Mitr, My Friend

Mitr, My Friend
Directed by	Revathi
Produced by	Suresh Chandra Menon
Written by	V. Priya
Screenplay by	Sudha Kongara Prasad
Starring	Shobhana Nasser Abdullah Preeti Vissa
Music by	Songs: Bhavatharini Ilayaraja
Cinematography	Fowzia Fathima
Edited by	Beena Paul
Production company	Telephoto Entertainments Limited
Distributed by	Tele Photo Films
Running time	105 minutes
Country	India
Language	English Hindi Tamil

Mitr, My Friend is a 2002 Indian English movie, directed by Revathi in her directorial debut, written by V. Priya and with screenplay by Sudha Kongara Prasad. Set partly in India and the US, the film was also noted for having an all-woman crew. The movie won the Best English Film of the year award at the 49th National Film Awards. The movie also got Best Actress and Best Editor awards for Shobhana and Beena Paul respectively at the same function.

"Mitr, My Friend" is a film about the plight of women who sacrifice their life for the betterment of their family. It also describes the cultural differences experienced by a small town girl on moving to a transposed environment living.

The film opens with a typical South Indian wedding being performed between Lakshmi (Shobhana) and Prithvi (Nasir Abdullah). The marriage has been arranged by their parents in the usual Indian manner. Lakshmi is a typical South Indian girl from Chidambaram, Tamil Nadu; Prithvi is a software engineer working in California. After the wedding, they move to the USA where Lakshmi gradually tries to fit into her new surroundings. The marriage is a happy union: Prithvi works hard at work, Lakshmi manages the home, and they grow to love one other deeply. Within a year, they are blessed with a baby girl Divya (Preeti Vissa).

The film flashes forward 17 years. Divya is a typical adolescent: she goes to school, plays soccer, and occasionally attends parties (not always with her parents' knowledge or permission). Lakshmi does not take to the partying very well, and tensions rise between mother and daughter. Divya aspires independence, and expresses herself by sidelining Lakshmi; Lakshmi wants her to be responsible, and expresses this by checking up on Divya a bit too much for Divya to be comfortable. Prithvi understands both sides, and tries to cope with Divya's growing up, but not always with full cognizance of Lakshmi's feelings.