Burma Rani

1945 Indian film

Burma Rani

Theatrical release poster

Directed by| T. R. Sundaram
Produced by| T. R. Sundaram
Starring| K. L. V. Vasantha
T. R. Sundaram
C. Honnappa Bhagavathar
Serugulathur Sama
T. S. Balaiah
Cinematography| W. R. Subba Rao
Edited by| D. Dorairaj
Music by| T. A. Kalyanam

Production
company

Modern Theatres

Distributed by| Modern Theatres

Release date

* 1945 (1945)

Country| India
Language| Tamil

Burma Rani (Tamil pronunciation: ['bəɾ.mɑː 'ɾaːɳɪ]; transl. Queen of Burma) is a 1945 Indian Tamil-language war-spy film set against the backdrop of the Second World War.[1] Directed by T. R. Sundaram,[2] it starred K. L. V. Vasantha and Sundaram, himself. The film was believed to be lost until 2006, when it was rediscovered and made available on DVD.[3]

## Plot

[edit]

The main plot revolves around a spy ring in Japanese-occupied Burma. It is led by a Tamil woman named Mangalam.[2][4] She monitors General Bakjina, who is planning an attack on India. General Bakjina, the Japanese army commander, is modeled after Adolf Hitler.[5][6]

The story intensifies when three Indian pilots crash-land in Japanese-occupied Rangoon. They hide in the house of Rani, an Indian dancer. The secondary plot is a love story between Ranjit Kumar, one of the pilots, and Rani. The pilots are captured and taken prisoner, and Ranjit is eventually killed. The story of the escape of the other two pilots forms the plot of the movie.

## Cast

[edit]

* C. Honnappa Bhagavathar as Kumar
* Serukalathur Sama as Buddhist Monk
* K. K. Perumal as Uso
* T. S. Balaiah as Ranjith Singh
* S. V. Sahasranamam as Kundu Rao
* A. Dhasaratha Rao as Soni
* S. R. Sandow as Gotto
* N. S. Krishnan as Kunjitham
* Kali N. Rathnam as Koduchi
* V. M. Ezhumalai as Umpan
* M. E. Madhavan as Madhav
* K. L. V. Vasantha as Rani
* T. A. Mathuram as Banama
* C. T. Rajakantham as Miss Mangalam
* T. R. Sundaram as Colonel Bakinja

## Reception

[edit]

Burma Rani was one among four war-effort films released in Madras in 1945.[7] Upon its initial release, Burma Rani was appreciated by the British.[7][8] The local war propaganda officer, G. T. B. Harvey, presided over the premiere of the film.[7][9] However, Harvey later grew suspicious of the film’s portrayal of Japanese characters and withheld its commercial release, reflecting the ideological complexity of a war film set against the backdrop of India, Britain, and Japan.[7] While the Japanese characters were negatively stereotyped, the Indian spies and military officers were portrayed with a nuanced patriotism that could be interpreted as anti-colonial.[7][8]

It was eventually banned by the Madras censor board in post-independence India.[citation needed]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Velayutham, Selvaraj (3 April 2008). Tamil Cinema: The Cultural Politics of India's Other Film Industry. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-134-15446-3.
2. ^ a b Nathan, Archana (27 May 2017). "Rangoon has never been too far away from Madras – ask Kollywood". Scroll.in. Retrieved 30 June 2024.
3. ^ "War relic". Frontline. 5 October 2006. Retrieved 30 June 2024.
4. ^ "As The Temple Bells Beckon". Outlook India. 5 February 2022. Retrieved 30 June 2024.
5. ^ Balasubramanian, Roshne (22 November 2017). "Untold war tales of Madras". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 30 June 2024.
6. ^ migrator (29 September 2019). "The textile engineer who took Tamil film industry to new heights". www.dtnext.in. Retrieved 30 June 2024.
7. ^ a b c d e Mukherjee, Debashree (13 September 2023). "Media wars: Remaking the logics of propaganda in India's wartime cine-ecologies". Modern Asian Studies. 57 (5): 1585–1614. doi:10.1017/S0026749X22000427. ISSN 0026-749X.
8. ^ a b Alonso, Isabel Huacuja; Amstutz, Andrew (13 September 2023). "Rethinking the Second World War in South Asia: Between theatres and beyond battles". Modern Asian Studies. 57 (5): 1449–1458. doi:10.1017/S0026749X2300015X. ISSN 0026-749X.
9. ^ Baskaran, S. Theodore (1981). The Message Bearers: The Nationalist Politics and the Entertainment Media in South India, 1880-1945. Cre-A.

