Set in the milieu of World War II, the story is about the killing of a radio engineer Rajan (Sivaji Ganesan).

The cinematography was handled by S. Maruti Rao, and the background score was composed by AVM's own music troupe, Saraswathy Stores Orchestra.

Despite being a commercial failure at the time of its original release, it has acquired cult status over the years and is regarded as an important film in Tamil cinema.

The next morning, Rajan, a radio engineer and communications researcher, is found shot dead by his own handgun in his house in Madras after his neighbour, Chinnaiya Pillai, having heard the gunshot, informs the police.

However, Sivanandam is unconvinced by Naidu's theory because the amount of money at the scene matches the withdrawal entry in the bank passbook found in the same room.

When Sivanandam and Naidu interrogate Pattabi, who feels remorse for Rajan's death, he admits that he did not treat his brother well nor understand his good intentions.

She is initially impudent and refuses to give a statement about the crime, but she later agrees when Sivanandam threatens to arrest her husband.

Director S. Balachander watched Akira Kurosawa's Rashomon (1950) at a film festival, was inspired by it, and wrote a play in the same narrative style, but the script was rejected by All India Radio.

[30] Pandari Bai was selected to play Rajan's wife,[31] while P. D. Sambandam, T. K. Balachandran, S. Menaka and K. Sooryakala formed the rest of the main cast.

[c] Regarded as the first film noir in Tamil cinema,[37] Andha Naal is set in World War II, during the bombing of the Indian city of Madras by Japanese forces in 1943.

[38] The story of the blind men and an elephant is referenced in the narrative, when Sivanandam notes how each suspect's account of Rajan's death contradicts those of the others.

[39] Though various sources, including Ganesan, have said the film was inspired by Rashomon,[24][40] Randor Guy notes that this notion is erroneous, that Andha Naal was actually adapted from the 1950 British film The Woman in Question directed by Anthony Asquith,[41] and that there was only a "thematic resemblance" between Andha Naal and Rashomon.

[43] According to Ganesan, the main theme of Andha Naal is patriotism; for him the film suggests that if a country does not appreciate its talented young men's efforts, they could turn against the nation.

Regarding the more personal undertones, Ganesan said that the film tells how unemployment and desolation can lead young people to become traitors.

[44] According to Guy, Andha Naal reuses the thematic line of the 1946 Tamil film Chitra: "a person sending secret messages to the enemy through radio".

"[3] The Times of India compared Andha Naal to Citizen Kane (1941) for its similar lighting and camera angles.

[46] The film uses a Tamil saying "Kolaiyum Seival patthini" (a wife may even kill her own husband) as a clue to the identity of the culprit.

[24] The jury of the 2nd National Film Awards described Naidu as a "conscientious" officer, and Sivanandam as a "brilliant, eccentric but not so serious" man.

[23][51] The film received critical acclaim upon release,[52] but failed commercially as the audiences were disappointed over the absence of songs.

[21] Several years later, Balachander's wife Shanta recalled that he was not affected by the film's failure as he was "delighted that he pulled it off", with critics praising the performances of Ganesan, Pandari Bai and the other actors.

[5] A contemporary review from the Tamil monthly magazine Kalaimanram praised AVM for novelty and called Andha Naal a daring venture.

[59] The Tamil weekly Kumudam (dated 1 May 1954)[60] praised Meiyappan for recognising "young talents" like Balachander and Seetharaman.

[61] The same month, a meeting was organised by the Film Fans Association in Madras to congratulate Meiyappan, Balachander, the actors and the other crew members.

V. C. Gopalaratnam, the president of the association, praised Meiyappan for his "pioneering spirit" in producing a film without songs or dances.

The writer also appreciated Maruti Rao's cinematography and Meiyappan's courageous effort, and asked fans to support such a film if they "really want Tamil cinema to progress".

[63] The Indian Express praised the script by Seetharaman, the performances of Ganesan, Pandari Bai and Sambandam, the absence of songs and dance sequences, and concluded that the film was "remarkable for some fine and original ideas in photography".

[71][72] Encouraged by its critical success, Balachander went on to direct and act in several more films of the same genre: Avana Ivan (1962), Bommai (1964) and Nadu Iravil (1970).

[73] Researcher and ethnographer Preeti Mudliar compared Ratha Kanneer (1954) to Andha Naal because in both films "the sin of foreignness is [neutralised] by a chaste Tamil woman, the virtuous wife".

[74] Director Chimbu Deven acknowledged Andha Naal as an influence on his 2014 film Oru Kanniyum Moonu Kalavaanikalum.

[76] In 2008, Randor Guy praised it for "being the first Tamil film which had no dance, song or stunt sequence and for [Balachander]'s impressive direction and fine performances by Sivaji Ganesan and Pandari Bai".