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#REDIRECT [[Karuthamma]]
{{Short description|1994 film by P. Bharathiraja}}
{{Long plot|date=November 2020}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2021}}
{{Use Indian English|date=June 2021}}
{{Infobox film
| name          = Karuthamma
| image          = Karuthamma poster.jpg
| caption        = Poster
| director      = [[Bharathiraja]]
| producer      = Bharathiraja
| screenplay    = Bharathiraja
| story          = M. Rathnakumar
| starring      = [[Raja (Tamil actor)|Raja]]<br />[[Rajashree (actress)|Rajashree]]<br />[[Maheswari]]
| narrator      = Bharathiraja
| music          = [[A. R. Rahman]]
| cinematography = [[B. Kannan]]
| editing        = K. Pazhanivel
| studio        = Vetrivel Creations
| distributor    =
| released      = {{film date|df=y|1994|11|3}}
| runtime        = 153 minutes{{Sfn|Rajadhyaksha|Willemen|1998|p=520}}
| country        = India
| language      = Tamil
}}
 
'''''Karuthamma''''' is a 1994 Indian [[Tamil language|Tamil]]-language [[Drama (film and television)|drama film]] directed by [[Bharathiraja]] from a story by M. Rathnakumar. The film stars [[Raja (Tamil actor)|Raja]], [[Rajashree (actress)|Rajashree]] and [[Maheswari]], with [[Saranya Ponvannan|Saranya]], [[Periyar Dasan]], Kamala Sekhar, [[Janagaraj]], [[Ponvannan]], [[Vadivukkarasi]], [[S. N. Lakshmi]], Vaani and [[R. Sundarrajan (director)|R. Sundarrajan]] in supporting roles. It is set in a village where [[Female infanticide in India|female infanticide]] is prevalent and considered acceptable, but the title character is against the practice.
 
''Karuthamma'' was released on 3 November 1994 and became a commercial success. It won three [[National Film Awards]], four [[Tamil Nadu State Film Awards]] and  the [[Filmfare Award for Best Film&nbsp;– Tamil]]. The film brought wide attention to female infanticide and was instrumental in forcing the government at national and state levels to act against this practice and bring in suitable laws to curb it.
 
== Plot ==
Mokkatha, the wife of Mokkaiyan, a farmer in Pottalpetti village, is in labour. They already have two daughters and are keen to have a son; two daughters born earlier were killed soon after birth by feeding them with poisonous cactus extract. Unable to pay hefty dowries for their daughters' marriages, the villagers consider female infanticide to be acceptable. A new school teacher feels sad on learning about this practice. When Mokkatha delivers a girl again, Mokkaiyan orders the village midwife to kill the baby. The midwife reluctantly tries to feed the cactus extract to the baby at a secluded place. The teacher notices this, meets her, and requests to hand over the infant so that he can raise her. She hands over the infant, and he moves away from the village.
 
Years later, Stephen, a veterinarian, comes to the village. Mokkaiyan's first daughter Ponnatha is married to Thavasi, the son of Mokkaiyan's nefarious sister Kaliamma. The second daughter Karuthamma takes care of the family. After getting into some tiff with Stephen, Karuthamma falls in love with him.
 
Ponnatha has two daughters and is pregnant for the third time. As a girl is born again, Kaliamma orders to kill it. To save her child, Ponnatha escapes with her baby and is chased by Thavasi, who beats her to death; the child also dies. He and Kaliamma lie that Ponnatha committed suicide as her third child was also a girl. Karuthamma, devastated by the death of her sister, does not believe this story. Ponnatha had earlier expressed her fear to her that if she delivered a girl again, Kaliamma would kill her.
 
When Karuthamma is giving a ceremonial bath to Ponnatha's body, she notices bloodstains on her abdomen. Concluding that she was murdered, Karuthamma stops the funeral and rushes to tell the police. The village chairman Chellamuthu, who is close to Thavasi, asks the police not to intervene, and they comply. Karuthamma refuses to leave the station. Stephen, who was passing by, threatens action against the police if they do not act on her complaint, as he is also a government employee. With no option, the police take Ponnatha's body away and arrest Thavasi and Kaliamma.
 
Rosy, a doctor, comes to meet her close relative Stephen. Her presence and closeness with Stephen are misunderstood by Karuthamma. Rosy loves Stephen, but he only likes her. Kaliamma's husband celebrates her arrest by drinking with Mokkaiyan, who is not used to liquor. Mokkaiyan suffers a paralytic attack and loses control of his limbs. Rosy tends to him and in the process gets attached to Mokkaiyan and Karuthamma.
 
A few weeks later, when Thavasi and Kaliamma get bail, they come to attack Karuthamma, but Stephen saves her. Chellamuthu manipulates the villagers into accepting Thavasi's proposal that Karuthamma must marry Thavasi to take care of Ponnatha's two young daughters (by which the police case will also be closed). Chellamuthu, who has lent money to Mokkaiyan, threatens and seeks immediate repayment if he does not accept this proposal.
 
