Kaanthi is the story of a tribal woman “Neelamma” and her blind daughter “Kaanthi”. Neelamma belongs to a tribal society called Kaani which is one of the oldest tribes in Southern India.
Kaani people live in the deep jungles of Western Ghats, far away from the civilised society. They are often exploited by urban people who invade into their natural habitat. Neelamma is one of the victims of such inhuman exploitation. She was cheated by a forest guard and became pregnant. Her own tribe ousted her from the society. She took refuge in another village and gave birth to a girl child. To add to the woes of Neelamma, her child was blind since her birth. Neelamma decided to face all odds and to live for her child. She always faced threats from forest guards, government officials and sometimes from mother earth. As her daughter grows up, Neelamma becomes more and more concerned about her child’s safety.
In a medical camp organised in the tribal village, Neelamma understands that her daughter will be able to see the world if someone donates eyes to her. She also realises that one can donate eyes only after death. Neelamma took an extreme step and ended her own life for the sole purpose of donating her eyes to Kaanthi, her daughter.
The unfortunate events took a worse turn when Kaanthi fails to prove her relation with her own dead mother Neelamma. Bureaucracy and red-tapism was not ready to show mercy to the poor girl. Will Kaanthi ever be able to see the beauty of this world? Will her mother’s sacrifice for her daughter go waste? That’s the story of Neelamma and her daughter Kaanthi!