Manimekalai (1940 film)

Manimekalai is a 1940 Indian Tamil-language film directed by Bommai M. D. Joshi. It is based on the ancient Tamil epic poem of the same name, Manimekalai, one of the Five Great Epics of Tamil Literature. The film tells the story of Manimekalai, a Buddhist nun who renounces worldly pleasures to dedicate her life to serving the poor and needy. The narrative follows her spiritual journey, highlighting themes of compassion, dharma, and renunciation, as depicted in the original epic. The film features music composed by Papanasam Sivan and is notable for its early adaptation of classical Tamil literature into cinema.