Thavasi's father realises that his son is using the young children as bait and takes away the children with him one night. However, he is caught by Thavasi, who, motivated by Chellamuthu, burns his father to death. Thavasi takes the children away and forces Karuthamma to come with him to their village to marry him. Shocked with all this, Mokkaiyan consumes poison and is on his deathbed.
 
When Rosy expresses her love to Stephen, he gets surprised and states that he loves Karuthamma. Rosy is shocked as she was keen to marry him and decides to move away from the village. When the villagers ask her to treat Mokkaiyan, who is fighting for his life, she does not as she is keen to leave. When her father, the teacher arrives, the village midwife realises that he is the same person who took Mokkiayan's third daughter. The midwife reveals to Rosy that Mokkaiyan is her real father, and the teacher also confirms it. Rosy treats Mokkaiyan, who now realises his mistake of killing female infants without realising their worth.
 
Karuthamma, on the eve of her wedding, demands to see the children taken away earlier by Thavasi's father. However, Thavasi is unable to show his children (as they were taken by Chellamuthu to use them as bait to force himself on Karuthamma). That night, Chellamuthu makes Thavasi drunk and asks him to spare Karuthamma for that night. Thavasi agrees in a drunken state, which is overheard by Karuthamma, who also learns that Thavasi had killed his own father. When Chellamuthu goes to meet Karuthamma, she is well prepared to meet him. She murders Chellamuthu and then Thavasi. After saving Ponnatha's children, who were locked inside a box, she returns to her village. Realising that Rosy is her own sister, Karuthamma asks her to look after the children and their father and leaves with the police. Stephen decides to wait for her.
 
== Cast ==
* [[Raja (Tamil actor)|Raja]] as Stephen<ref name="cast" />
* [[Rajashree (actress)|Rajashree]] as Karuthamma<ref name="cast" />
* [[Maheswari]] as Rosy<ref name="cast" />
* [[Saranya Ponvannan|Saranya]] as Ponnatha<ref name="cast" />
* [[Periyar Dasan]] as Mokkaiyan<ref name="cast" />
* [[Raja (Tamil actor)|Raja]] as Stephen
* [[R. Sundarrajan (director)|R. Sundarrajan]] as Soosai
* Kamala Sekhar as Chellamuthu{{sfn|Dhananjayan|2014|p=337}}
* [[Janagaraj]] as Kaliamma's husband{{sfn|Dhananjayan|2014|p=337}}
* [[Vadivelu]] as Sevalaikaalai
* [[Ponvannan]] as Thavasi<ref name="cast" />
* [[Vadivukkarasi]] as Kaliamma<ref name="cast" />
* [[S. N. Lakshmi]] as Mooli<ref name="cast" />
* Vaani as Mokkatha{{sfn|Dhananjayan|2014|p=336}}
* Theni Murugan as Sudalai
* [[Vaiyapuri]] as the Bus conductor
 
== Production ==
The film was titled after Bharathiraja's mother.<ref>{{Cite web |date=21 January 2013 |title=Who's who of Tamil film world congregate in city |url=http://timesofindia.com/city/madurai/Whos-who-of-Tamil-film-world-congregate-in-city/articleshow/18107898.cms |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201124125254/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/madurai/Whos-who-of-Tamil-film-world-congregate-in-city/articleshow/18107898.cms |archive-date=24 November 2020 |access-date=6 February 2017 |website=[[The Times of India]] |location=[[Madurai]]}}</ref> The story was based on a real-life incident in a village, and the script was written by Bharathiraja's relative M. Rathnakumar.<ref>{{Cite web |date=10 December 2008 |title=None can predict the climax |url=http://www.indiaglitz.com/none-can-predict-the-climax-bharathiraja-tamil-news-43521 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160827192626/http://www.indiaglitz.com/none-can-predict-the-climax-bharathiraja-tamil-news-43521 |archive-date=27 August 2016 |access-date=6 February 2017 |website=IndiaGlitz}}</ref> [[Periyar Dasan]], who worked as a professor in [[Pachaiyappa's College]], made his acting debut with this film, as did [[Rajashree (actress)|Rajashree]] and [[Maheswari]];<ref>{{Cite web |date=7 February 2017 |title=சாதனை புரிந்த தமிழ் படங்கள்&nbsp;– 281&nbsp;– எஸ்.கணேஷ் |url=http://www.dinamalarnellai.com/web/news/22411 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20201128120615/http://www.dinamalarnellai.com/web/news/22411 |archive-date=28 November 2020 |access-date=28 November 2020 |website=[[Dinamalar]] |location=Nellai}}</ref> Rajashree's voice was dubbed by [[Raadhika]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=6 November 2019 |title=''மகேஸ்வரிக்கும், எனக்கும் ஒரு பெரிய ஆசை... அதை பாரதிராஜா சார்கிட்ட சொன்னப்ப"-'கருத்தம்மா' ராஜஸ்ரீ |url=https://cinema.vikatan.com/tamil-cinema/actress-rajashree-shares-her-experience-about-karuthamma-movie |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20201128115515/https://cinema.vikatan.com/tamil-cinema/actress-rajashree-shares-her-experience-about-karuthamma-movie |archive-date=28 November 2020 |access-date=28 November 2020 |website=[[Ananda Vikatan]]}}</ref> Kamalasekhar, the film's art director, also portrayed the village chairman Chellamuthu.<ref name="IE review" />
 
