Original subtitles

Don't you worry.

You are going to be alright.

We all are here for you.

You've faced what not in your life experience.

You'll be alright. We won't give up on you. Stay strong.

Sevappaai, did you hear the news?

Your husband's other wife has fallen sick.

Seems like her daughter-in-law is not taking care of her.

Poor soul, she's all by herself.

Is it? She deserves it!

She lured away my husband and married him!

She deserves this!

Look at her, closing her eyes at the sight of me!

I've made piping hot liver and rib bone marrow pepper soup.

It'll make you feel good. Have it.

Don't worry thinking there's no one to take care of you.

Just pray to deity Ayali.

She is all you need to chase away this illness in no time.

I shall leave now.

These steps are too big!

I knew it! She ain't dying any time soon.

In fact, she'll gulp the Lord of death and burp him out!

- You thought I'll die? Not before you! - The soup I gave you, is what saved you.

No, you were trying to kill me with that soup!

- You can't do anything to me. - Your son's wife didn't even mind you!

Here they go again!

The day has started, guys!

"AYALI"

[VEERAPANNAI]

You said you won't accompany me?

But how come you are here now?

Shut up!

You take the window seat.

- No, it's okay. - Stop showing off and sit here.

Mom...

Mom!

- Mom! - What?

What's with the new found happiness?

Stop acting like this is new.

But it sure does feel new.

Mom, look at the size of that school!

Look! Just look over there.

Look at all the girls in half saree.

Do you think they haven't attained puberty?

And your village has special rules like no where else in this world!

Of course, they are special!

Every village has their set of rules and you must abide by those rules.

You acted like a kid and tricked both me and dad, and finally reached here.

But this is it for you.

Fine, I'll stop acting but do you let me be a kid?

You want me to act like a kid and adult as per your wish.

Hereafter, I get to decide how I want to be.

- So, you better shut up! - You talk too much!

I'll stitch your lips!

Show some gratitude, mom. You could visit town because of me.

If not for me, your life would be over in that good-for-nothing village.

♪ O girl... O girl... ♪

♪ O dear... O dear... ♪

♪ O girl... O girl... ♪

♪ O dear... O dear... ♪

♪ You are all set to fly and touch the sky ♪

♪ O girl... O girl... ♪

Senior, can you give me your books?

Sure, I'll definitely give them to you.

Whom were you talking to?

She is a 11th grade student, mom.

I have asked her books once she's done with 11th grade. She said she'll give.

Don't buy trouble!

Buy? It's free, mom.

You menace!

You doofus.

♪ You are all set to fly and touch the sky ♪

- Tell me what letter is that? - A.

...m... a... l..

You have a good handwriting, mom.

Well, it is but I'm bad at English.

You'll learn it soon. Now, write.

- Tamil... - Coming, mom.

We are getting late.

- Wait, mom. - Make it fast!

Dad.

- Do eat. The food is ready. - Where to?

To school, to give her exams.

- You stay. I'll drop her today. - No, we'll miss the bus...

Get on the bike, dear.

Here.

- Careful, dear. - Tatah.

Go and feed the cattle.

We have a reputation in this village.

Everywhere outside our village, we are the face of the village.

- And a girl is ruining it all. - Who is the reason behind all this?

Who is behind all this?

Her father, the so called 'in-law' of my father!

Except him, everybody obeys me in this village.

He interferes everywhere...

...and shuts up our men or makes them talk against us.

His daughter is the real issue.

I'm screaming my throat out, that she is a poison.

But none of you are listening to me.

Just remember this,

if we don't bring that family under our control...

...then we'll lose our grip on this village.

That's the solution! I leave the rest to you and your crazy father.

Lot of inauspicious things are happening. I'm scared.

I'm all worried here and you're studying without minding it?

You're worried for everything and everyday!

Don't you dare take that tone!

I guess deity Ayali is not happy with you stepping outside village.

I knew you'd finally come to this point. Don't you have anything better to talk?

It's all bad signs, what else will I talk about?

Whatever it is, it can wait till my exams are over. Until this, shut up!

She keeps nagging me unnecessarily.

Why are you carrying a long face?

As if you're going to listen to me!

Stop making Ayali responsible for everything.

I cannot see the signs around us and keep quiet, like you!

My beliefs are important to me.

You will understand it someday.

You live with your beliefs! I shall live as I wish.

Don't you dare pull me back!

Why don't you talk to your parents?

Do you think anybody will listen to us?

Things will happen according to their wish. We don't have the power to revolt.

See you.

What were you asking her? 12th grade books?

All her class mates will go to college.

But her parents are going to marry her off after she completes 12th grade.

See that? Every village has their own such practices and traditions.

Why are you changing the topic?