* v
* t
* e

Modern Theatres

Key people|

* T. R. Sundaram (founder)

Films produced|

| 1930s|

* Modern Girl (1935)
* Bandit of the Air (1936)
* Country Girl (1936)
* Modern Lady (1936)
* Modern Youth (1937)
* Mr. Ammanchi (1937)
* Naveena Nirupama (1937)
* Padma Jothi (1937)
* Sathi Ahalya (1937)
* Balan (1938)
* Dhaksha Yagnam (1938)
* Kambar (1938)
* Maya Mayavan (1938)
* Mayuradhawaja (1938)
* Santhanadevan (1938)
* Thayumanavar (1938)
* Maanikka Vaasakar (1939)
* Manmadha Vijayam (1939)
* Sathyavaani (1939)
* Sri Sankarachariyar (1939)

|

1940s|

* Harihara Maya (1940)
* Raja Yogam (1940)
* Sathyavaani (1940)
* Sathi Mahananda (1940)
* Sathi Murali (1940)
* Uthama Puthiran (1940)
* Vikrama Oorvasi (1941)
* Bhaktha Gowri (1941)
* Dhayalan (1941)
* Ashok (1942)
* Manonmani (1942)
* Sathi Suganya (1942)
* Sivalinga Satchi (1942)
* Arundhathi (1943)
* Dewan Bahadur (1943)
* Soorapuli (1943)
* Sow Sow (1944)
* Rajarajeswari (1944)
* Burma Rani (1945)
* Chitra (1946)
* Sangram (1946)
* Subhathra (1946)
* 1000 Thalaivangi Apoorva Chinthamani (1947)
* Sulochana (1947)
* Adhithan Kanavu (1948)
* Ahimasa Yuddham (1948)
* Bhojan (1948)

1950s|

* Thigambara Samiar (1950)
* Manthiri Kumari (1950)
* Maaya Rambha (1950)
* Ponmudi (1950)
* Aada Janma (1951)
* Sarvadhikari (1951)
* Kaadu (1952)
* The Jungle (1952)
* Atthinti Kapuram (1952)
* Kalyani (1952)
* Savathiporu (1952)
* Valayapathi (1952)
* Mangala Gowri (1953)
* Thirumbi Paar (1953)
* Deva Kannika (1954)
* Illara Jothi (1954)
* Sugam Enge (1954)
* Kathanayaki (1955)
* Maheswari (1955)
* Alibabavum 40 Thirudargalum (1956)
* Pasavalai (1956)
* Aravalli (1957)
* Kitna Badal Gaya Insan (1957)
* Veera Kankanam (1957)
* Petra Maganai Vitra Annai (1958)
* Engal Kuladevi (1959)
* Thalai Koduthaan Thambi (1959)
* Vannakili (1959)

1960s|

* Anna Chellalu (1960)
* Kaithi Kannayiram (1960)
* Kandam Becha Kottu (1961)
* Kumudham (1961)
* Modern Girl (1961)
* Kavitha (1962)
* Kattu Roja (1963)
* Konjum Kumari (1963)
* Yarukku Sontham (1963)
* Amma Enge (1964)
* Chitrangi (1964)
* Vallavanukku Vallavan (1965)
* Iru Vallavargal (1966)
* Monagallaku Monagadu (1966)
* Vallavan Oruvan (1966)
* Ethirigal Jakkirathai (1967)
* Kadhalithal Podhuma (1967)
* Evaru Monagadu (1968)
* Naangu Killadigal (1969)

1970s|

* CID Shankar (1970)
* Justice Viswanathan (1971)
* Nenu Manishine (1971)
* Karunthel Kannayiram (1972)
* Thedi Vandha Lakshmi (1973)
* Prayachitham (1974)
* Kaali Koyil Kabali (1979)
* Vallavan Varugiraan (1979)

1990s|

* Jenanaayakan (1999)

* v
* t
* e

Films directed by T. R. Sundaram

* Naveena Nirupama (1937)
* Padhma Jothi (1937)
* Sathi Akalya (1937)
* Maanikka Vaasakar (1939)
* Uthama Puthiran (1940)
* Manonmani (1942)
* Sathi Suganya (1942)
* Arundhati (1943)
* Dewan Bahadur (1943)
* Rajarajeswari (1944)
* Burma Rani (1945)
* Subhadhra (1946)
* 1000 Thalaivangi Apoorva Chinthamani (1947)
* Adhithan Kanavu (1948)
* Manthiri Kumari (1950)
* Thigambara Samiar (1950)
* Sarvadhikari (1951)
* Valayapathi (1952)
* Thirumbi Paar (1953)
* Alibabavum 40 Thirudargalum (1956)
* Sollu Thambi Sollu (1959)
* Thalai Koduthaan Thambi (1959)
* Kandam Becha Kottu (1961)

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