== Themes ==
The film explores [[Female infanticide in India|female infanticide]] and the hatred that surrounds the birth of a female child.{{Sfn|Dhananjayan|2014|page=336}}
 
== Music ==
{{Infobox album
| name      = Karuthamma
| type      = film
| artist    = [[A. R. Rahman]]
| cover      =
| alt        =
| released  = 1994
| recorded  = [[Panchathan Record Inn and AM Studios|Panchathan Record Inn]]
| venue      =
| studio    =
| genre      = [[Soundtrack]]
| length    =
| label      = Pyramid<br />[[Aditya Music]]
| producer  = [[A. R. Rahman]]
| prev_title = [[Pavithra]]
| prev_year  = 1994
| next_title = [[Pudhiya Mannargal]]
| next_year  = 1994
}}
 
The soundtrack was composed by [[A. R. Rahman]], with lyrics by [[Vairamuthu]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Karuthamma |url=https://avdigital.in/products/karuthamma |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210615091231/https://avdigital.in/products/karuthamma |archive-date=15 June 2021 |access-date=28 November 2020 |website=AVdigital}}</ref> The songs gained Rahman notice for composing [[folk music]], contrary to his reputation for composing westernised music.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Yamunan |first=Sruthisagar |date=22 September 2018 |title=Audio master: AR Rahman's 1990 masterwork 'Thiruda Thiruda' is still stealing hearts |url=https://scroll.in/reel/893729/audio-master-ar-rahmans-1990-masterwork-thiruda-thiruda-is-still-stealing-hearts |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210615091328/https://scroll.in/reel/893729/audio-master-ar-rahmans-1990-masterwork-thiruda-thiruda-is-still-stealing-hearts |archive-date=15 June 2021 |access-date=28 November 2020 |website=[[Scroll.in]]}}</ref> The song "Poraale Ponnuthayi" is based on [[Mohanam]] raga.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Mani |first=Charulatha |author-link=Charulatha Mani |date=16 September 2011 |title=A Raga's Journey&nbsp;– Magical Mohanam |work=[[The Hindu]] |url=https://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/a-ragas-journey-magical-mohanam/article2459174.ece |url-status=live |access-date=17 November 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190823084232/https://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/a-ragas-journey-magical-mohanam/article2459174.ece |archive-date=23 August 2019}}</ref> The music of "Poraale Ponnuthayi" was reused for "Gurus of Peace", for the album Vande Mataram.{{sfn|Dhananjayan|2014|page=337}} The soundtrack was also released in [[Telugu language|Telugu]] in the dubbed version of the film ''Vanitha''.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Vanitha |url=https://www.jiosaavn.com/album/vanitha/33YOCBnVWQA_ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200923190242/https://www.jiosaavn.com/album/vanitha/33YOCBnVWQA_ |archive-date=23 September 2020 |access-date=26 November 2020 |website=[[JioSaavn]]}}</ref>


