Kudumbam Oru Kadambam
Encyclopedia
Kudumbam Oru Kadambam is a 1981 Tamil
film about the role of money and working women in 1980s India
n middle-class society.
apartment house in Chennai.
Each family represents a different slice of early 80s middle-class society.
Kannan and Uma are a working couple. Kannan's father, retired from Government
service, lives with them. They enjoy the comforts of dual income, but their
general lament is that their long work hours compel them to send their five
year old daughter Priya to boarding school.
The second couple comprises real estate agent Paramasivam and his homemaker
wife Parvathi. Real estate in the early 80s is not very profitable or
progressive. Paramasivam and Parvathi enjoy a happy marriage, but Paramasivam's
limited (and sporadic) income is barely able to meet household costs.
The third couple is Srinivasa Raghavan and Lakshmiammal. Fifty-five year old
Srinivasa Raghavan is a worthless wastrel. In spite of a college education, he
has never worked a day in his life. He chooses to roam about the city and
engage in pointless banter with anyone he can find.
Lakshmiammal works as a cook to earn a meager wage,
but they frequently have to pawn their valuables to get by. Their son Madhu
is an aspiring actor with dreams of making it big, and their daughter Mythili
is still in high school.
Their everyday lives have ups and downs. Kannan and Uma work all through the
week. Uma takes German lessons in the evenings. Their overburdened schedule
permits them to see their daughter only on weekends, and as a result they
gradually drift away from the needs of their child. As for Paramasivam, his
income is squeezed by the down market or by crafty tenants (who collude with
the owners and ultimately do not pay his commissions). Lakshmiammal works long
hours in hot kitchens, and worries that her declining health might just give
out one day.
There are some new arrivals. The first is Parvathi's brother Kumar. Kumar has
recently graduated college, and he arrives in Chennai
to start a new job.
He plans to stay with Parvathi for a few days until he finds a new place. The
second arrival is Anandan, a mild-mannered young man. He used to work at a rice
mill in Nagapatnam, but when the mill
was destroyed in a cyclone
, his employer transferred him to another job in
Chennai
. Anandan is happy to find another job, but despairs because he is
away from his wife and children in Nagapatnam. He is not able to afford
weekly trips to see his family. Lakshmiammal recognizes an opportunity and
proposes a boarding arrangement. Anandan is happy to accept; Lakshmiammal's
home cooked food is healthier and cheaper than eating out every day.
The families are faced with various crises. Kannan's father discovers that
Lakshmiammal has been visiting a hospital to treat an emerging tuberculosis
ailment caused by long exposure to cooking flames. Kannan's father discreetly
informs Mythili that Lakshmiammal must not continue working. Mythili drops out
of school and starts working at a palatial mansion in the city. (Her job is
not revealed, but it is strongly suggested that she may be working as an
escort for a rich man.) The job, however, pays quite well and Mythili anonymously
sends a portion of the money to her mother. Srinivasa Raghavan remains oblivious
or apathetic to the whole situation.
Kannan and Paramasivam are also faced with trouble. Uma receives a promotion
at work. Kannan is unable to accept that his wife makes more money. Priya
continues to drift away from her parents, and refuses to come home for Diwali.
When Parvathi suddenly becomes pregnant, she is forced to abort because of
their strained financial situation. Paramasivam is stricken cold by the fact
that he did not have cash for the cab to bring his wife to the hospital. Uma,
Parvathi and Lakshmiammal individually ponder the central questions of the film
— the role of money and the role of working women in the new society
order.
Their troubles escalate. Kannan dreams that Uma is seduced by her German boss,
and that she will eventually leave him. Paramasivam is compelled to borrow
money, at exorbitant interest, from a loan shark. Parvathi is deeply grieved
to learn this. Lakshmiammal follows Mythili and assumes the worst when she sees
that a car is sent to fetch Mythili every day. She breaks down in tears before
Srinivasa Raghavan. When Srinivasa Raghavan angrily question Mythili, she
retorts that he, having never provided for the family, has no fatherly rights
to ask about her business.
