THE MALAISE OF SEXISM IN THE SOCIAL ORDER

Coco Chanel, the French fashion designer said that every girl should know who and what she wants. Just ‘knowing’ who and what to want is surely not going to cut it, if she does nothing about ‘getting’ what she wants.

“ಮಿಥಿಲೆಯ ಸೀತೆಯರು” (‘Mithileya Seetheyaru’, which means ‘Seethas of Mithila’) is a 1988 Kannada film that pundits heaped profuse praise on for its strong storyline and touching theme. The profuse plaudits were richly deserved too, for the moving, meaningful movie emphasizes the importance of breaking the glass ceiling.

Visveshwaraiah (HG Somashekar Rao) is a domineering father, who takes pride in his ancestral lineage. The fellow though whiles away his time drinking and gambling. He has three beautiful, bread-earning daughters― Vanitha (Geetha); Kavitha (Akhila Thandur) and Latha (Kalpana Iyer).

Visveshwaraiah’s meek, demure wife, Patho (BV Radha) is a homemaker keen on getting her daughters married off. Deferential as they are towards their father, the daughters too dream of finding true love and tying the nuptial knot. But, cringe-worthy; playground-bully-like behavior of the father invariably alienates suitable bachelors.

So then, do the lovely ladies manage to find their knights in shining armour? That is the rest of the film.

The flick, founded on Anuradha Ramanan’s story, is about the downside of being submissive, sacrificing and subservient women. KSL Swamy’s (also Lalitha Ravi, Ravee) direction is what brings that theme to life with intense drama. Swamy allows his characters to develop well. The dance of destiny woven into the narrative lends innate gravity to the rich drama that unfolds on screen.

B. Suresha’s screenplay is the icing on the cake; his dialogues showcase friction, thwarted desires and the ilk effectively. Musical score of veteran Vijaya Bhaskar is TOPNOTCH as always. Technically, it is an A-OK film.

HG Somashekar’s portrayal of the pompous, patronizing father is OUTSTANDING. Geetha, Akhila Thandur and Kalpana Iyer are superb as the coy, coquettish daughters― their timidity contrasts well with the temerity of Somashekar.

The supporting cast of BV Radha, Vadiraj, Prakash Raj, and others has added the mopes to the narrative. Silver screen veterans, Shankar Nag, Vishnuvardhan and Kashinath too have shined in special appearances.

I rate this socio-domestic drama: 8.5 on 10!

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