{{Redirect category shell|
{{tracklist
{{R from move}}
| headline = Tamil
| extra_column = Singer(s)
| title1 = Thenmerku Paruva Kaatru
| extra1 = [[P. Unnikrishnan]], [[K. S. Chithra]]
| length1 = 05:02
| title2 = Poraale Ponnuthayi
| note2 = Sad
| extra2 = [[Swarnalatha]]
| length2 = 06:22
| title3 = Poraale Ponnuthayi
| extra3 = [[Unni Menon]], [[Sujatha Mohan]]
| length3 = 05:42
| title4 = Pacha Kili Paadum
| extra4 = [[Shahul Hameed]], [[Minmini]]
| length4 = 04:41
| title5 = Kaadu Potta Kaadu
| extra5 = [[Bharathiraja]], [[Malaysia Vasudevan]]
| length5 = 05:33
| title6 = Araro Ariraro
| extra6 = [[T. K. Kala]], [[Theni Kunjarammal]], [[Deepan Chakravarthy]]
| length6 = 01:47
| title7 = Yaar Petha Pillai
| extra7 = [[P. Jayachandran|Jayachandran]]
| length7 = 02:03
}}
{{tracklist
| headline = Telugu
| extra_column = Singer(s)
| title1 = Sirimalle Mogga Meeda
| extra1 = [[P. Unnikrishnan|Unnikrishnan]], [[K. S. Chithra]]
| lyrics1 = Gurucharan
| length1 = 05:02
| title2 = Poodota Poochindata (Sad)
| lyrics2 = Narayana Varma
| extra2 = [[Swarnalatha]]
| length2 = 06:22
| title3 = Poodota Poochindata (Happy)
| lyrics3 = Narayana Varma
| extra3 = [[Unni Menon]], [[Sujatha Mohan]]
| length3 = 05:42
| title4 = Padaalenno Paade Vooru
| extra4 = [[Shahul Hameed]], [[Sujatha Mohan]]
| lyrics4 = Gurucharan
| length4 = 04:41
| title5 = Koodu Pette Bhoomi
| lyrics5 = Bharathi Babu
| extra5 = [[Mano (singer)|Mano]], Rajgopal, [[T. K. Kala]]
| length5 = 05:33
| title6 = Jo Laali Jo Laali
| extra6 = [[T. K. Kala]], Sarala
| lyrics6 = Gurucharan
| length6 = 01:47
| title7 = Ye Thalli Kannadani
| lyrics7 = Gurucharan
| extra7 = [[P. Jayachandran|Jayachandran]]
| length7 = 02:03
}}
}}
== Release and reception ==
''Karuthamma'' was released on 3 November 1994.{{sfn|Dhananjayan|2014|page=336}} The film received critical acclaim{{Sfn|Rajadhyaksha|Willemen|1998|p=60}} and became a commercial success, running for over 100 days in theatres.{{sfn|Dhananjayan|2014|page=338}}
== Reception ==
''[[Ananda Vikatan]]'' mentioned in its review dated 4 December 1994, "Though the subject taken up was delicate, instead of making a documentary, the director has narrated the film, through visuals, which should be appreciated. Bharathiraja must be congratulated for making a heart&nbsp;– wrenching film on a delicate subject without lecturing us on the theme". The film was given 45 marks.{{sfn|Dhananjayan|2014|page=338}} Malini Mannath of ''[[The Indian Express]]'' wrote, "''Karuthamma'' is a film that will move many a human heart."<ref name="IE review" /> K. Vijiyin of ''[[New Straits Times]]'' wrote, "Bharathiraja returns to do what he is best at&nbsp;— telling stories about ordinary village people [...] And in ''Karuthamma'' he has a winner". He also praised the film's humour, a rare feature in Bharathiraja's films.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Vijiyin |first=K. |date=28 November 1994 |title=Powerful tale of female infanticide |page=29 |work=[[New Straits Times]] |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=McdOAAAAIBAJ&sjid=VRMEAAAAIBAJ&pg=3418%2C3254791 |url-status=live |access-date=23 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210423043247/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=McdOAAAAIBAJ&sjid=VRMEAAAAIBAJ&pg=3418,3254791 |archive-date=23 April 2021}}</ref>
== Awards ==
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Event
!Award
!Recipient
!{{Abbr|Ref.|References}}
|-
| rowspan="3" |[[42nd National Film Awards|1994 National Film Awards]]
|[[National Film Award for Best Female Playback Singer|Best Female Playback Singer]]
|[[Swarnalatha]] (for "Poraale Ponnuthaayi...")
| rowspan="3" style="text-align: center;" | <ref>{{Cite web |title=42nd National Film Festival |url=http://dff.nic.in/images/Documents/75_42ndNfacatalogue.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200725171953/http://dff.nic.in/images/Documents/75_42ndNfacatalogue.pdf |archive-date=25 July 2020 |access-date=27 November 2020 |publisher=[[Directorate of Film Festivals]]}}</ref>
|-
|[[National Film Award for Best Lyrics|Best Lyricist]]
|[[Vairamuthu]] (for "Poraale Ponnuthaayi...")
|-
|[[National Film Award for Best Film on Family Welfare|Best Film on Family Welfare]]
|[[Bharathiraja]]
|-
| rowspan="4" |1994 [[Tamil Nadu State Film Awards]]
|[[Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Female Playback|Best Female Playback]]
|Swarnalatha (for "Poraale Ponnuthaayi...")
| rowspan="4" style="text-align: center;" | {{sfn|Dhananjayan|2014|page=338}}
|-
|[[Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Lyricist|Best Lyricist]]
|Vairamuthu (for "Poraale Ponnuthaayi...")
|-
|[[Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Actress|Best Actress]]
|[[Rajashree (actress)|Rajashree]]
|-
|[[Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Film Portraying Woman in Good Light]]
|[[Bharathiraja]]
|-
|1994 [[Filmfare Awards South]]
|[[Filmfare Award for Best Film&nbsp;– Tamil|Best Film – Tamil]]
|Bharathiraja
