Avargal (They, Tamil; 1977)
It starts with Anu (Sujatha) travelling in the mail train from Mumbai to Chennai with her son after going through a bitter divorce from her husband, Ramanathan (Rajnikanth). With the rhythmic churning of the rail coaches on the track, she recollects her miserable life living with Ramanathan. Again and again, he used to insinuate, ridicule and mentally torture her regarding her first love, Parani like a dart piercing a checker-board.
We come to know, Anu, a classical dancer, had met a musician in Chennai. They separate after father gets a transfer to Mumbai. Out of sight and out of mind, the relationship fades. The ailing father gets her married to Ramanathan, a seemingly nice executive. The naive Anu opens her heart to Ramanathan of her previous liaison. Her husband did not, however, take it maturely.
A new chapter starts for Anu, as she begins her work in Chennai. She comes to get to know the of the acquaintance of Johnny, a fellow co-worker. Johnny is a widower who lost his wife in a kitchen accident. Anu moves in the same apartment complex just to find Barani, her old boyfriend living next door.
She comes to know that all her letters to Barani earlier had been intercepted by Barani's slightly deranged sister. And Barani never knew of Anu's desperation to contact him.
The lost love re-blossoms and the couple continue to plan their earlier stalled wedding plans.Things get complicated when Johnny also develops feelings for Anu, and a new boss is transferred to Anu's office - guess who? - Ramanathan.
Ramanathan's mother who meets Anu by accident in a religious function starts working incognito as a maid in her house. Ramanathan appears to have turned over a new leaf and starts showing his pathetic face. Confused, Anu decides to go back to Ramanathan and cancels her wedding with Parani. Heartbroken, Parani leaves for the US for a musical performance.
Anu's maid who does more than her regular duties is Anu's anchor, but her cover is soon blown wide open by Anu's colleague.
After deciding to reconcile with Ramanathan, Anu moves into her Ramanathan and his mother's house. Ramanathan's mother reveals that her son is an incorrigible pathological liar with has a fancy to play and break pretty girls' heart. Having seen it all her life, she had given up on changing him. Just then, a lady comes at their doorstep with a baby on her hip requesting for her husband, Mr Ramanathan!
Realising her mistake, Anu rushes to Barani's house to witness his engagement with his sponsor, Gayathri!
Pulling her whole past behind, together with her matrimonial tie, the Thali, that tied her down and symbolically restricted her inner desires into a donation box at a temple, she moves to Trivandrum with the help of Johnny.
And guess who decides to dedicate her life to serve as maid to wash the sins of bearing an evil son - Anu's mother in law followed her secretly on the same train.
As usual in all K. Balachander's stories, the plot is always convoluted and socially awkward. During its release in Tamil Nadu, the movie created quite a furore in a place where movies literally meant the world to its people and action in the reel world is reciprocated and followed in the real world when the main character removed her thali to give it to the temple coffers. It symbolically pushed the responsibility to God who witnessed the ceremonial event to decide on its outcome! A little melodramatic but that is what Indians like - a little masala in their films...
It starts with Anu (Sujatha) travelling in the mail train from Mumbai to Chennai with her son after going through a bitter divorce from her husband, Ramanathan (Rajnikanth). With the rhythmic churning of the rail coaches on the track, she recollects her miserable life living with Ramanathan. Again and again, he used to insinuate, ridicule and mentally torture her regarding her first love, Parani like a dart piercing a checker-board.
We come to know, Anu, a classical dancer, had met a musician in Chennai. They separate after father gets a transfer to Mumbai. Out of sight and out of mind, the relationship fades. The ailing father gets her married to Ramanathan, a seemingly nice executive. The naive Anu opens her heart to Ramanathan of her previous liaison. Her husband did not, however, take it maturely.
A new chapter starts for Anu, as she begins her work in Chennai. She comes to get to know the of the acquaintance of Johnny, a fellow co-worker. Johnny is a widower who lost his wife in a kitchen accident. Anu moves in the same apartment complex just to find Barani, her old boyfriend living next door.
She comes to know that all her letters to Barani earlier had been intercepted by Barani's slightly deranged sister. And Barani never knew of Anu's desperation to contact him.
Ramanathan's mother who meets Anu by accident in a religious function starts working incognito as a maid in her house. Ramanathan appears to have turned over a new leaf and starts showing his pathetic face. Confused, Anu decides to go back to Ramanathan and cancels her wedding with Parani. Heartbroken, Parani leaves for the US for a musical performance.
Anu's maid who does more than her regular duties is Anu's anchor, but her cover is soon blown wide open by Anu's colleague.
After deciding to reconcile with Ramanathan, Anu moves into her Ramanathan and his mother's house. Ramanathan's mother reveals that her son is an incorrigible pathological liar with has a fancy to play and break pretty girls' heart. Having seen it all her life, she had given up on changing him. Just then, a lady comes at their doorstep with a baby on her hip requesting for her husband, Mr Ramanathan!
Realising her mistake, Anu rushes to Barani's house to witness his engagement with his sponsor, Gayathri!
Pulling her whole past behind, together with her matrimonial tie, the Thali, that tied her down and symbolically restricted her inner desires into a donation box at a temple, she moves to Trivandrum with the help of Johnny.
And guess who decides to dedicate her life to serve as maid to wash the sins of bearing an evil son - Anu's mother in law followed her secretly on the same train.
As usual in all K. Balachander's stories, the plot is always convoluted and socially awkward. During its release in Tamil Nadu, the movie created quite a furore in a place where movies literally meant the world to its people and action in the reel world is reciprocated and followed in the real world when the main character removed her thali to give it to the temple coffers. It symbolically pushed the responsibility to God who witnessed the ceremonial event to decide on its outcome! A little melodramatic but that is what Indians like - a little masala in their films...
There quite a number of movies Ranjini and Kamal acted together.
ReplyDeleteSlowly watching one by one. Thanks to Youtube. Catching up on things that did not have the luxury for and luxury of time to do in the 70s, 80s and 90s! Just finished 'Apoorva Ragangal'.
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