A critical look at matrimony

Oru Nadigai Naadagam Paakkiraal (An actress watching a play, Tamil; 1978)

Jayakanthan

This is another film penned by the controversial Tamil writer, Jayakanthan. It is said that the story is not a figment of his imagination but inspired by his one time fling with an actress. The film comprise the same main ensemble of crew as in Jayakanthan's other movie, Sila Nerangalil Sila Manithargal - Srikanth and Lakshmi in the lead role, YG Parthasarathy and Nagesh in the supporting role and A. Bhimsingh in the director's chair.
Ranga (Srikanth) is a journalist who writes reviews on dramas. He meets up with a 30 something actress, Kalyani (Lakshmi) for an interview. Ranga is a widow with a 5 year old daughter. He is from a white collar background. Despite negative comments from his uncle (Thengai Sreenevasan) and family about marrying an actress, Renga weds Kalyani legally without any ceremony.
After marriage, sweet love turns sour. Ranga believes in true love whereas Kalyani is practical about truth and honesty in a relationship rather than the hysterionic melodrama in love like suicide in love failure. One thing leads to another where each other something or another to hurt each other just to have the final say.
More differences crop up when he asks her to move in to his uncle's house. The matrimonial bed becomes unslept. Ranga leaves Kalyani to stay with uncle. Ranga suggest that they divorce so that they continue to stay as friend as things were more peaceful then, before their marriage.
They meet Ranga friend, an advocate (Nagesh) who suggested a trial separation for a year before proceeding.
Here, it gets interesting. The story makes one wonder what is the secret of a happy marriage. On one hand, Kalyani's fellow actor is happy married to his wife even she has not even watched a single drama in her life - but they are happy. Ranga's uncle (an illiterate) have stayed married for many years even though they cannot stand each other. One of Kalyani's drama members who married after falling deeply in love fall apart soon after marriage! The dialogue pokes fun at the law for legalising of marriage and the hassle of divorce in a very deep manner.
After all the uncertainty and worries went out of the window when Kalyani became paraplegic after contracting spinal TB. Ranga cares for her till recovery. Kalyani's married actors who had problems in their married life suddenly was resolved after the birth of their child! At the end of the movie, the million dollar question of why some marriages work while others do not work is not answered. All the philosophical question of meaning of matrimony and pride is forgotten when you see a love one is downtrodden. When the journey is too smooth with its usual waxes and wane, we become arrogant and haughty. Fighting hurdles of life together strengthens the bond.
A nice thought provoking high brow drama - 9/10.

Memorable line, among others, "Bernard Shaw once said that marriage is a legalised prostitution."
P.S. Lakshmi gave a sterling performance here. Srikanth, an underrated actor shows the credence of his talent. Unfortunately, his subsequent roles in movies that followed were garbage and stereotyped - a spoilt son who was rotten to the core! Thengai Sreenevasan as his illiterate uncle is differently good from his usual comedy role.