| style="text-align: center;" |<ref>{{Cite magazine |date=1995 |title=The 42nd Annual (South) Filmfare Awards |url=https://archive.org/details/42ndFilmfareTamilFilmsWinners |magazine=[[Filmfare]] |access-date=27 November 2020}}</ref>
|}
== Legacy ==
The first film to bring to light the menace of female infanticide on screen, ''Karuthamma'' forced the government at national and state levels to act against this practice and bring in suitable laws to curb it. It became a catalyst for this change in the society,{{sfn|Dhananjayan|2014|page=338}} and was instrumental in "making way for the ban on prenatal sexual identification".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sundaram |first=Nandhu |date=19 July 2018 |title=Karuthamma, Nammavar, Kadhalan, Nattamai&nbsp;– Tamil cinema offered its best in the watershed year of 1994 |url=https://www.firstpost.com/entertainment/karuthamma-nammavar-kadhalan-nattamai-tamil-cinema-offered-its-best-in-the-watershed-year-of-1994-4775931.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180817212007/https://www.firstpost.com/entertainment/karuthamma-nammavar-kadhalan-nattamai-tamil-cinema-offered-its-best-in-the-watershed-year-of-1994-4775931.html |archive-date=17 August 2018 |access-date=24 November 2020 |website=[[Firstpost]]}}</ref>
== In popular culture ==
In ''[[Kadhal Sadugudu]]'' (2003), [[Theni Kunjarammal]] tries to kill a female child with milk. Super Subbu ([[Vivek (actor)|Vivek]]), who witnesses this, says that he has been seeing this from the days of ''Karuthamma''.<ref>{{Cite AV media |title=Kadhal Sadugudu |type=motion picture |language=ta |publisher=NIC Arts |year=2003}}</ref> One of the songs, "Thenmerku Paruvakaatru" inspired a 2010 film of [[Thenmerku Paruvakaatru|the same name]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Thenmerkku Paruvakatru Moview Review |url=http://behindwoods.com/tamil-movie-reviews/reviews-2/thenmerku-paruvakatru-movie-review.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170428150847/http://www.behindwoods.com/tamil-movie-reviews/reviews-2/thenmerku-paruvakatru-movie-review.html |archive-date=28 April 2017 |access-date=6 February 2017 |website=Behindwoods.com}}</ref> Scenes from the film have been parodied in ''[[Thamizh Padam]]'' (2010), though female infanticide has been replaced with male infanticide. Periyar Dasan reprises his role from the original film.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Nathan |first=Archana |date=2 June 2018 |title=Flashback: CS Amudhan's spoof 'Thamizh Padam' is an honest (and a very funny) Tamil movie |url=https://scroll.in/reel/881053/flashback-cs-amudhans-spoof-thamizh-padam-is-an-honest-and-a-very-funny-tamil-movie |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190810011531/https://scroll.in/reel/881053/flashback-cs-amudhans-spoof-thamizh-padam-is-an-honest-and-a-very-funny-tamil-movie |archive-date=10 August 2019 |access-date=24 November 2020 |website=[[Scroll.in]]}}</ref>
== References ==
{{reflist|refs=
<ref name="cast">{{Cite news |last=Ge |first=Krupa |date=16 July 2019 |title=Ms. Representation: Silver linings |work=[[Cinema Express]] |url=https://www.cinemaexpress.com/stories/columns/2019/jul/16/ms-representation-silver-linings-12987.html |url-status=live |access-date=27 November 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200705215551/https://www.cinemaexpress.com/stories/columns/2019/jul/16/ms-representation-silver-linings-12987.html |archive-date=5 July 2020}}</ref>
<ref name="IE review">{{Cite news |last=Mannath |first=Malini |date=11 November 1994 |title=Rocking the cradle |page=6 |work=[[The Indian Express]] |location=Madras |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=E5JlAAAAIBAJ&pg=1562%2C3762356 |url-status=live |access-date=20 September 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201124125234/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=E5JlAAAAIBAJ&sjid=yJ4NAAAAIBAJ&pg=1562%2C3762356 |archive-date=24 November 2020}}</ref>
}}
== Bibliography ==
* {{Cite book |last=Dhananjayan |first=G. |title=Pride of Tamil cinema 1931–2013: Tamil films that have earned national and international recognition |publisher=Blue Ocean Publishers |year=2014 |oclc=898765509 |author-link=G. Dhananjayan}}
* {{Cite book |url=https://indiancine.ma/texts/indiancine.ma%3AEncyclopedia_of_Indian_Cinema/text.pdf |title=Encyclopaedia of Indian Cinema |publisher=[[Oxford University Press]] |year=1998 |isbn=0-19-563579-5 |editor-last=Rajadhyaksha |editor-first=Ashish |orig-year=1994 |editor-last2=Willemen |editor-first2=Paul |editor-link2=Paul Willemen}}
== External links ==
* {{IMDb title|0113530}}
{{Bharathiraja}}
{{FilmfareAwardBestTamilMovie}}
{{Authority control}}
[[Category:1990s Tamil-language films]]
[[Category:1994 films]]
[[Category:Best Film on Family Welfare National Film Award winners]]
[[Category:Films about sex selection in India]]
[[Category:Films about women in India]]
[[Category:Films directed by Bharathiraja]]
[[Category:Films scored by A. R. Rahman]]
[[Category:Indian drama films]]
[[Category:Indian feminist films]]
[[Category:Indian films]]
[[Category:Tamil-language films]]

