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Sringaram

Sringaram
Sringaram Poster.jpg
Film poster
Directed by Sharada Ramanathan
Produced by Golden Square Films
Screenplay by Indra Soundar Rajan
Story by Sharada Ramanathan
Starring
Music by Lalgudi Jayaraman
Cinematography Madhu Ambat
Edited by A. Sreekar Prasad
Production
company
Golden Square Films
Distributed by GV Films
Release date
  • 5 October 2007 (2007-10-05)
Running time
117 minutes
Country India
Language Tamil

Sringaram is a 2007 Indian Tamil period-drama film directed by debutante Sharada Ramanathan, a cultural activist. Co-written by novelist Indra Soundar Rajan and produced by Padmini Ravi, herself a dancer, it stars Aditi Rao Hydari, in her feature film debut, in the lead role alongside Manoj K. Jayan, Hamsa Moily and Y. Gee. Mahendra. The film depicts the life of a Devadasi during the 1920s.Sringaram became highly critically acclaimed, winning three prizes at the 53rd National Film Awards and two Tamil Nadu State Film Awards, besides several screenings at various international film festivals, much before its theatrical release on 5 October 2007.

The story begins with a Bharathanatiyam dancer, Varshini, being invited to the national capital of India on the eve of India being declared a republic. The temple priest who has nurtured since her birth takes her to the Brihadeeshvara Temple to meet a temple dancer named Kama. The story then flashes back to the 1920s. The temple dancer is about to retire from her service as a dancer and has chosen her daughter Madhura as her descendent. The vassal of the Tanjavore Presidency is attracted to Madhura. In addition to being a temple dancer, Madhura has to satisfy the vassal's desires. Madhura is more interested in developing her art of dancing. Meanwhile, Shiva, a lower caste temple servant has awe for Madhura's art. He threatens the vassal for an attempt to murder by a rebellious group called "Vande Mataram". But things don't go so and Shiva is accused of lying. He is sent into an exile but eventually mixes with the same group "Vande Mataram". In order to broaden his prospects, the vassal asks Madhura to seduce the collector of Tanjavore through her art. Madhura rejects thus decision and disappears. Now, Kama, Madhura's sister, is chosen as the temple dancer. Learning the barbaric thoughts of the vassal, Kama chooses to elope like Madhura. She finds that Madhura is a part of the rebellious "Vande Mataram" group. Things become more complicated as the sacred thread from temple goes missing. Madhura is accused of stealing and the vassal orders her arrest. Shiva confesses to the policemen that he is the real accused but secretly tells Madhura where had he kept the sacred thread. Shiva is hanged to death for the charges of robbery. Madhura is pregnant and dies while giving birth to her child. The child is none other than Varshini herself. She is a look alike of Madhura. The story then comes to the present where it is revealed that the vassal has invited Varshini to the national capital. Kama tells Varshini that her mother's last wish was to be cremated with the holy temple fire. The film ends with Varshini, wearing the sacred thread, cremating her mother with the holy temple fire and dancing to pay homage to her mother's artiste.


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