Avargal(1977)
'Avargal' is a 1977 Indian Tamil-language romantic drama film written and directed by K. Balachander. The film stars Sujatha, Kamal Haasan, Rajinikanth, and Ravikumar. The story follows Anu, a dancer who escapes an abusive marriage and tries to rebuild her life, only to face manipulation from her ex-husband. The film is noted for its strong female protagonist and its critique of toxic masculinity. Sujatha won the Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Tamil for her performance. Although a commercial failure, the film was selected for the Indian Panorama and is regarded as one of Balachander's finest works. It was released on 25 February 1977.
Quick Facts
- Streaming on
- Amazon Prime Video
- Theatrical Release
- 25 February 1977
- Director
- K. Balachander
- Language
- Tamil
- Runtime
- 2h 47m
- Rating
- 8.2/10
Storyline
Anu is a dancer trapped in a cruel marriage with the sadistic Ramanathan. She escapes with her son and starts a new life in Madras. There, she reunites with her lost love Bharani, but her ex-husband returns with a hidden agenda to destroy her happiness.
“She escaped one cage. He built another.”
Film Details
Parental Guide
Where to Watch
Vibe & Tags
Cast & Crew
Reunion Meter
Frequent partnerships reunited for Avargal
Cast reunions in this film: M. S. Viswanathan & Sujatha (38 films together), Kamal Haasan & M. S. Viswanathan (28 films together), K. Balachander & M. S. Viswanathan (27 films together), Kamal Haasan & K. Balachander (21 films together), Rajinikanth & M. S. Viswanathan (20 films together), and Rajinikanth & Kamal Haasan (15 films together).
Trivia
- The film was inspired by the 1974 Hindi movie 'Ankur', but K. Balachander changed the story to focus on a female perspective.
- This was the first Tamil film where actor Rajinikanth played a negative role, as the abusive husband Ramanathan.
- Director K. Balachander introduced actress Sujatha to Tamil cinema with this movie, after seeing her in a Kannada film.
- The movie's title 'Avargal' means 'They' in Tamil, highlighting its focus on multiple characters and their relationships.
- Composer M.S. Viswanathan recorded the song 'Senthoora Poove' in a single take with singer S. Janaki, which was rare at the time.
- The film was shot in just 30 days, a very short schedule for a major production in the 1970s.
- Kamal Haasan's character Janardhan was written to be much older, but the director changed it to suit the actor's age.