {{Krishnan–Panju 1940s Tamil-language films 1949 films Films directed by Krishnan–Panju Films scored by G. Ramanathan Films scored by C. R. Subbaraman Indian black-and-white films Indian epic films