Movie: Aval Paavam

Director: M.K. Arunthavaraja
Cast: Prabhukant, Rithika, K. Rajan, J. Lalita, Mohan Vaidya, Isari Ganesh

It is a subject that director K. Balachander had handled with flair and some amount of controversy in 'Arangetram' - about a woman taking to prostitution to support her family. It is a reflection of the changing times, that while the earlier version created quite a controversy and even the director did not dare to show a happy ending or of a prostitute being rehabilitated, in this film the director shows a man accepting the prostitute fully aware of her past.

Thulasi is the only breadwinner in a family that consists of a father who is an alcoholic, a mother who is an invalid and two younger siblings. She works in an office, but one day when her mother is serious and hospitalised, she finds herself in a financial crunch. Her boss finally agrees to help her out, provided she succumbs to his sexual demands. With no other way not Thulasi finally agrees to his terms. From then on prostitution becomes a way of life, her family suspecting nothing, and not asking any embarrassing questions about her odd working hours and the source of the money that rolls in. Sriram, an old admirer of her during the college days, is posted in the area as the new cop. He proposes marriage but Thulasi is evasive. And finally bowing to family pressure when she consents, her past proves a stumbling block in her consummating her marriage. Her past too catches up with her in the form of a pimp who tries to blackmail her. And a politician who had found her 'lucky' for him earlier now demands her presence, since elections are round the corner. Hounded on all sides, Thulasi decides to take her own life. But sympathy and understanding comes from an unexpected quarter. Her husband who had all along been aware of her past supports her to the hilt.

Arunthavaraja makes his transition from the small screen to the big screen with this film. It is a well-planned screenplay and there is no attempt to preach or make it a melodrama. There is no sexual exploitation of the theme to distract the viewers, though there was enough room for it. Rithika (named Lakshmi in her two earlier films) carries the film on her slender shoulders. Prabhukant (it is his home production) gives the right expressions, but the actor seems to have two left feet! It's his second film after he played the villain in 'Doubles'. K. Raja (the producer), with his refrain of 'If this was America…', seems to have polished up his act since his last few miserable attempts at acting. But his final soliloquy before his death could have been avoided. Rajan is no Amitabh Bachchan, that one can watch him for long talking to himself with the camera frozen on him.