Navarathiri

Navarathiri

Year: 1964

Runtime: 166 mins

Language: Tamil

Director: A. P. Nagarajan

Drama

Following a heated argument with her father about the man he wants her to marry, Nalina leaves home on the first night of Navaratri. For the next nine nights she meets a different facet of human behavior each day, confronting a range of attitudes and actions that challenge her and lead her toward self‑realization.

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Timeline & Setting – Navarathiri (1964)

Explore the full timeline and setting of Navarathiri (1964). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

Location

Nalina's affluent home, college hostel, brothel house, police station, mental hospital, rural village, Anand's home, Veerapan's hunting ground

The story unfolds across multiple settings—from Nalina's opulent family mansion during Navaratri to college corridors, the perilous confines of a brothel, and the austere spaces of a police station and a mental hospital. It then moves into rural village life and back to the homes of Nalina’s love, Anand, and the people who influence her journey. The Navaratri festival frames the narrative, using nine distinct locations to explore social norms, danger, and redemption.

🎉 Navaratri festival 🏰 Wealthy family home 🏫 College campus 🏚️ Brothel setting 🗺️ Urban to rural journey

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 19:24

Main Characters – Navarathiri (1964)

Meet the key characters of Navarathiri (1964), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Nalina — Savitri

Nalina is the film’s central figure, a rich man's daughter who rejects an arranged marriage to pursue her college mate. She is impulsive, curious, and emotionally intense, undergoing a nine-night journey that tests loyalty and self-discovery. Her resilience drives the narrative as she navigates danger, deception, and longing, ultimately reuniting with Anand.

💎 Rich family background 🎭 Drama 💞 Romantic entanglement

Anand — Sivaji Ganesan

Anand is Nalina's college mate and eventual husband, the love at the center of her pursuit. He appears as a romantic ideal who is initially separated by truth and misunderstandings, but is revealed to be the groom Nalina's father had in mind. Their reunion and marriage on the ninth night seal the journey.

🎭 Drama 💖 Romance 🎯 Destiny

Arputhraj — Sivaji Ganesan

A widower who helps Nalina after she leaves home, he becomes a protective guardian figure. He introduces Nalina to his daughter and embodies kindness and moral steadiness amid the social chaos. His presence anchors a sense of family and shelter in the narrative.

👨‍🦳 Widower 💞 Protective 🎭 Drama

Lalitha Arputhraj — Kutti Padmini

Lalitha is Arputhraj's daughter, a member of the family Nalina encounters during her journey. She represents warmth and familial concern, offering support and interaction that humanize the home front amid the chaos of the Navaratri nights. Her presence reinforces themes of kinship and care.

👩 Daughter 🏠 Family 💞 Love

Dr. Karunagaran — Sivaji Ganesan

An elderly doctor at the mental hospital who notices Nalina's pretence and helps her. He embodies patience, understanding, and professional care, providing Nalina with a moment of safety and moral clarity. His compassion contrasts with the social stigma Nalina faces.

🩺 Doctor 🧠 Empathetic 🎭 Drama

Sathyavaan Singaram — Sivaji Ganesan

A director and stage actor who leads the troupe Nalina encounters during the seventh night. He supports the performance and protects Nalina from predatory behavior, highlighting the creative community as a space of camaraderie amid danger. His role emphasizes the importance of art as shelter and opportunity.

🎭 Director 🎬 Stage artist 🗺️ Cultural

Visalakshi — Kumari Rukmini

Visalakshi appears within the village milieu as a respected elder or community figure connected to the broader Navaratri world. She embodies communal memory and provides a humane counterpoint to the night's peril. Her brief presence underscores the social fabric surrounding Nalina's journey.

👵 Elder 👥 Community figure 🎭 Drama

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 19:24

Major Themes – Navarathiri (1964)

Explore the central themes of Navarathiri (1964), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

✨ Wonder

Nine nights carry Nalina through a spectrum of unfamiliar people and situations, inviting a sense of awe and discovery. Each encounter reveals a new facet of human behavior and desire. The arc uses wonder as a lens on love, risk, and self-realization amid a strict social world.

😨 Fear

The second night places Nalina in a perilous, morally ambiguous space where danger and judgment loom. Her escapes and quick thinking underscore vulnerability and the social costs of her choices. Fear drives her to test boundaries and seek safer paths.

🤝 Compassion

Compassion emerges in the doctor who sees through Nalina's pretence and offers aid. Nalina's acts of kindness toward others — the leper and the people she encounters — reflect a humane response to hardship. The narrative treats mercy as a counterweight to exploitation and loneliness.

💪 Bravery

Nalina's bravest moment comes when she disguises herself and confronts danger, aiding a stranger and facing a powerful adversary. She endures peril and deception, choosing to do what is right despite personal risk. Bravery threads through the ninth-night reunion and the culmination of her journey.

🎉 Bliss

The final night culminates in Nalina and Anand's marriage, a joyful resolution after a turbulent odyssey. The celebration gathers the people she met along the way, signaling social forgiveness and personal reconciliation. Bliss here marks the healing of wounded relationships and the restoration of love.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 19:24

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