The men set about evaluating their situation. Kannan and Uma decide that their
child is a higher priority than additional income, and Uma accordingly resigns
from her job. Kannan's father provides additional support by way of his
retirement income. Paramasivam finally agrees to let Parvathi get a real job.
And Srinivasa Raghavan, stung by his daughter's criticism, sets off to find work.
Undaunted by rejection from various offices, he finally earns a day's
wages by working on the docks. He returns home with dignity. Now that he has
restored his station as a father, he claims the right to question Mythili. He
bluntly asks if she has been prostituting herself. Mythili takes him to the
palatial mansion. She reveals that the lady of the house has been stricken with
a paralysing disease and that Mythili's job is to help her with her daily
duties. Mythili breaks into sobs, saying she has not done anything to dishonor
the family.
Harmony is restored to just about everyone. Anandam, in tragicomic irony, is
suddenly transferred away to Dindigul
just as he has found a job for his
wife in Chennai
. His wife now takes his place in the apartment and writes
to him every week.
The film ends with the missive that money is required for life but life must
not be entirely consumed by money.
Tamil language
Tamil is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It has official status in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and in the Indian union territory of Pondicherry. Tamil is also an official language of Sri Lanka and Singapore...
film about the role of money and working women in 1980s India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n middle-class society.
Plot
The film opens on an ordinary day in the lives of the families in a largeapartment house in Chennai.
Each family represents a different slice of early 80s middle-class society.
Kannan and Uma are a working couple. Kannan's father, retired from Government
service, lives with them. They enjoy the comforts of dual income, but their
general lament is that their long work hours compel them to send their five
year old daughter Priya to boarding school.
The second couple comprises real estate agent Paramasivam and his homemaker
wife Parvathi. Real estate in the early 80s is not very profitable or
progressive. Paramasivam and Parvathi enjoy a happy marriage, but Paramasivam's
limited (and sporadic) income is barely able to meet household costs.
The third couple is Srinivasa Raghavan and Lakshmiammal. Fifty-five year old
Srinivasa Raghavan is a worthless wastrel. In spite of a college education, he
has never worked a day in his life. He chooses to roam about the city and
engage in pointless banter with anyone he can find.
Lakshmiammal works as a cook to earn a meager wage,
but they frequently have to pawn their valuables to get by. Their son Madhu
is an aspiring actor with dreams of making it big, and their daughter Mythili
is still in high school.
Their everyday lives have ups and downs. Kannan and Uma work all through the
week. Uma takes German lessons in the evenings. Their overburdened schedule
permits them to see their daughter only on weekends, and as a result they
gradually drift away from the needs of their child. As for Paramasivam, his
income is squeezed by the down market or by crafty tenants (who collude with
the owners and ultimately do not pay his commissions). Lakshmiammal works long
hours in hot kitchens, and worries that her declining health might just give
out one day.
There are some new arrivals. The first is Parvathi's brother Kumar. Kumar has
recently graduated college, and he arrives in Chennai
Chennai
Chennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India...
to start a new job.
He plans to stay with Parvathi for a few days until he finds a new place. The
second arrival is Anandan, a mild-mannered young man. He used to work at a rice
mill in Nagapatnam, but when the mill
was destroyed in a cyclone
Cyclone
In meteorology, a cyclone is an area of closed, circular fluid motion rotating in the same direction as the Earth. This is usually characterized by inward spiraling winds that rotate anticlockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere of the Earth. Most large-scale...
, his employer transferred him to another job in
Chennai
Chennai
Chennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India...
. Anandan is happy to find another job, but despairs because he is
away from his wife and children in Nagapatnam. He is not able to afford
weekly trips to see his family. Lakshmiammal recognizes an opportunity and
proposes a boarding arrangement. Anandan is happy to accept; Lakshmiammal's
home cooked food is healthier and cheaper than eating out every day.
