Vallamai Tharayo
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2015}}
{{Use Indian English|date=November 2015}}
{{Infobox film
| image = Vallamai Tharayo.jpg
| caption = Theatrical release poster
| director = Madhumitha
| writer = Madhumitha
| producer = Nalini SundarRaman
Trisakti SundarRaman
| starring = R. Parthiban
Chaya Singh
| music = Bharadwaj
| studio = Giriguja International
| released = {{Film date|df=yes|2008|06|28}}
| runtime = 146 minutes
| country = India
| language = Tamil
}}
Vallamai Tharayo ({{translation|Give me the strength}}) is a 2008 Indian Tamil language romantic drama film written and directed by Madhumitha. The film stars Parthiban and Chaya Singh, with Karunas and Anand Raj in supporting roles and Srikanth in a guest appearance. The music was composed by Bharadwaj, and the film was released on 28 June 2008.
The story explores the situation of a girl who is forced into a marriage with a man whom she barely knows and has no intention of getting to know.
Plot
The film opens with Nandita and her husband Anand in the process of getting a divorce. Nandita's lawyer accuses Anand of physically abusing Nandita, calling him a sadist.
A flashback takes the audience back to the circumstances of their marriage. A happy working girl from the city, Nandita returns to her home village for a family function, only to find that her father Veerasamy has decided to marry Nandita off elsewhere. Nandita, who has spent her life falling in love with Sekar, her cousin and original fiancé, cannot agree to this sudden marriage. However, her father forces her to agree, and the marriage to Anand takes place. The newlyweds move back to the city, and though the kind and jovial Anand attempts to lead a life with her and make her fall in love with him, Nandita does not budge. She is normally cold and impolite, except for when she sees constant reminders of Sekar.
The scene cuts back to the family court, where Nandita has gotten the divorce and calls Anand for a final farewell, telling him to find a girl whom he will truly love. Now Nandita is a free woman, living life the way she wants to and dreaming of seeing Sekar again. She moves to a new apartment, gets a new job, and a new friend – her housekeeper Savithri. Things are going well, but Anand is a constant unwanted presence in her life, greeting her every morning and calling her frequently. When asked why he is still around, he tells her that he likes no one else but her.
On Valentine's Day, Nandita sees Sekar on TV, talking about her as his soulmate, his first love. To her surprise, he announces that he is getting married soon because she is already married. An upset Nandita is pushed even further over the edge when she finds out that Savithri has been talking to Anand about Nandita. She leaves on a company business trip for a few days; a visit to a school for disabled children. Learning a few life lessons, Nandita comes back a changed woman and becomes open to getting to know Anand for the first time.
The end of the film shows Nandita and Anand happily spending time with each other.
Cast
{{Cast listing|
- Parthiban as Anand
- Chaya Singh as Nandita
- Karunas as Driving School Master
- Anand Raj as Veerasamy (Nandita's father)
- Kuyili as Lakshmi (Nandita's mother)
- Rajyalakshmi as Padmavathi (Anand's mother)
- Devipriya as Savithri
- Chaams as Nandita's boss
- Sethu Vinayagam as Advocate Sathyamurthy
- Bombay Gnanam as Judge
- R. S. Shivaji as a frustrated man at the elevator
- A. K. Veerasamy as himself
- Apeksha Bhatt as Anand's boss
- Chitra as Nandita's aunt
- Dindukkal Hamsa as Nandita's grandmother
- Sevvazhai as Nandita's uncle
- Rani as Sekhar's mother
- Srikanth as Sekar (guest appearance)
}}
Soundtrack
Soundtrack was composed by Bharadwaj.{{Cite news |title=Vallamai Thaaraayo (Soundtrack from the Motion Picture) |url=https://music.apple.com/in/album/vallamai-thaaraayo-soundtrack-from-the-motion-picture/477248609 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20240422092933/https://music.apple.com/in/album/vallamai-thaaraayo-soundtrack-from-the-motion-picture/477248609 |archive-date=22 April 2024 |access-date=22 April 2024 |work=Apple Music}} The audio was launched in April 2008 at Rani Meiyammai Hall.{{cite web |date=10 April 2008 |title=Audio release of 'Vallamai Thaarayo' |url=http://www.cinesouth.com/masala/hotnews/new/10042008-6.shtml |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080414201725/http://www.cinesouth.com/masala/hotnews/new/10042008-6.shtml |archive-date=14 April 2008 |access-date=11 April 2025 |website=Cinesouth}}
| class="wikitable"
! Song !! Singers !! Lyrics | ||
| "Mangalam Pongidum" | S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, Janani Bharadwaj | Kamakodiyan |
| "Kolattam" | Janani Bharadwaj, Bharadwaj, Jaya | rowspan=2|Aanadal Priyadarshini |
| "Aayiram Vaanavil" | Chinmayi | |
| "Unnaithan (Lady)" | Anuradha Sriram | rowspan=3|Pa. Vijay |
| "Unnaithan (Men)" | rowspan=2|Bharadwaj | |
| "Megangal Illamal" | ||
| "En Veetil" | Srinivas, Jaya | Snehan |
| "Vallami Tharayo" | Surmukhi Raman, Bharadwaj | Kamakodiyan |
Reception
= Critical reception =
Sify wrote "Unfortunately Madhumita has flunked, as she has made her own version of the Mani Ratnam classic Mounaragam from a feminist point of view. The film is weak in narration and execution".{{Cite web |title=Vallamai Tharayo |url=http://www.sify.com/movies/vallamai-tharayo-review-tamil-pclwEddehgddb.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150706041854/http://www.sify.com/movies/vallamai-tharayo-review-tamil-pclwEddehgddb.html |archive-date=6 July 2015 |access-date=5 July 2015 |website=Sify}} Pavithra Srinivasan of Rediff.com wrote "What lets the movie down is a shaky script. Heavily inspired by Mani Rathnam's Mouna Raagam, the director has obviously tried a hand at explaining every thought and emotion, and failed miserably."{{Cite web |last=Srinivasan |first=Pavithra |date=June 27, 2008 |title=A ho-hum Vallamai Tharayo |url=https://www.rediff.com/movies/review/ssvd/20080627.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200222202547/https://www.rediff.com/movies/review/ssvd/20080627.htm |archive-date=22 February 2020 |access-date=22 February 2020 |website=Rediff.com}} The Hindu wrote "The first scene is powerful and makes you sit up for a riveting story. Sadly the fizz dies down soon. More like ‘Mouna Ragam’ rehashed, ‘Vallamai Thaaraayo’ does have its high moments — but they are few and far between."{{Cite news |date=27 June 2008 |title=Well begun, just half done – Vallamai Thaaraayo |url=https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-fridayreview/Well-begun-just-half-done-Vallamai-Thaaraayo/article15399090.ece |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200222202548/https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-fridayreview/Well-begun-just-half-done-Vallamai-Thaaraayo/article15399090.ece |archive-date=22 February 2020 |access-date=22 February 2020 |work=The Hindu}}
= Accolades =
The film won the Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Family Film.{{Cite web |date=2009-12-08 |title=Tamil Nadu State Film Awards 2009 Photos |url=https://moviegalleri.net/2009/12/tamil-nadu-state-film-awards-2009-pics-images-photos-stills.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20240422082335/https://moviegalleri.net/2009/12/tamil-nadu-state-film-awards-2009-pics-images-photos-stills.html |archive-date=2024-04-22 |access-date=2024-04-22 |website=Moviegalleri.net |language=en}}
References
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