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Details
- Status Released
- Release date 02 Feb 1973
- Running time 2h 32m
- Genres Drama
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Ramu Shastrigal is a poor Brahmin living with his wife Visalam and their eight children. His rigid principles and obstinate behaviour become obstacles to his family's progress. His spendthrift sister Janaki lands in his house with her daughter, adding to their woes and penury. Lalitha, the eldest daughter of Ramu Shastrigal, is enthusiastic to work but her father does not permit it. She bonds with the family's neighbour Nadesa Udaiyaar and his son Thangavelu. Thangavelu sympathises with Lalitha's condition and fondly presents a saree to her, which she accepts. However, Ramu Shastrigal insists that it should be thrown out and complains about this to Udaiyaar, who then berates Thangavelu for his act. Thangavelu expresses his love for Lalitha and his desire to marry her; when Udaiyaar refuses to permit it, he leaves the house. Thangavelu's sudden exit depresses Lalitha.
Ramu Shastrigal's family suffers due to poverty; on many nights, they go to bed hungry. When Lalitha's hungry brother shares a meal with a beggar, she decides to disobey her father and with Udaiyaar's help, obtains employment. Her income supplements the family and their standard of living improves. Her brother Thyagu aspires to become a doctor; Lalitha runs from pillar to post to get him a seat in a medical college. When she meets a man for facilitating his admission in a medical college in Madras, he exploits her desperation and rapes her. Lalitha keeps quiet about this incident and goes back to work. She shifts to Hyderabad, where she gets promoted with a higher salary. Immediately after taking up the new assignment, she asks her employer for a salary advance to be sent to Thyagu for his admission fee; realising her vulnerability, he demands her carnal company. She yields and he gives her the money. Demands from her family increase and to earn more money, she takes to prostitution. While her family lives prosperously, Lalitha suffers silently.
One day, Thangavelu lands in Lalitha's house looking for a prostitute. Both are shocked to see each other; Thangavelu, who was believed to have died after leaving home, is upset that Lalitha has fallen so low and leaves. As years pass, Lalitha's siblings progress; Thyagu becomes a doctor, sister Mangalam becomes a singer; younger sister Devi falls in love with Pasupathy, son of a landlord, and their marriage is fixed. Lalitha returns home after a long time and is warmly received. But she feels depressed and frustrated to know that her mother is again in the family way and criticises her parents' lack of responsibility. On the day of Devi's wedding, Lalitha is shocked to see that Pasupathy, her client in Hyderabad, is the groom. She fears he would cancel the wedding knowing that the bride is her sister, but he performs the wedding rituals mechanically and looks withdrawn. Lalitha and Pasupathy meet privately, decide to forget past incidents and move on. When Udaiyaar is about to perform the thevasam for his son, Lalitha intervenes and reveals that Thangavelu is alive, but does not explain the circumstances under which they met.
Thyagu falls in love with Bhama, a Tehsildar’s daughter, and their engagement is arranged. When Ramu Shastrigal and Visalam go to Udaiyaar's house to invite him for the engagement, they meet Thangavelu, who has returned home and ask him where he met Lalitha. He remains silent, but after they leave, tells his father how and where he met Lalitha. Lalitha's parents overhear this and are shocked; Ramu Shastrigal and Thyagu disown Lalitha. The Tehsildar agrees to continue the wedding only if Lalitha is sent out of home, and she is mercilessly thrown out by Thyagu and Ramu Shastrigal. Udaiyaar, who understands her sacrifices, takes her to his home. To give her the dignity he deserves, he requests Thangavelu to marry her, which he accepts. The wedding of Thangavelu and Lalitha takes alongside Thyagu's wedding with Bhama. Though Lalitha is grateful to Udaiyaar and Thangavelu for their magnanimity, the trauma she has undergone results in her becoming insane.
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