Thodarum

“Thodarum” (1999), directed by Ramesh Khanna a romantic drama film in Tamil Cinema and it’s a remake of the Maavichiguru (1996) Telugu film. The cast includes Ajith Kumar, Heera, Devayani, Vadivelu and Manivannan. The film follows a domineering, jealous wife who develops a paranoia that other ladies are trying to steal her man. Then, when she finds out that she has a terminal heart condition, she decides to take care of her family by surprising her husband with another woman.

Seetha is also an extraordinarily jealous and possessive wife, one who takes other women’s word that they’re interested in her very rich, very well-connected, perfect-goat-having husband, Jayaram. Her insecurities are further amplified when Meera, an equally vivacious, warm and jolly woman of Jayaram’s age, bursts into their lives and begins lavishing her husband with unbridled love that, among other things, climaxes with her hugging him in front of a shell-shocked Seetha. Just as tempers flare, everything changes when Seetha gets some life-altering news about her congenital heart defect.

Knowing that her days are numbered, Seetha faces a heart-wrenching decision that can ensure the survival of her husband and little boy for years to come. Convinced Meera will make a better partner for Jayaram, she discreetly plots to set up their marriage by divorcing him, hoping her treachery will both drive him to seek fulfilment outside their bond and drive him away from her to hate her. After her death, Jayaram and Meera inevitably fall in love, get married, and start a new life. As a poignant tribute, they name their newborn child Seetha, ensuring that her memory lives on for eternity.

Shot entirely on location in Chennai and featuring music by composer Govind Vasantha, “Thodarum” is heartfelt, close-in artists’ filmmaking. Heartwarming and heartbreaking, the film leads us into the beautiful messiness of relationships and the bravery it takes to free people for their good. Sometimes overly sentimental, it is nonetheless a heart-stopping and memorable passage, offering a lovely and rare look at the selfless nature of love and the masked power of a woman’s heart.