Kali N. Rathnam

Narayana Padaiyatchi Rathnam (c. 1897 – August 1950), popularly known as "Kali" N. Rathnam, was a Tamil stage and film artist known for his roles as a comedian in Tamil movies of the 1930s and 1940s. Renowned Tamil actor and politician M. G. Ramachandran was a protege of Rathnam.

Rathnam was born at Malaiyappanallur near Kumbakonam in Tanjore District in the year 1897 to Narayana Padayatchi and Thangathammal. His parents were agriculturists and Rathanm was acquainted with rural songs and folk arts from a very early age. As a young boy, Rathnam learned to act from a stage actor named Parameswaran Iyer. Seeing Rathnam perform the role of Kali in a stage play, Iyer christened him "Kali" N. Rathnam.

Rathnam joined the Madurai Original Boys Company in 1923 and acted in Pathi Bhakthi (1936), the first movie produced by the Company. Rathnam's second movie was Mannarswami (1936). But Rathnam's first hit was Chandrakantha (1936). Following the success, Rathnam acted in hit movies such as Uthama Puthiran, Sathi Murali (1940), Sabapathy (1941), Manonmani (1943), Burma Rani (1945), Chow Chow (1945) , Paranjothi (1945), Sri Murugan (1946), Arthanari (1946), Aaravalli (1946), Sahada Yogam (1946), Udayanan Vasavadatta (1947), Kannika (1947), Sulochana (1947), Sri Aandal (1948), Adhithan Kanavu (1948), Devdasi (1948), Pizhaikum Vali (1948), and Bhojan (1948).

While in a drama tour of Coimbatore, Rathnam was impressed by the histrionic skills of C. T. Rajakantham, daughter of the owner of the house in which they stayed and inducted her into his troupe. The two became a successful comedy pair and acted together in a number of movies. The two were eventually married and had a daughter - Rajalakshmi who married the popular playback singer Tiruchi Loganathan.

Rathnam died in August 1950 at the age of 52 or 53. His last completed film role was in the Ellis R. Dungan-directed Ponmudi.

Kali N. Rathnam on IMDb