Latest revision as of 09:38, 12 August 2021


Karuthamma
Poster
Directed byBharathiraja
Produced byBharathiraja
Screenplay byBharathiraja
Story byM. Rathnakumar
StarringRaja
Rajashree
Maheswari
Narrated byBharathiraja
Music byA. R. Rahman
CinematographyB. Kannan
Edited byK. Pazhanivel
Production
company
Vetrivel Creations
Release date
  • 3 November 1994 (1994-11-03)
Running time
153 minutes[1]
CountryIndia
LanguageTamil

Karuthamma is a 1994 Indian Tamil-language drama film directed by Bharathiraja from a story by M. Rathnakumar. The film stars Raja, Rajashree and Maheswari, with Saranya, Periyar Dasan, Kamala Sekhar, Janagaraj, Ponvannan, Vadivukkarasi, S. N. Lakshmi, Vaani and R. Sundarrajan in supporting roles. It is set in a village where female infanticide is prevalent and considered acceptable, but the title character is against the practice.

Karuthamma was released on 3 November 1994 and became a commercial success. It won three National Film Awards, four Tamil Nadu State Film Awards and the Filmfare Award for Best Film – Tamil. The film brought wide attention to female infanticide and was instrumental in forcing the government at national and state levels to act against this practice and bring in suitable laws to curb it.

Plot[edit | edit source]

Mokkatha, the wife of Mokkaiyan, a farmer in Pottalpetti village, is in labour. They already have two daughters and are keen to have a son; two daughters born earlier were killed soon after birth by feeding them with poisonous cactus extract. Unable to pay hefty dowries for their daughters' marriages, the villagers consider female infanticide to be acceptable. A new school teacher feels sad on learning about this practice. When Mokkatha delivers a girl again, Mokkaiyan orders the village midwife to kill the baby. The midwife reluctantly tries to feed the cactus extract to the baby at a secluded place. The teacher notices this, meets her, and requests to hand over the infant so that he can raise her. She hands over the infant, and he moves away from the village.

Years later, Stephen, a veterinarian, comes to the village. Mokkaiyan's first daughter Ponnatha is married to Thavasi, the son of Mokkaiyan's nefarious sister Kaliamma. The second daughter Karuthamma takes care of the family. After getting into some tiff with Stephen, Karuthamma falls in love with him.

Ponnatha has two daughters and is pregnant for the third time. As a girl is born again, Kaliamma orders to kill it. To save her child, Ponnatha escapes with her baby and is chased by Thavasi, who beats her to death; the child also dies. He and Kaliamma lie that Ponnatha committed suicide as her third child was also a girl. Karuthamma, devastated by the death of her sister, does not believe this story. Ponnatha had earlier expressed her fear to her that if she delivered a girl again, Kaliamma would kill her.

When Karuthamma is giving a ceremonial bath to Ponnatha's body, she notices bloodstains on her abdomen. Concluding that she was murdered, Karuthamma stops the funeral and rushes to tell the police. The village chairman Chellamuthu, who is close to Thavasi, asks the police not to intervene, and they comply. Karuthamma refuses to leave the station. Stephen, who was passing by, threatens action against the police if they do not act on her complaint, as he is also a government employee. With no option, the police take Ponnatha's body away and arrest Thavasi and Kaliamma.

Rosy, a doctor, comes to meet her close relative Stephen. Her presence and closeness with Stephen are misunderstood by Karuthamma. Rosy loves Stephen, but he only likes her. Kaliamma's husband celebrates her arrest by drinking with Mokkaiyan, who is not used to liquor. Mokkaiyan suffers a paralytic attack and loses control of his limbs. Rosy tends to him and in the process gets attached to Mokkaiyan and Karuthamma.

A few weeks later, when Thavasi and Kaliamma get bail, they come to attack Karuthamma, but Stephen saves her. Chellamuthu manipulates the villagers into accepting Thavasi's proposal that Karuthamma must marry Thavasi to take care of Ponnatha's two young daughters (by which the police case will also be closed). Chellamuthu, who has lent money to Mokkaiyan, threatens and seeks immediate repayment if he does not accept this proposal.

Thavasi's father realises that his son is using the young children as bait and takes away the children with him one night. However, he is caught by Thavasi, who, motivated by Chellamuthu, burns his father to death. Thavasi takes the children away and forces Karuthamma to come with him to their village to marry him. Shocked with all this, Mokkaiyan consumes poison and is on his deathbed.

