The Cleansing Rites

Suddha depicts the death of the feudal system that existed among the Tulu speaking community in coastal Karnataka for many years, and the impact of The Land Ceiling Act, which was ushered in during the sixties and seventies, on its social structure. It is the story of modern India - of changing caste equations and a realisation of this reality among the land owning class, albeit a bit late. Though the film is set in a remote village near Mangalore, it could well have happened in any other village elsewhere in India. An ex-landlord family comes to terms with the fact that they are living in their last leg of feudal existence when it cannot perform a last rites in a grand manner in which it was once used to.

Directed by Ramchandra P.N., The Cleansing Rites leans on a strong ensemble — Sharada Devi, Bharathi Jain, Jagatpal Jain — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about screen titles of 2005.