This movie like the novel showing the changing face of morality of the upper classes . Srividya is an educated domestic girl. Her father fixes her match with a foreign returned highly educated Madhu. She starts her life with him expecting a blissful life of domesticity . Sadly he has no time for her and is busy with his own academic pursuits. Left mostly to herself , with her own profession as a college lecturer , she seeks solace in friends and parties . His visiting friend Soman impresses her with his knowledge of her own papers and works . Flattered and thrilled, she spends more and more time with him. They grow close together and as expected start a short affair . Lonely and desolate , she gives in to his demands .
The small town becomes alert and agog with this fresh piece of gossip . Students, friends , villagers all start talking about this . Madhu comes to know and is aghast . For all his intellectuality , he refuses to accept this and banishes her . She has to leave behind her small daughter and leave town . Shunned by society and family , she becomes and recluse . No question is asked about why she took this extreme step . No chance is given to her to justify herself .
Years later , she wishes to rejoin due to her daughter's marriage . When she comes back, Madhu refuses to relent . He is ashamed of his wife. Pleading cajoling begging has no effect on him. Quitely she returns back to her hotel room and eats some tablets to commit suicide.
A very judgmental highly unjust ending . Sriviyda too is educated and belongs to the same society . But she is given a different treatment. Meanwhile Soman goes back to his social life . He backs out on all his promises of marrying her . Clearly he was just looking for a fling . Society accepts him back as a single educated dashing young man . She is left to fend for herself . A very young Ambika comes in a short role as her daughter. Srividya looks ethereal with those huge doleful eyes in simple sarees . The scene where her face lights up in a minute glowing with pride when Soman talks about reading her research papers is worth a mention.
Madhu as a stung smug self conscious husband excels . A fine movie . Most of the back ground is shot in the train journey . In the main novel too, trains had just arrived in Russia in late 19th century and that was the back drop of this story . One feels sorry for innocent Srividya . She remains a loser till the end. Her role remains with you for a long time after the movie is over. Fine family fare .
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