Kudumbam Oru Kadambam

Kudumbam Oru Kadambam (transl. Family is a Flower) is a 1981 Indian Tamil-language drama film directed by S. P. Muthuraman. Based on Visu's play of the same, the film stars Pratap, Suhasini, Sumalatha, S. Ve. Shekher and Visu reprising his role from the play. It was remade in Kannada as Ananda Sagara (1983),^[1] in Telugu as Manishiko Charithra (1984),^[2] in Hindi as Aaj Ka Daur (1985),^[1] and in Malayalam as Oru Sandesam Koodi that same year.^[3]

Kudumbam Oru Kadambam
Poster
Directed by	S. P. Muthuraman
Written by	Visu
Based on	Kudumbam Oru Kadambam by Visu
Produced by	LN.Nachiappan LN.Chidambaram S.Muthusami
Starring	Pratap Suhasini Sumalatha S. Ve. Shekher Visu
Cinematography	Babu
Edited by	R. Vittal
Music by	M. S. Viswanathan
Production company	Visakam Pictures
Release date	5 December 1981 (1981-12-05)
Running time	144 minutes
Country	India
Language	Tamil

Plot

The film opens on an ordinary day in the lives of the families in a large apartment house in Chennai. Each family represents a different slice of early 1980s 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 1980s 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 from 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 recognises 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.

Cast

• Pratap as Kannan^[4] voice-over by Delhi Ganesh
• Suhasini as Parvathi^[4]
• Sumalatha as Uma^[4]
• S. Ve. Shekher as Paramasivam^[4]
• Kamala Kamesh as Lakshmiammal^[4]
• Nithya as Mythili^[4]
• Bhoopathi^[4]
• Samikannu as the matchmaker^[4]
• Goundamani as Chettiar^[4]
• Visu as Srinivasa Raghavan^[4]
• 'Kuriakose' Ranga^[4] as Anandan
• Omakuchi Narasimhan as Mathrubootham
• Baskar as Kumar

Production

Kudumbam Oru Kadambam was a play written by Visu who also starred. S. P. Muthuraman saw the play and, impressed, decided to adapt it for the screen; Visu was chosen to reprise his role, making his debut as a film actor.^[5][6] Visu's brother-in-law 'Kuriakose' Ranga also made his film debut with this; he also wrote the dialogue "Paithiyakaara aaspathirila paithiyangalukku vaithiyam pakkara oru paithiyakaara vaithiyarukke paithiyam pudicha, andha paithiyakara vaithiyar endha paithiyakara haspathirila paithiyangalukku vaithiyam pakara oru paithiyakara vaithiyar kitta than paithiyathukku vaithiyanm pathupaar?" (transl. If a mental doctor treating mental patients at a mental asylum becomes mental, to which mental asylum will the mental doctor go and get treated for his mental illness and which mental doctor who treats mental patients will treat him?).^[7]

Soundtrack

The soundtrack was composed by M. S. Viswanathan. Lyrics were written by Kannadasan and Vaali.^[8][9]

No.	Title	Lyrics	Singer(s)	Length
1.	"Kudumbam Oru Kadambam"	Kannadasan	M. S. Viswanathan	4:31
2.	"Kalviyil Saraswati"	Vaali	Vani Jairam, S. P. Sailaja, Uma Ramanan, B. S. Sasirekha	7:06
3.	"Engaathu Mappillai Nee"	Vaali	S. Janaki, S. P. Balasubrahmanyam	6:56

Release

Kudumbam Oru Kadambam was released on 5 December 1981.^[10] The film was a commercial success,^[11] running for over 100 days in theatres.^[12]

References

1. Arunachalam, Param (14 April 2020). BollySwar: 1981–1990. Mavrix Infotech. p. 519. ISBN 9788193848227.
2. "Each Man Has A History". Kisan World. Vol. 9. 1982. p. 57.
3. Ramesh, Neeraja (23 April 2021). "A fight between creative rights and legal protocols". The Times of India. from the original on 24 April 2021. Retrieved 8 June 2021.
4. கண்ணன், சுரேஷ் (25 July 2020). "விசு பேசும் 'பைத்தியக்கார' வசனம், அந்த போஸ்டர் குறியீடு... 'குடும்பம் ஒரு கதம்பம்' சுவாரஸ்யங்கள்!". Ananda Vikatan (in Tamil). Archived from the original on 8 June 2021. Retrieved 8 June 2021.
5. "Visu's demise: Celebs share their memories". The Times of India. 21 April 2020. Archived from the original on 25 March 2020. Retrieved 8 June 2021.
6. முத்துராமன், எஸ்.பி. (20 April 2016). "சினிமா எடுத்துப் பார் 55: 'குடும்பம் ஒரு கதம்பம்'". Hindu Tamil Thisai (in Tamil). from the original on 8 June 2021. Retrieved 8 June 2021.
7. Ramesh, Mahesh (23 March 2020). "Visu Death: Late Tamil film director's brother-in-law Kuriakose Ranga recalls 'paithiyakara' days". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 8 June 2021. Retrieved 8 June 2021.
8. "Kudumbam Oru Kadambam". Gaana. from the original on 8 June 2021. Retrieved 8 June 2021.
9. "Kudumbam Oru Kadhambam Tamil Film LP Vinyl Record by M S Viswanathan". Mossymart. from the original on 8 June 2021. Retrieved 8 June 2021.
10. "Kudumbam Oru Kadambam (1981)". Screen4Screen. from the original on 8 June 2021. Retrieved 8 June 2021.
11. Shiva Kumar, S. (1982). "Innane, vulgar". Mid-Day. from the original on 7 August 2020. Retrieved 20 February 2021.
12. முத்துராமன், எஸ்.பி. (4 May 2016). "சினிமா எடுத்துப் பார் 56: பன்முக நாயகன் விசு!". Hindu Tamil Thisai (in Tamil). from the original on 8 June 2021. Retrieved 8 June 2021.

External links

• Kudumbam Oru Kadambam at IMDb