Ratha Kanneer

On returning to India, Mohan is married to Chandra, a cultured and conservative village girl. The marriage marks the start of a life he soon abandons for pleasure. This domestic arrangement will be tested by his reckless behavior and lack of respect for family.

Mohan begins an affair with Kantha, a prostitute, signaling a sharp turn from his marriage and social pretensions. The romance grows as Kantha's influence seduces him, despite warnings from his friend Balu. Mohan's obsession with Kantha begins to pull him away from his wife and family.

Balu, Mohan's best friend, tries to counsel him and mend his ways, urging him to end the affair and reclaim responsibility. Mohan turns a deaf ear to the advice and continues pursuing Kantha, refusing to change course. The friendship strains as the rift widens between them.

Shortly after his mother's death, Mohan skips the post-death formalities to attend Kantha's mother's birthday function. This callous decision shows his preference for Kantha over his own family. The act foreshadows the ruin of his relationships and his descent into moral decline.

Mohan surrenders all his riches to Kantha, wagering everything on their relationship. With the wealth gone, he loses every loved one in his life, including his wife and mother. The dream of wealth and security collapses, leaving him exposed to hardship.

Mohan contracts leprosy and is struck down by the disease, losing control of his life. Kantha and her associates treat him as an untouchable, locking him up in a room. Isolated and humiliated, he begins to confront the consequences of his choices.

Kantha eventually expels him from her house, and Mohan's health continues to decline as he rapidly loses his eyesight. He wanders the streets as a blind, penniless man, a shadow of his former self. The world that once bowed to his wealth now rejects him.

As a poor leper, Mohan wanders the streets begging for food. He encounters his estranged wife Chandra, who now lives in hardship, and they do not recognize each other due to disfigurement and their own misfortunes. He also reunites with his old friend Balu, setting the stage for reconciliation among the trio.

Balu breaks the news that Kantha died in an air crash, shattering the last bridge to his past. The revelation deepens Mohan's sense of remorse and the possibility of redemption. The tragedy accelerates his shift toward caring for others.

Before his own life ends, Mohan arranges for Chandra to marry Balu so she can be cared for by a better man than he could ever be. The act represents his final attempt to repair the harm he caused and to ensure her happiness. This act underscores the theme of seeking restitution for his misdeeds.

As a last request, he asks that a statue of a leper be raised in his likeness to stand as a warning against philanderers. The gesture is meant to symbolize accountability and to deter others from repeating his mistakes. His wish reveals a moral aspiration born from hardship.

Some time after Mohan's death, a statue is erected in his likeness, fulfilling his request. Balu breaks into a song about righteousness and the value of life, offering a hopeful note for the future. The ending presents a moral lesson about transformation, forgiveness, and the perils of vanity.