Fine, her friends will go to college.

Make that your village's practices and traditions.

What your village follows are not practices or traditions but craziness!

Fine, let's not miss the bus.

Thavasi's daughter goes to the town to write exams. Will nobody question him?

They are village big shots. We can't question them.

- So what about village rules? - Lot of new things are happening here.

- New things? - Hope it doesn't bring any bad luck.

I shall meet the teacher and return.

1927...

Saudar Kulam, Satyagraham.

The non-cooperation movement?

1922.

You have done the paper well.

You will definitely score above 95.

There are high chances you'll get good marks, Tamil.

There is a world outside the school. You must learn that.

That's the real test.

Okay, teacher.

Kayal...

...what are you doing here?

Tell me about the school in town.

Do many students study there?

What's wrong with you? You sound strange.

So what did you learn in the 10th grade?

Sister...

Welcome, Selvi.

What's this? Silk saree?

Yes. We have fixed Kayal's marriage.

That's all of a sudden. Who is the groom?

Well, we're embarrassed to explain our situation to everybody.

My elder daughter hasn't had a child in three years.

So her husband's family is looking out another bride for him.

So, I've decided to marry off Kayal to him.

If I had not attained puberty...

...then I too would have visited the school in town, isn't it?

You're very lucky.

Well, this is my fate.

Instead of some other girl competing with my daughter and making her a slave,

I thought better her sister be the other wife to her husband.

No matter how much they torture them,

both of them will suffer and live under the same roof.

Is this how narrow minded you are?

In the name of saving one's life, don't ruin both their lives.

Do you really like to study?

But your grades were always so low.

True, my grades were low but...

...I love going to school.

What else do you suggest I do?

I can't ask her to cut ties with him.

A woman must always live with her husband.

No man is genuine.

They are living theirs as well as our lives.

Our cries and wishes will only fall in deaf ears.

On top, you too are confusing me.

Okay, I shall leave now.

You are the one who made it so far, from our village.

What's your future plan?

I wish to study medicine.

Who is going to respect and oblige to our wish here?

Don't have too many dreams.

Then if they don't come true,

you will suffer a lot.

Hey! Kuruvamma!

Quick! Come here!

You go and get that chair.

Subramani, come here. Quick!

- What happened? - Get the chair.

- Move, let him breathe. - What happened?

Who is it?

What happened?

Oh my God! What happened, dear?

- A truck ran him over. - A truck? Oh my God!

It ran over me?

Just a small slip.

You're bleeding.

- Nothing to worry. - How can you say that?

Trust me, nothing to worry.

I was driving and I felt a little dizzy.

Suddenly a truck came in the opposite. I somehow managed to escape and fall.

Trust me, nothing to worry.

It's your good time, madam. He fell on the correct side.

Or else he'd have been caught under truck.

Stop blabbing and leave.

- Stop blabbing. - I just stated the fact.

You're lucky. Mother Ayali will take care of everything.

- Be strong. - Stop scaring her.

Nothing to worry.

All this dressing is a bit of exaggeration by the hospital.

Nothing to worry.

They gave me a pill. I feel dizzy.

Let him sleep. He'll be fine once he gets a good sleep.

Oh my God! Dad!

Dad...

Mom, how did this happen?

Come with me.

Mom, what do you want?

Let go of me, mom.

On your next menses, we will have the ritual done!

Don't talk rubbish unnecessarily!

I'll break your jaws.

This is what I feared.

What if things had gone awry?

Stop talking crazy, mom.

Dare you talk back!

I cannot keep quiet anymore!

What are you doing now?

You want me to do the dirty chores and live like you.

Isn't that what you're planning?

On your next date, we must announce to our village.

If you announce it then I'll tell the truth!

Don't provoke me! I was nodding yes to all your orders.

But not anymore! No matter what.

Look at your dad's plight.

We are the victims of Ayali's wrath.

It is my responsibility to save you and your father.

Ayali has spoken.

We will do the ritual for you and that's for sure!

If you want to do the ritual for me...

...then it'll be over my dead body!

Mom...

...I am the first girl in this village to make it to 10th grade.

I am the first girl to step out of the village to give exams.

I couldn't have done all this without you.

I am not asking you any help.

Just be quiet. That's all I ask.

I just have a little more to go.

Once I start my higher education, everything will fall in place.

Stop your drama!

I'm not your dad, to fall for all this!

Does it hurt, dad?

This medicine, it burns.

What are you doing?

Applying medicine.

It hurts only when I apply!

What going on between you two?

Why aren't you both talking to each other?

Shut up.

He won't confront her!

- Welcome in-law. - Greetings.

Please come.

Greetings.

Have a seat.

I wanted to talk to them in your presence.

