Nala Damayanthi 2003

Ramji Narayanaswami Iyer, a naive and docile Tamil Brahmin cook, R. Madhavan dreams of arranging a good marriage for his orphan sister Bhagyam, a duty he embraces with quiet resolve. As tradition dictates, he should provide a dowry, and he tirelessly tries to meet the agreed sum, even as the financial burden grows heavier. The groom’s family, impressed by Ramji’s cooking, schemes to take advantage of him by offering a move to Melbourne to work as a cook for a wealthy Indian family, with part of his salary earmarked to cover the dowry.

Yet fate takes a sharp turn when the day Ramji lands Melbourne, the millionaire dies from indigestion, leaving Ramji jobless and stranded with his passport and visa stolen. In a desperate bid to survive, he begins working illegally as a cook in a hotel owned by an NRI named Badri. To stay legally, he must secure a work permit, and Badri’s shrewd lawyer friend, Bruno Xavier as Ivan, explains that the only way out is a fake marriage to an Australian citizen. Ramji reluctantly agrees to wed Damayanthi, a free-spirited Sri Lankan Tamil Christian motorbiker, portrayed by Geethu Mohandas. They rush into a weekend wedding, and Ivan charges hefty fees, funneling the money into their joint account.

Ramji then converts to Christianity, adopting the name Robert, and moves into Damayanthi’s house. But the authorities suspect the union is not genuine, and the couple must stay together to avoid exposure by the consulate. Damayanthi’s rural manners clash with Ramji’s conventional ways, yet he wins her heart by cooking delicate dishes that bridge their two worlds. Over time, Damayanthi realizes Ivan is exploiting her and does not truly love her.

Meanwhile, Ramji struggles to send the dowry installments, and Bhagyam’s in-laws throw her out of the family home, heightening the tension. Damayanthi acts decisively, transferring the money already paid for the fake marriage into their joint account and ensuring a trusted friend looks after her. When the confrontation with the consulate escalates, Ramji speaks with more candor than required, which leads to his return to India. Damayanthi follows him to Palakkad, and the film closes on a hopeful note as the couple launches a restaurant together.

In a final celebratory moment, two renowned actors appear to mark the new beginning: Kamal Haasan and Jayaram arrive to inaugurate the restaurant and wish the pair luck, signaling a fresh chapter for Ramji and Damayanthi.