Movie
Saayavanam

This mountain and the forest had always loved rain. The woods were always drowned in frosty cold but for those people living here, their insides were always burning with a fiery mind, like that of Sita.

Sita came here to that rainy valley with a curious heart with her husband Muthu. She was hoping to start a very happy married life here in the woods. But Muthu had his own ambitions. Leaving Sita with an old woman who was his relative – Arputhamma, he walked down the hill soon after they reached, to fulfill his dreams. But no one knew that he had hid a treasure in that house, a treasure that smelled of death and blood which he stole from someone else.

Sita waited so long for Muthu, but he did not come back.

She used to be a girl so afraid of the dark, and cried for the tiniest pains. But time moulded her into a stronger woman today. She understood the realities around her life and was making herself capable and brave. Neither the beasts of the forest nor those cruel humans that come into the forest scare her now. She lived in that forest with her head held high as a symbol of a woman’s strength. And in time, she finally made herself forget waiting for Muthu who still hadn’t returned.

One day a stranger walked into that forest – Suruli. He started to frequently visit Sita and Arputhamma. But no one realized that his decency and innocence was all but a cover and his real intention was only to find that treasure Muthu had hid somewhere in that forest. Arputhamma lovingly welcomed Suruli into their home. She even dreamed of Suruli becoming the companion for Sita after her own demise. But her gift to perceive and point do what venom it is just by the scent of a snakebite couldn’t help her realize poison inside Suruli’s mind. And it was only when she got murdered by his hands at last she realized, but by that time it was too late.

Saayavanam - Sita

Saayavanam - Muthu & Sita

Sita became orphaned again. That was what Suruli also wanted. He made himself the caretaker of Sita. Sita never wanted this, but Suruli followed her like a shadow for entire days until the woman in Sita finally fell for what she thought was love.

Finally Sita marries Suruli and on that same night, Muthu comes back. Sita painfully realized she has become a question mark between both those men. She could not make a choice on who is right to claim her. But what was more painful and shocking for her was when she realized both those men were actually behind a bloody treasure, and her life was just a plaything in their midst and all the love she thought they had was all but lies.

A woman’s honour, self esteem, and dreams all turned into nothing in front of the rivalry of two men and their lust for money. Sita wondered who she actually was for either of these men, was she nothing but a guardian of an unknown treasure.

The woman in Sita could not let go of this insult and pain. She inscribed in that forest hill that a woman is not to be a doll or a plaything in a man’s lustful pursuits, with Suruli’s blood. She became an idol of woman’s strength and bravery and held her head high again. All this while, it was still raining in the forest.