Avargal

Infobox_Film
name = Avargal


caption = Official DVD Cover
director = K. Balachander
writer =
starring = Rajnikanth
Kamal Hassan
Sujatha
Leelavathi
Ravi Kumar
producer =
music =
editor =
released = flagicon|India1977
runtime =
country = flagicon|India India
language = Tamil
budget =
imdb_id = 0154181

Avargal (literally, 'Those People') is a 1977 Tamil film made by K. Balachander starring Sujatha, Kamal Hassan and Rajinikanth. The film had a reputation of being one of most sensitive movies on women’s lib. Kamal Hassan is supposed to have learnt the art of ventriloquism for this movie in order to portray his character perfectly.

Plot

The movie revolves around the trials and tribulations of Anu (Sujatha). Anu is a happy-go-lucky girl head-over-heels in love with her boyfriend. Her life changes when her father gets transferred to Mumbai (then Bombay). Her love life falls apart as her boy friend doesn’t respond to any of her letters. In addition, her father becomes seriously ill. Her father’s office colleague, Ramanthan (Rajnikanth), becomes a great source of strength for her in these tough times. Soon, he asks for her hand in marriage. She accepts gratefully, and confesses that she had a boyfriend, who has seemingly forgotten her.

However, she soon realizes the truth about Ramanathan. He is a sadistic and jealous husband, who tortures her no end and, not unsurprisingly, she opts for a divorce. As a divorced woman, with an infant in her hands, she lands in Chennai (Madras) to take up a new job and start a new life.

Her life takes a turn for the better in Chennai as she has a very supportive friend-group in her office, particularly a widower, Janardhan (Kamal Hassan). Janardhan, or Johnnie as he is popularly called, is a talented ventriloquist who “talks” through his puppet, Junior. He falls in love with Anu, but is unable to muster up the courage to tell her about it.

In an interesting cinematic twist, her ex-husband’s mother discovers her presence in the city and takes up a job as a maid in her house.

Anu also stumbles upon her old lover in Chennai and discovers that her letters to him never reached as they were intercepted by his mentally-challenged sister. Soon, Anu renews her relationship with her old love and life seems to be looking up for her. But the ghosts of the past continue to haunt her. Ramanathan comes to Chennai in the role of her boss – a contrite and repentant Ramanathan, who now wants to re-marry Anu and redress the wrongs he had done.The situation becomes piquant with 3 men vying for Anu – her ex-love, her ex-husband and a silent lover lurking on the sidelines. Which way will Anu go? K. Balachander takes the movie to its logical, yet completely radical and unexpected, end.

Cast

*Sujatha as Anu
*Kamal Hassan as Janardhan
*Rajnikanth as Ramanathan

oundtrack

K.Balachander once again shows his ability to use music as a narrative technique and the songs tuned by MS Viswanathan were all big hits, particularly “Kaatrukkenna Veli” (sung by S. Janaki), “Junior” (sung by SP Balasubrahmanyam and a mimicry artist), “Angum Ingum” (sung by SP Balasubrahmanyam)

*Angum Ingum  - S. P. Balasubramaniam

*Gangaiyile Neer  - S. Janaki

*Ippadiyor Thalattu  - S. Janaki

*Junior Junior  - S. P. Balasubramaniam, Sadan

*Kaatrukkenna Veli  - S. Janaki

Reference

*imdb title|0154181|Avargal
* [http://www.raaga.com/channels/Tamil/moviedetail.asp?mid=T0000583 Soundtrack Link I] - [http://www.dishant.com/lyrics/movie-Avargal.html Soundtrack Link II] - [http://www.musicplug.in/songs.php?movieid=174&movietypeid=1&langid=8&songid=753 Soundtrack Link III]