Manathil Urudhi Vendum (1987) - A movie way ahead of its time

Suhasini shines as Nandini

Starring Suhasini in the lead and directed by K. Balachander, Manathil Urudhi Vendum (1987) tells the story of Nandini, a nurse and the sole breadwinner of her family with seven siblings. Dedicated and compassionate, she is adored by both her patients and colleagues. She also possesses a strong moral compass—when she catches a poor man attempting to steal from her home, she initially reprimands him but later advises him to live an honest life, making do with what he has instead of resorting to theft. Taking her words to heart, the man reforms himself and eventually finds success. In another scene, she boldly confronts an author who publishes a story that paints nurses in a negative light. Nandini is a bold and sensible woman, living life on her own terms despite her familial commitments—something that made her deeply admirable and endearing to me.

The movie spans several years, guiding the audience through pivotal moments in Nandini’s life. We learn that she is a divorcee, a fact she had hidden from her family to spare them any distress. When her brothers accidentally discover the truth, she firmly explains that she chose to separate from her husband due to the physical abuse and disrespect she endured. Given the time period in which the movie was made, this was a bold and commendable move by the filmmakers to normalize women leaving abusive marriages. The film also portrays Nandini navigating numerous hardships—losing her father, her sister eloping, and her brother's suicide. Yet, she remains strong for herself and her family, continuing to support them despite her struggles.

Nandini with her brothers, discussing why she left her husband

She eventually enters into a relationship with a writer, and just when it seems that happiness is finally within her reach, she is forced to break up with him due to his disrespectful behaviour. This is a recurring theme throughout the movie—Nandini knows her worth and refuses to stay in relationships where she feels disrespected, something many of us still struggle to do today. Seeing a woman take such a strong stance in a film from 38 years ago was truly refreshing. Suhasini delivers a magnificent performance, portraying Nandini’s strength and vulnerability with finesse.

The film also boasts a stellar cast, with several beloved artists making their debuts, including SPB and Vivek. It was a delight to watch SPB on screen—his unforgettable charm lit up every scene he was in. I was also pleasantly surprised to see Sridhar (P. Mahadevan/Ramanadhan from Manichitrathazhu) in the role of an author smitten by Nandini.

SPB charming as always

That said, the movie has its setbacks. For starters, it stretches plausibility that so many misfortunes could befall a single person. Throughout the film, Nandini experiences nearly every hardship imaginable—family struggles, relationship issues, an abusive marriage, and more. After a point, the overwhelming melodrama makes it difficult to fully empathise with the characters. While most of them are well-developed with decent character arcs, the excessive emotional weight of the narrative can feel draining. This is further compounded by the film’s lengthy runtime—at 2 hours and 27 minutes, it starts to feel more like a web series than a movie.

Another issue is the excessive display of physical violence towards the female characters. At one point, a man slaps a woman he supposedly loves, and rather than being outraged, she falls even harder for him. While this wasn’t uncommon in movies of that era, it feels jarring in a film that otherwise explores such progressive themes.

Overall, Manathil Urudhi Vendum remains a compelling film, still relevant today, and a masterclass in creating relatable yet aspirational female characters.