Time and again it is proved to me that even the smallest thing takes places only when its due time has arrived. This review had been planned by me one year back upon the death anniversary of Rani Chandra on 24.12.2010 but its writing kept on getting postponed because I wanted to watch this movie once again before writing the review. And neither could I get a VCD / DVD of it nor found it on internet until Bahadoor's death anniversary on 22.05.2011 after which I checked for it again on internet and got this time.
The word Puthrakameshti has an Sanskrit origin whose meaning is begging for begetting sons.
It's the story of Maalti (Kaviyoor Ponnamma) who gives birth to the son of her wealthy lover who refuses to accept her as his wife and her son as his heir. He has married someone else and got another son through his legitimate wife. Due to his sudden demise, Maalti gets an opportunity to change his other son with her own son and she keeps on living in his house as a maid-servant, taking care of both the children. But now due to the exchange of children by her, her son is called the legitimate son and heir of the deceased person whereas she treats the other child as her own son (i.e, the son of a maid- servant who should serve the master). That son is Amar (Madhu) who is devoted to his (apparent) mother - Maalti being ignorant of the injustice that she has done to him and he serves as servant in the factory of another rich man which is managed by his step- brother, Ratan (Veeran). The daughter of that rich man, Rupa (Sheela) is the betrothed of Amar since infancy but due to Maalti's exchange of the male-children, she is considered the betrothed of Ratan. Amar and Ratan hate each other and that hatred is increased only when they become rivals for Rupa's love. Amar meets Rupa as Raj and she starts loving him whereas he keeps on meeting her in the get-up of servant also saying that he is related to Raj and can act as a messenger between herself and Raj. Ratan, on the other hand, is not only a spoiled youth who embezzles factory money for the sake of gambling but he is also a bandit who carries on his activities in the fake name of Karutha Kuthira (black horse). He wants to marry Rupa to get hold of her father's wealth but he is already secretly married to another girl, Bela (Ranichandra). In the climax, Maalti comes to know that the bandit Karutha Kuthira is none else but her son Ratan only. She tells Ratan the truth that she only is his mother and not the mother of Amar who is the actual heir of their father. Ratan imprisons her so that she is not able to tell his true identity to the world and threatens Amar to kill her. For the sake of mother's life, Amar confesses before the police that he only is the bandit Karutha Kuthira and gets arrested. Ratan is all set to marry Rupa now when the mother gets released from his prison and reaches the matrimonial place to correct her errors and ensure that Amar gets what he deserves.
Young and dashing Madhu and gorgeous Sheela have played their parts well and their on-screen romance is pretty impressive. Though Madhuchettan is over the top in emotional scenes, his dashing personality makes up for the deficiency in acting. Veeran as a baddie is good like always and he has generated laughs too for the audience through his performance in the song - Enikku Melammo. Barely 24 years old Kaviyoor Ponnamma is completely miscast in the role of the mother of 32 years old Madhu. Despite wearing a wig of gray-hair, her youth is not hidden and from no angle does she appear to be that old as the director wanted her to look like. However she has performed well. Ranichandra as the clandestine wife-cum- accomplice of the villain has got less scope but has performed satisfactorily. V.Dakshinamurthy's music is the biggest asset of this movie. The best song is undoubtedly K.P Brahmanandhan's immortal song - Chandrikaacharchithamaam. Other songs in the movie - Maasam Madhumaasam, Ormmakale, Thottu Maraname etc. are also quite melodious and impressive. Enikku Melammo (Yeshudas-P.Susheela)is also good to listen.
While paying my tribute to late Bahadoorikka and Ranichandra chechi, I recommend this entertaining movie to one and all. If you are sick of watching the crap being served by several contemporary filmmakers, please watch this musical romance-cum-social drama from the black and white era of Malayalam cinema and let me assure you that you won't regret after watching it.
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