K Balachander’s directorial about a woman’s content of life without depending solely on the man’s approval stuck with three heroes: Chiranjeevi, Kamal Haasan and Sarath Babu
In the world of “Aadadaaniki aadadhe shatruvu” (A woman is her own enemy), the women of Idhi Katha Kaadu (This is not a story), the mother-in-law assures her of “Aadadhaaniki Aadadhe thodu” (A woman is woman’s friend). This single line delivered by Subhashini’s mother-in-law tells us about the philosophy of the movie.
Sugunakar Rao, played by Mega Star Chiranjeevi in his early years as an actor, is a sure shot red flag of every sort. He is deceptive, manipulative, liar. He loves the torturer, womaniser. Yet, the mild natured Subhashini (Jayasudha) remains patient to an extent, like the accepted behaviour of women of their age. But, after a point, she doesn’t hesitate to ask for a divorce she deserves and she travels all alone to Mumbai to work in a corporate desk job. These visuals coming from a movie of the 1970’s is just stunning vision and values of Balachander and Chalam.
Chalam is not credited as writer for the movie. But, he might have been inspired by the writer Ganesh Patro to write this story. Chalam’s feminist values were credited with a quote before the end credits rolled in.
Subhashini’s life as a single mother is metaphorically shown to us as two men, Bharani (Sarath Babu)- the love interest of Subhashini- and Sugunakar Rao (Chiranjeevi). First, Bharani and Subhashini are playing Table Tennis. Later, Sugunakar Rao joins and Subhashini is moved to the middle of the frame, right above the table tennis’s net. The same visual is flashed onto us the moment when we see Sugunakar Rao residing beside Bharani while he is marrying Gayatri (the fan and love-interest of Bharath).
There is an element of poetic confluence in the movie. Subhashini is a dancer, she falls in love with Bharani, a singer. They both sing and dance for a song too. Yet, they break their ways away, due to the manipulative tactics of Sugunakar Rao. Subhashini’s father dies and she gets a new mother in the form of mother-in-law who feels sorry for her plight. Her fate is such that the moment when she feels that the circle is being full, she gets flack due to the idiocy of men around her. Except Johnny alias Janardhan played by Kamal Haasan.
Johnny is very nice to her, always trying to impress her in his own ways. Sometimes being generous with the home, sometimes being funny with his ventriloquism. Finally Johnny expresses his love to Subhashini, we don’t see the desperation for a companion in her life. But, we see that she feels sorry for him. Yet, she doesn’t give up her independency once again for the sake of a man. Perhaps, she finally felt that she doesn’t need neither a man’s support nor man’s love. She is happy with herself, perhaps, the dream of Chalam.
Idhi Katha Kaadu is now streaming for free on Youtube.
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