Poo Full Story Explained (2008)
Imagine loving someone so much that you marry someone else just to keep them happy. That is the heart of 'Poo' (2008), a Tamil romantic drama that will break you and put you back together. Directed by Sasi, this film stars Srikanth as Thangarasu and Parvathy Thiruvothu in her stunning Tamil debut as Maari. Set in a dusty village between Rajapalayam and Sivakasi, this is not a typical love story. It is about a girl who gives up everything for a boy who never truly sees her. The film released on 28 November 2008 and won multiple awards for its raw, honest storytelling. If you want a movie that makes you cry and think, this is it.
A girl marries for love
Maari is married to Karuppasamy, a kind shop owner. She smiles through every moment of her life. Karuppasamy notices her happiness and feels lucky. But Maari's smile hides a secret. She still loves her cousin Thangarasu. She lives for the hope that he is happy too.
Full Plot
The film opens with Maari living a seemingly happy life with her husband Karuppasamy, a small shop owner. She smiles through everything, which fascinates her husband. One day, she travels alone to her village for a festival. Her mother asks why she came alone. Maari replies she came early to see Thangarasu, her cousin. Her mother is unhappy about this.
Maari walks through the village and remembers her past. As a schoolgirl, she boldly declared she would marry Thangarasu. They played together as children. When they grew up, Thangarasu became an engineering student in the city. Maari worked in a fireworks factory with her best friend Cheeni. She loved Thangarasu deeply but was too shy to confess. Cheeni helped her send letters and messages. Everyone in the village knew about Maari's love except Thangarasu himself.
Meanwhile, Thangarasu's father worked as a cart driver. He wanted respect from others. He believed money and modern things like a car would bring him respect. He was proud that his son was studying engineering. But Thangarasu told him that as a mechanical engineer, he would earn only Rs. 6000, not Rs. 35000 like software engineers. This shattered his father's dreams. The father turned to alcohol and became bitter.
Thangarasu eventually learned about Maari's love from others. He started to care for her. But his friend's son was born with defects because the friend married his cousin. Thangarasu got scared of marrying a blood relative. He decided to follow his father's wish and marry a rich girl. He broke Maari's heart. Maari agreed to marry Karuppasamy, a man her family chose. She only asked that her mother and brother attend Thangarasu's wedding.
In the present, Maari enters Thangarasu's house. She sees a car outside and modern gadgets inside. She sees Thangarasu's wedding photo and feels happy for him. But then she meets his wife. The wife is rude and sneers at Maari. Maari hides and watches Thangarasu's wife scream at him for being poor. Thangarasu begs her to stop because Maari might hear. Maari hears everything and runs away crying.
Outside, she meets Thangarasu's father. He is heartbroken too. He admits he never stopped to hear the girl's dream. He realizes his mistake. Maari runs away and sits on a tree stump. Karuppasamy finds her there, emotionless. He shakes her and she starts wailing. Her happy life was built on the hope that Thangarasu was happy. Now she knows he is miserable, and she will never be truly happy again.
Characters
Maari
Maari is a young village woman who works in a fireworks factory. She has loved her cousin Thangarasu since childhood. She is shy but deeply devoted. When Thangarasu marries someone else, she marries Karuppasamy and pretends to be happy. In the end, she discovers Thangarasu is unhappy and breaks down completely.
Thangarasu
Thangarasu is an engineering student from a poor family. He is unaware of Maari's love for a long time. When he learns about it, he starts to care for her. But he fears marrying a blood relative and chooses his father's dream of wealth. He marries a rich woman who treats him badly. He ends up miserable and trapped.
Karuppasamy
Karuppasamy is Maari's husband and a small shop owner. He is kind and loving. He notices Maari's constant smile and feels lucky. But he does not know her secret pain. At the end, he finds Maari crying and realizes her happiness was a lie.
Thangarasu's father
He is a poor cart driver who desperately wants respect. He believes money brings respect. He forces his son to marry a rich girl. After the wedding, he sees his son crying and his daughter-in-law being rude. He admits his mistake and regrets ruining his son's life.
Cheeni
Cheeni is Maari's best friend and co-worker at the fireworks factory. She is practical and realistic. At first, she advises Maari to be practical about love. But seeing Maari's passion, she helps her send letters to Thangarasu. She is a loyal friend.
Thangarasu's wife
She is a rich woman who marries Thangarasu. She is arrogant and rude. She treats Thangarasu badly and shames him for being poor. She screams at him in front of Maari. She represents the cold, materialistic world that Thangarasu's father wanted.
Themes
Unrequited love
Maari loves Thangarasu her entire life, but he never truly loves her back. She sacrifices her own happiness for his. She marries another man just to see Thangarasu happy. This theme shows how painful it is to love someone who does not love you the same way.
Father's expectations
Thangarasu's father wants respect through money. He forces his son to marry a rich girl. He ignores his son's feelings and Maari's love. In the end, he realizes his mistake. This theme shows how parental pressure can destroy children's lives.
Sacrifice and suffering
Maari sacrifices everything for Thangarasu's happiness. She gives up her dream of marrying him. She marries a stranger and pretends to be happy. But her sacrifice does not bring Thangarasu happiness. This theme shows that sacrifice without love is meaningless.
Class and respect
Thangarasu's father believes money equals respect. He thinks a poor man cannot be respected. He pushes his son to become rich. But the rich wife treats everyone badly. This theme shows that money does not bring real respect.
The cost of silence
Maari never tells Thangarasu about her love directly. She stays silent out of shyness. Thangarasu never tells his father his true feelings. Their silence leads to a lifetime of regret. This theme shows how important it is to speak your heart.
Ending Explained
The ending of 'Poo' is devastating and honest. Maari visits Thangarasu's house during a village festival. She sees his rich wife screaming at him for being poor. Thangarasu begs his wife to stop because Maari is listening. Maari hears everything and realizes Thangarasu is trapped in a miserable marriage. She runs out of the house crying. Outside, she meets Thangarasu's father. He is also heartbroken. He admits his mistake of forcing his son to marry for money. He says he never stopped to hear the girl's dream. Maari runs away and sits on a tree stump. She is completely emotionless. Her husband Karuppasamy finds her there. He shakes her and asks what happened. Maari starts wailing loudly. The message is clear: Maari's happy life was a lie. She only smiled because she believed Thangarasu was happy. Now she knows he is not, and she will never be truly happy again. The director leaves the audience with a painful truth: love and sacrifice do not always lead to happiness. Sometimes, they lead to a lifetime of silent suffering.
Frequently Asked Questions
No, Poo is not a true story. It is based on a short story called 'Veyilodu Poi' written by Thamizh Selvan. The director Sasi was inspired by the story and adapted it into a film.
Poo means 'Flower' in Tamil. The title symbolizes Maari, who is like a delicate flower. She is beautiful, gentle, and pure, but she gets crushed by the harsh realities of life and love.
Thangarasu did not marry Maari because he feared marrying a blood relative. His friend's son was born with defects because the friend married his cousin. Thangarasu got scared and chose to marry a rich girl his father approved of.
Yes, Poo won several awards. Parvathy Thiruvothu won the Filmfare Award for Best Actress in Tamil. The film won the Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Film Portraying Woman in Good Light. It also won awards at the Ahmedabad Film Festival.
Poo was filmed in and around the villages of Rajapalayam and Sivakasi in southern Tamil Nadu. The fictional village of Imbutakam was created for the film. The dusty, hot landscape adds to the realistic feel of the story.