# Burma Rani

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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 13 April 1945 (1945-04-13) Country India Language Tamil

***Burma Rani*** (Tamil pronunciation: [\['bəɾ.mɑː 'ɾaːɳɪ\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA/Tamil) transl. Queen of Burma) is a 1945 Indian [Tamil](/source/Tamil_language)-language [war](/source/War_film)-[spy film](/source/Spy_film) set against the backdrop of the [Second World War](/source/Second_World_War).[1] Directed by [T. R. Sundaram](/source/T._R._Sundaram),[2] it starred [K. L. V. Vasantha](/source/K._L._V._Vasantha) and Sundaram, himself. The film was released on 13 April 1945, during Puthandu.[3] It was believed to be [lost](/source/Lost_film) until 2006, when it was [rediscovered](/source/List_of_rediscovered_films) and made available on [DVD](/source/DVD).[4]

## Plot

The main plot revolves around a spy ring in Japanese-occupied [Burma](/source/Burma). It is led by a Tamil woman named Mangalam.[2][5] She monitors General Bakjina, who is planning an attack on India. General Bakjina, the Japanese army commander, is modelled after [Adolf Hitler](/source/Adolf_Hitler).[6][7]

The story intensifies when three Indian pilots crash-land in Japanese-occupied [Rangoon](/source/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

- [C. Honnappa Bhagavathar](/source/C._Honnappa_Bhagavathar) as Kumar

- [Serukalathur Sama](/source/Serukalathur_Sama) as Buddhist Monk

- K. K. Perumal as Uso

- [T. S. Balaiah](/source/T._S._Balaiah) as Ranjith Singh

- [S. V. Sahasranamam](/source/S._V._Sahasranamam) as Kundu Rao

- A. Dhasaratha Rao as Soni

- S. R. Sandow as Gotto

- [N. S. Krishnan](/source/N._S._Krishnan) as Kunjitham

- [Kali N. Rathnam](/source/Kali_N._Rathnam) as Koduchi

- [V. M. Ezhumalai](/source/V._M._Ezhumalai) as Umpan

- M. E. Madhavan as Madhav

- [K. L. V. Vasantha](/source/K._L._V._Vasantha) as Rani

- [T. A. Mathuram](/source/T._A._Mathuram) as Banama

- [C. T. Rajakantham](/source/C._T._Rajakantham) as Miss Mangalam

- [T. R. Sundaram](/source/T._R._Sundaram) as Colonel Bakinja

## Reception

Burma Rani was one among four war-effort films released in Madras in 1945.[8] Upon its initial release, *Burma Rani* was appreciated by the British.[8][9] The local war propaganda officer, G. T. B. Harvey, presided over the premiere of the film.[8][10] 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.[8] 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.[8][9]

It was eventually banned by the Madras censor board in post-independence India.[11]

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** Velayutham, Selvaraj, ed. (3 April 2008). [*Tamil Cinema: The Cultural Politics of India's Other Film Industry*](https://books.google.com/books?id=UsR8AgAAQBAJ). Routledge. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1-134-15446-3](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-134-15446-3).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:0_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:0_2-1) Nathan, Archana (27 May 2017). ["Rangoon has never been too far away from Madras – ask Kollywood"](https://scroll.in/reel/838148/rangoon-has-never-been-too-far-away-from-madras-ask-kollywood). *[Scroll.in](/source/Scroll.in)*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20241102055059/https://scroll.in/reel/838148/rangoon-has-never-been-too-far-away-from-madras-ask-kollywood) from the original on 2 November 2024. Retrieved 30 June 2024.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["Burma Rani"](https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=o7Q-AAAAIBAJ&sjid=VEwMAAAAIBAJ&pg=1906%2C2514188). *[The Indian Express](/source/The_Indian_Express)*. 6 April 1945. p. 6. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20250211124615/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=o7Q-AAAAIBAJ&sjid=VEwMAAAAIBAJ&pg=1906%2C2514188) from the original on 11 February 2025. Retrieved 11 February 2025 – via [Google News Archive](/source/Google_News_Archive).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** [Baskaran, S. Theodore](/source/S._Theodore_Baskaran) (5 October 2006). ["War relic"](https://frontline.thehindu.com/arts-and-culture/cinema/article30211050.ece). *[Frontline](/source/Frontline_(magazine))*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20241130163142/https://frontline.thehindu.com/arts-and-culture/cinema/article30211050.ece) from the original on 30 November 2024. Retrieved 30 June 2024.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** ["As The Temple Bells Beckon"](https://www.outlookindia.com/making-a-difference/as-the-temple-bells-beckon-news-280473). *[Outlook](/source/Outlook_(Indian_magazine))*. 5 February 2022. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20250125054433/https://www.outlookindia.com/making-a-difference/as-the-temple-bells-beckon-news-280473) from the original on 25 January 2025. Retrieved 30 June 2024.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** Balasubramanian, Roshne (22 November 2017). ["Untold war tales of Madras"](https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/chennai/2017/Nov/21/untold-war-tales-of-madras-1707307.html). *[The New Indian Express](/source/The_New_Indian_Express)*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20250125054528/https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/chennai/2017/Nov/21/untold-war-tales-of-madras-1707307.html) from the original on 25 January 2025. Retrieved 30 June 2024.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["The textile engineer who took Tamil film industry to new heights"](https://www.dtnext.in/city/2019/09/29/the-textile-engineer-who-took-tamil-film-industry-to-new-heights). *[DT Next](/source/DT_Next)*. 29 September 2019. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20250125054659/https://www.dtnext.in/city/2019/09/29/the-textile-engineer-who-took-tamil-film-industry-to-new-heights) from the original on 25 January 2025. Retrieved 30 June 2024.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:1_8-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:1_8-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-:1_8-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-:1_8-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-:1_8-4) Mukherjee, Debashree (13 September 2023). ["Media wars: Remaking the logics of propaganda in India's wartime cine-ecologies"](https://doi.org/10.1017%2FS0026749X22000427). *Modern Asian Studies*. **57** (5): 1585–1614. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1017/S0026749X22000427](https://doi.org/10.1017%2FS0026749X22000427). [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [0026-749X](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0026-749X).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:2_9-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:2_9-1) Alonso, Isabel Huacuja; Amstutz, Andrew (13 September 2023). ["Rethinking the Second World War in South Asia: Between theatres and beyond battles"](https://doi.org/10.1017%2FS0026749X2300015X). *Modern Asian Studies*. **57** (5): 1449–1458. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1017/S0026749X2300015X](https://doi.org/10.1017%2FS0026749X2300015X). [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [0026-749X](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0026-749X).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** [Baskaran, S. Theodore](/source/S._Theodore_Baskaran) (1981). [*The Message Bearers: The Nationalist Politics and the Entertainment Media in South India, 1880–1945*](https://books.google.com/books?id=tOEDAAAAMAAJ). Cre-A. p. 122. [OCLC](/source/OCLC_(identifier)) [9441794](https://search.worldcat.org/oclc/9441794).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** ["South Indian Cinema: Changing times, changing films"](https://tcrcindia.com/2024/05/14/south-indian-cinema-changing-times-changing-films/). *The Cinema Resource Centre*. 14 May 2024. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20240514094100/https://tcrcindia.com/2024/05/14/south-indian-cinema-changing-times-changing-films/) from the original on 14 May 2024. Retrieved 11 February 2025.

## External links

- [*Burma Rani*](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0331917/) at [IMDb](/source/IMDb_(identifier))

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) Thalai Koduthaan Thambi (1959) Kandam Becha Kottu (1961)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Burma Rani](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burma_Rani) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burma_Rani?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.