Hence I didn't even let them inside. I made them wait out.

I'm getting many marriage proposals for my son Sakthivel.

Shall I go ahead with it?

Shall I?

All our relatives and closed ones very well know this.

We finalized it a long time ago.

No matter how long it takes, his daughter will be my daughter-in-law.

Yes!

His daughter is yet to attain puberty. How long can your son wait?

Shut up!

I cannot break the promise I gave to my in-law.

So, please don't mistake me and you may leave now.

See you.

In-law, do not burden yourself with unwanted thoughts.

Your daughter is my family's daughter-in-law. We won't give up on her

We will wait, no matter how long it takes.

It's these villagers who look at this as some serious short coming.

Even I feel very bad.

Why don't you take her to a doctor and do a check up?

Let me tell you this again. I mean only your welfare.

Please don't mistake me.

Okay, see you.

The whole village says that girl will become like that old hag Ayali.

They might be mocking but I'm worried it might become the reality.

I want to see my grand children. Don't let me die before that!

Aren't there any other girls in our village?

Why are you adamant that you want to marry her?

Do you like her so much?

But I'm not liking this.

Remember the other day when we went to their house.

Yes.

How did he treat us?

How did he?

Didn't he show his arrogance?

And today?

He bowed down his head and spoke softly.

I liked that.

You liked that he bowed down his head?

Well, I am somehow not liking this.

Dear son, I fall at your feet.

Don't talk or be friends with that 'Turtle' Murthy.

He'll ruin our family. Got it?

Dear...

What happened?

Why do you look upset?

Can I ask you something very frankly?

Tell me the truth.

I hope our daughter is alright.

I hope...

She has no issues, right?

Why do you ask?

Isn't my daughter past the age to attain puberty?

Like that old hag Ayali...

...hope my daughter won't stay a child forever...

I'm worried that, what if she never gets married.

Shall we go to a doctor and get a check up done on her?

Where are you coming from?

Who is that fool that put all these into your head?

You will never think of something like this.

I want everybody in the village to only talk good about my daughter.

That's my wish.

All these are women issues.

Soon I'll give you a good news.

Don't you worry.

Men today have no capacity or capability.

They drink a little and die!

Who will die from drinking arrack?

They are making it using battery elements!

It's poison, what he drank! Won't he die?

Look, my child's life is ruined.

I ruined my own daughter's life!

No! I won't.

I won't! I don't want!

Dear, nobody must question you anything tomorrow.

Filthy mongrels, they will talk and judge.

So, please do it, dear. Get up.

- I don't want to... - Please make her do it.

She's three months pregnant. with her second child. What a time for him to die!

Mom, tell me what should I do now?

Mom, tell me what should I do now?

Tell me what should I do now?

I don't know.

I don't know what to do.

I ruined my own daughter's life!

Oh my God! Oh my God!

Mom, tell me what should I do now?

My precious, look at her. She's now a widow.

It's your fate, dear. It's the boon that you were bestowed upon with.

He didn't die because of fate but liquor.

You married off a smart student,

ruined her life...

...and left her stranded! Now you want to sit around and act like consoling her?

Dear, don't talk like that.

We didn't do all this on purpose.

We cried our hearts out begging we don't want marriage.

You raise girls saying that her life is confined to her husband and marriage.

Now, you've killed her! She is stranded with a baby in hand and one in womb.

Look where obeying you all has got her? Her life is over!

You all will mourn today and leave.

What about her? Shall we burn her down along with her husband's corpse?

You will do it if your men order to do that!

Sister,

please take her away.

She is furious because of what happened to her best friend.

Aren't you furious that your kids' lives are being ruined?

- Leave me, mom! - My precious. It's okay.

Are you scolding me indirectly?

What do you want me to do?

Stop blaming the parents for each and everything!

Aren't we the fools here, to take all the blames for you?

You are dreaming beyond your reach.

It's a big thing that you somehow crawled up till here.

But that's as far as you can go.

Mom, if you can't help me then just keep quiet.

I can do it.

I'm not timid like you.

You're talking to much. Do you think you're an adult?

Didn't you just saw what happened?

She's lamenting that her life is ruined.

How old do you think she is, mom?

Tell me if she's a kid or an adult?

I will talk like an adult!

If you think I'm still a kid, then it's your foolishness.

Tamil, please be patient and hear me out.

I'm not just afraid of our deity. You won't understand my situation.

You have no idea of what these villagers are capable of.

In the future, if something happens to you or your dad...

...then what will I do?

My life will be meaningless.

Is it a sin for a girl to pursue her studies?

Your question is justified but do you think this is a fair world?

Then why should we also be fair, mom?

It's hard to make this villagers understand.

But I very well know how to make them understand.

You just, please keep quiet.