The families are faced with various crises. Kannan's father discovers that
Lakshmiammal has been visiting a hospital to treat an emerging tuberculosis
ailment caused by long exposure to cooking flames. Kannan's father discreetly
informs Mythili that Lakshmiammal must not continue working. Mythili drops out
of school and starts working at a palatial mansion in the city. (Her job is
not revealed, but it is strongly suggested that she may be working as an
escort for a rich man.) The job, however, pays quite well and Mythili anonymously
sends a portion of the money to her mother. Srinivasa Raghavan remains oblivious
or apathetic to the whole situation.
Kannan and Paramasivam are also faced with trouble. Uma receives a promotion
at work. Kannan is unable to accept that his wife makes more money. Priya
continues to drift away from her parents, and refuses to come home for Diwali.
When Parvathi suddenly becomes pregnant, she is forced to abort because of
their strained financial situation. Paramasivam is stricken cold by the fact
that he did not have cash for the cab to bring his wife to the hospital. Uma,
Parvathi and Lakshmiammal individually ponder the central questions of the film
— the role of money and the role of working women in the new society
order.
Their troubles escalate. Kannan dreams that Uma is seduced by her German boss,
and that she will eventually leave him. Paramasivam is compelled to borrow
money, at exorbitant interest, from a loan shark. Parvathi is deeply grieved
to learn this. Lakshmiammal follows Mythili and assumes the worst when she sees
that a car is sent to fetch Mythili every day. She breaks down in tears before
Srinivasa Raghavan. When Srinivasa Raghavan angrily question Mythili, she
retorts that he, having never provided for the family, has no fatherly rights
to ask about her business.
The men set about evaluating their situation. Kannan and Uma decide that their
child is a higher priority than additional income, and Uma accordingly resigns
from her job. Kannan's father provides additional support by way of his
retirement income. Paramasivam finally agrees to let Parvathi get a real job.
And Srinivasa Raghavan, stung by his daughter's criticism, sets off to find work.
Undaunted by rejection from various offices, he finally earns a day's
wages by working on the docks. He returns home with dignity. Now that he has
restored his station as a father, he claims the right to question Mythili. He
bluntly asks if she has been prostituting herself. Mythili takes him to the
palatial mansion. She reveals that the lady of the house has been stricken with
a paralysing disease and that Mythili's job is to help her with her daily
duties. Mythili breaks into sobs, saying she has not done anything to dishonor
the family.
Harmony is restored to just about everyone. Anandam, in tragicomic irony, is
suddenly transferred away to Dindigul
Dindigul
Dindigul is a town and municipality in the Tamil Nadu state of southern India. The name Dindigul comes from the Portmanteau of “Thindu” meaning pillow and “kal” meaning Rock and refers to the bare hill dominating the city’s both land and skyscape...
just as he has found a job for his
wife in Chennai
Chennai
Chennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India...
. His wife now takes his place in the apartment and writes
to him every week.
The film ends with the missive that money is required for life but life must
not be entirely consumed by money.
Cast
- VisuVisuVisu , born 1941 is a Tamil writer, director, stage, film and television actor and talk show host from the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Visu fine tuned his directorial skills under the mentor-ship of legendary K. Balachander until becoming a full fledged director...
... Srinivasa Raghavan - Kamala Kamesh ... Lakshmiammal
- S. V. Shekhar ... Paramasivam
- Suhasini ... Parvathi
- Pratap Pothan ... Kannan
- SumalathaSumalathaSumalatha is a popular Indian film actress. She has acted in more than 200 films in Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil and Hindi movies.-Early life:...
... Uma - GoundamaniGoundamaniGoundamani is a Tamil film actor, comedian and screen icon. He is considered as the greatest comic actor in Kollywood and is renowned for his alliance with fellow actor Senthil.-Early Life:...
... Chettiar - Nithya ... Mythili