When Rosy expresses her love to Stephen, he gets surprised and states that he loves Karuthamma. Rosy is shocked as she was keen to marry him and decides to move away from the village. When the villagers ask her to treat Mokkaiyan, who is fighting for his life, she does not as she is keen to leave. When her father, the teacher arrives, the village midwife realises that he is the same person who took Mokkiayan's third daughter. The midwife reveals to Rosy that Mokkaiyan is her real father, and the teacher also confirms it. Rosy treats Mokkaiyan, who now realises his mistake of killing female infants without realising their worth.

Karuthamma, on the eve of her wedding, demands to see the children taken away earlier by Thavasi's father. However, Thavasi is unable to show his children (as they were taken by Chellamuthu to use them as bait to force himself on Karuthamma). That night, Chellamuthu makes Thavasi drunk and asks him to spare Karuthamma for that night. Thavasi agrees in a drunken state, which is overheard by Karuthamma, who also learns that Thavasi had killed his own father. When Chellamuthu goes to meet Karuthamma, she is well prepared to meet him. She murders Chellamuthu and then Thavasi. After saving Ponnatha's children, who were locked inside a box, she returns to her village. Realising that Rosy is her own sister, Karuthamma asks her to look after the children and their father and leaves with the police. Stephen decides to wait for her.

Cast[edit | edit source]

Production[edit | edit source]

The film was titled after Bharathiraja's mother.[5] The story was based on a real-life incident in a village, and the script was written by Bharathiraja's relative M. Rathnakumar.[6] Periyar Dasan, who worked as a professor in Pachaiyappa's College, made his acting debut with this film, as did Rajashree and Maheswari;[7] Rajashree's voice was dubbed by Raadhika.[8] Kamalasekhar, the film's art director, also portrayed the village chairman Chellamuthu.[9]

Themes[edit | edit source]

The film explores female infanticide and the hatred that surrounds the birth of a female child.[4]

Music[edit | edit source]

Karuthamma
Film score by
A. R. Rahman
Released1994
RecordedPanchathan Record Inn
GenreSoundtrack
LabelPyramid
Aditya Music
ProducerA. R. Rahman
A. R. Rahman chronology
Pavithra
(1994) 		Karuthamma
(1994) 		Pudhiya Mannargal
(1994)

The soundtrack was composed by A. R. Rahman, with lyrics by Vairamuthu.[10] The songs gained Rahman notice for composing folk music, contrary to his reputation for composing westernised music.[11] The song "Poraale Ponnuthayi" is based on Mohanam raga.[12] The music of "Poraale Ponnuthayi" was reused for "Gurus of Peace", for the album Vande Mataram.[3] The soundtrack was also released in Telugu in the dubbed version of the film Vanitha.[13]

Tamil
No. TitleSinger(s) Length
1. "Thenmerku Paruva Kaatru"  P. Unnikrishnan, K. S. Chithra 05:02
2. "Poraale Ponnuthayi" (Sad)Swarnalatha 06:22
3. "Poraale Ponnuthayi"  Unni Menon, Sujatha Mohan 05:42
4. "Pacha Kili Paadum"  Shahul Hameed, Minmini 04:41
5. "Kaadu Potta Kaadu"  Bharathiraja, Malaysia Vasudevan 05:33
6. "Araro Ariraro"  T. K. Kala, Theni Kunjarammal, Deepan Chakravarthy 01:47
7. "Yaar Petha Pillai"  Jayachandran 02:03
Telugu
No. TitleSinger(s) Length
1. "Sirimalle Mogga Meeda"  Unnikrishnan, K. S. Chithra 05:02
2. "Poodota Poochindata (Sad)"  Swarnalatha 06:22
3. "Poodota Poochindata (Happy)"  Unni Menon, Sujatha Mohan 05:42
4. "Padaalenno Paade Vooru"  Shahul Hameed, Sujatha Mohan 04:41
5. "Koodu Pette Bhoomi"  Mano, Rajgopal, T. K. Kala 05:33
6. "Jo Laali Jo Laali"  T. K. Kala, Sarala 01:47
7. "Ye Thalli Kannadani"  Jayachandran 02:03

Release and reception[edit | edit source]

Karuthamma was released on 3 November 1994.[4] The film received critical acclaim[14] and became a commercial success, running for over 100 days in theatres.[15]

Reception[edit | edit source]

Ananda Vikatan mentioned in its review dated 4 December 1994, "Though the subject taken up was delicate, instead of making a documentary, the director has narrated the film, through visuals, which should be appreciated. Bharathiraja must be congratulated for making a heart – wrenching film on a delicate subject without lecturing us on the theme". The film was given 45 marks.[15] Malini Mannath of The Indian Express wrote, "Karuthamma is a film that will move many a human heart."[9] K. Vijiyin of New Straits Times wrote, "Bharathiraja returns to do what he is best at — telling stories about ordinary village people [...] And in Karuthamma he has a winner". He also praised the film's humour, a rare feature in Bharathiraja's films.[16]

Awards[edit | edit source]

Event Award Recipient Ref.
1994 National Film Awards Best Female Playback Singer Swarnalatha (for "Poraale Ponnuthaayi...") [17]
Best Lyricist Vairamuthu (for "Poraale Ponnuthaayi...")
Best Film on Family Welfare Bharathiraja
1994 Tamil Nadu State Film Awards Best Female Playback Swarnalatha (for "Poraale Ponnuthaayi...") [15]
Best Lyricist Vairamuthu (for "Poraale Ponnuthaayi...")
Best Actress Rajashree
Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Film Portraying Woman in Good Light Bharathiraja
1994 Filmfare Awards South Best Film – Tamil Bharathiraja [18]

Legacy[edit | edit source]

The first film to bring to light the menace of female infanticide on screen, Karuthamma forced the government at national and state levels to act against this practice and bring in suitable laws to curb it. It became a catalyst for this change in the society,[15] and was instrumental in "making way for the ban on prenatal sexual identification".[19]

In popular culture[edit | edit source]

In Kadhal Sadugudu (2003), Theni Kunjarammal tries to kill a female child with milk. Super Subbu (Vivek), who witnesses this, says that he has been seeing this from the days of Karuthamma.[20] One of the songs, "Thenmerku Paruvakaatru" inspired a 2010 film of the same name.[21] Scenes from the film have been parodied in Thamizh Padam (2010), though female infanticide has been replaced with male infanticide. Periyar Dasan reprises his role from the original film.[22]

References[edit | edit source]

  1. ↑ Rajadhyaksha & Willemen 1998, p. 520.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 Ge, Krupa (16 July 2019). "Ms. Representation: Silver linings". Cinema Express. Archived from the original on 5 July 2020. Retrieved 27 November 2020.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Dhananjayan 2014, p. 337.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Dhananjayan 2014, p. 336.
  5. ↑ "Who's who of Tamil film world congregate in city". The Times of India. Madurai. 21 January 2013. Archived from the original on 24 November 2020. Retrieved 6 February 2017.
  6. ↑ "None can predict the climax". IndiaGlitz. 10 December 2008. Archived from the original on 27 August 2016. Retrieved 6 February 2017.
  7. ↑ "சாதனை புரிந்த தமிழ் படங்கள் – 281 – எஸ்.கணேஷ்". Dinamalar. Nellai. 7 February 2017. Retrieved 28 November 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  8. ↑ "மகேஸ்வரிக்கும், எனக்கும் ஒரு பெரிய ஆசை... அதை பாரதிராஜா சார்கிட்ட சொன்னப்ப"-'கருத்தம்மா' ராஜஸ்ரீ". Ananda Vikatan. 6 November 2019. Retrieved 28 November 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Mannath, Malini (11 November 1994). "Rocking the cradle". The Indian Express. Madras. p. 6. Archived from the original on 24 November 2020. Retrieved 20 September 2019.
  10. ↑ "Karuthamma". AVdigital. Archived from the original on 15 June 2021. Retrieved 28 November 2020.
  11. ↑ Yamunan, Sruthisagar (22 September 2018). "Audio master: AR Rahman's 1990 masterwork 'Thiruda Thiruda' is still stealing hearts". Scroll.in. Archived from the original on 15 June 2021. Retrieved 28 November 2020.
  12. ↑ Mani, Charulatha (16 September 2011). "A Raga's Journey – Magical Mohanam". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 23 August 2019. Retrieved 17 November 2020.
  13. ↑ "Vanitha". JioSaavn. Archived from the original on 23 September 2020. Retrieved 26 November 2020.
  14. ↑ Rajadhyaksha & Willemen 1998, p. 60.
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 15.3 Dhananjayan 2014, p. 338.
  16. ↑ Vijiyin, K. (28 November 1994). "Powerful tale of female infanticide". New Straits Times. p. 29. Archived from the original on 23 April 2021. Retrieved 23 April 2021.
  17. ↑ "42nd National Film Festival" (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 July 2020. Retrieved 27 November 2020.
  18. ↑ "The 42nd Annual (South) Filmfare Awards". Filmfare. 1995. Retrieved 27 November 2020.
  19. ↑ Sundaram, Nandhu (19 July 2018). "Karuthamma, Nammavar, Kadhalan, Nattamai – Tamil cinema offered its best in the watershed year of 1994". Firstpost. Archived from the original on 17 August 2018. Retrieved 24 November 2020.
  20. ↑ Kadhal Sadugudu (motion picture) (in தமிழ்). NIC Arts. 2003.
  21. ↑ "Thenmerkku Paruvakatru Moview Review". Behindwoods.com. Archived from the original on 28 April 2017. Retrieved 6 February 2017.
  22. ↑ Nathan, Archana (2 June 2018). "Flashback: CS Amudhan's spoof 'Thamizh Padam' is an honest (and a very funny) Tamil movie". Scroll.in. Archived from the original on 10 August 2019. Retrieved 24 November 2020.

Bibliography[edit | edit source]

External links[edit | edit source]

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