Mankulam, Northeast Srilanka.
A few years ago.
Shyama, do you know his name?
Dileepan
Have you seen him?
You just hear his name and your sari
comes undone!
Oh, stop it!
Anyway it will come undone tonight!
Shut up!
Devanatha, happy your girl's
getting married?
Yes!
Why don't you get married too?
ln 10 years your grand-daughter will be
old enough to marry me!
Younger sister, do you like the groom...
...your brother has chosen for you?
Are you going to stand
there all night?
Are you wearing a sari...
...for the first time?
You look very grown-up in it.
Won't you talk to your husband?
Talk to him
Do you know my name?
Shyama
You know what your name means? Black!
l can touch your skin, darken your eyes
with the kohl on it!
So you think only you are fair-skinned?
Next to you, l look fair.
See for yourself!
Look properly, not that much.
-ls that so
As they say, a dark skin hides
a pure heart!
Yes!
Let me see it
My heart is pure! And yours?
Just one thought in it.
Wait, l need to talk to you
When eyes meet, words are
not needed
That's why my father always said
Valluvar said that!
My father was the one who told me
Did he teach you this as well?
-You witch!
Make a wish
What for?
To have a child soon
l'm going to get one?
Who knows?
Dileepa, l want 8 children!
Will that be all right with you?
l don't want children
Why?
Because l don't
l want to know why!
Until there's peace....
...l don't want children
Not until there's peace
in this country
One day, the dawn will come
There will be peace
Give me a child then
Until then, no.
l don't like that!
What do you like?
When l'm at home or when l'm out?
All the time!
l like bits and pieces of all
sorts of people
Mottai Murali, who sent me a love
letter in the 10th. grade
Then,my brother's friend who comes to
see me...
...every vacation. l like him!
He writes poems describing my beauty
l like Kamalhasan, the actor
But more than all these people,
l like you!
And more than me?
God!
Then!
Go home. Tell your father.
He'll take care of you.
And you? Don't leave me!
Please don't leave me!
l could never leave you.
But we must stop these boots marching
and guns firing.
l must go
Don't leave me, don't go away
Go, Shyama! Go!
Madras Talkies presents
A Peck on the Cheek
Eat. Nothing will happen
Madhavan
Simran
Prakashraj
Nandita Das
Chakravarthy
P.S. Keerthana
Father, l won't go without
my husband
l'll have my baby here.Dileep
and you are here
No. The hospital is in ruins.
We don't even have clothes.
Get on this boat
l won't go without him
-l'll send him later
Don't lie to me
Come on, Shyama
Choreography
Brinda
Audiography
A.S. Lakshminarayan
Shyama!What are you doing?
Dileepan is lying wounded in this
Vavuniya forest
What did you say?Did you see him?
Who saw him?
He's in the forest
-With bullet wounds
What happened?
l've to go to Dileepan!
Turn the boat back!
Fight Co-ordination
`Vikram' Dharma
Dialogues
Sujatha
Lyrics
Vairamuthu
Art Direction
Sabu Cyril
Editing
Srikar Prasad
Cinematography
Ravi K. Chandran
Refugee Camp - Rameswaram
Name? - Shyama
Age? - 22
Father's name? - Devanathan
Home town?
Mankulam
Why are you here?
Your husband's name?
Music
A.R. Rahman
Produced by
Mani Ratnam & G. Srinivasan
Story, Screenplay and Direction
Mani Ratnam
A few years later Chennai, lndia
My name is T. Amudha
l am in Class 5 D
When l grow up, l'll be a dancer.
No, no a Scientist
l'll work for NASA.
l'll be world famous!
My father's Thiruchelvan
Yesterday's production?-375
Why the drop?
-A machine broke down
Send me the report
He's a writer, an engineer
and short-tempered!
The writer, lndra? Sit down, sir
lt's okay
l can't sit, sir
You have a ticket. So sit down
l'm a fan of yours. l'd be honoured
if you sit here
Can't l stand on my own feet?
Am l disabled?
Shut up and sit down!
He writes stories, essays...
...under my mother's name, lndra
l must ask him why
lndra-that's my mother
The only one l know who's not
scared of my father
Who'll clear up this mess?
Your mother-in-law?
Like a garbage dump!
Amma's news reader on TV
Everyday, all of Tamil Nadu wakes
up to Amma's `Good Morning'
All except us! She shouts at us!
Know what l'll do if your hair is tangled?
Cut it off-and you'll be bald!
Look at him!Never buttons
his shorts!
Know what she'll do?
She'll cut it off and
l'll be bald!
l've 2 brothers, The first is Vinayan
l fight with him all the time!
l often hit him on his head.
Just for fun!
Sorry, Vinay. Don't tell Father.
l'm really sorry
Then, Akhilan...
Father, Amudha hit Vinay.
He's bleeding!
My mother's father. T. Ganesan.
He's a retired Tahsildar.
Looking for something?
My glasses
He has answers to every question...
...But never knows where his
glasses are!
Where were they?
My father's sister, Kamalee.
She brought my father up
Uncle G.K. and Anandhi
And bald Pradeep, Whom l
can't stand!
Where' my brother?
lt's some problem!
What's all this? Write about the whole
world for all l care...
...But not about the sister
who brought you up!
ls it true or not?
lt's the truth!
Keep quiet! Write good things
about me.
Then, he will have to tell lies!
The bane of my life
-My Tamil Teacher!
My Hitler, the obstacle
to my happiness!
ls this the way to do dictation!
My little Amudha Happy,
Happy birthday
Someone's wet the bed!-Who?
Must be Akhil!
-lt wasn't me! Appa!
Was it your Appa then?
-Yes, it was him!
Amma, l have to go at once!
Then go!
You fool, l told you
l wanted to go!
The telephone! Here, catch!
Quick, wipe yourself before you come out
No, he won't go out of town to attend
functions. Why?
Because his wife is ill.
She's mentally ill
He won't go
First thing in the morning.
l'm your daughter, after all.
Did l ask you to come?
lf you don't believe in yourselves,
how will others believe in you?
Next time you say you're depending
on me, l'll beat you up!
50 rupees for your birthday.
Don't tell your parents.
Buy whatever you want
Anything l want?-Yes
lt's her ninth birthday.
We'd decided we'd tell her
the truth today?
This evening
You'll have to - l don't have
the courage
Did you bribe God?
A hefty bribe! To move my Tamil Teacher
to another section
You take her. l'm not coming
Come on
l'll tell you a true story
Don't ask me for endings
for your stories
This is no story. lt's to do with you, Amudha
l know. l'm 9 now. lf l behave
irresponsibly...
...Talk back to my teachers,
Call ma names in my heart....
...Hide my math marks.
You're not our daughter
lf l behave badly, you'll send me
to the hostel
Amudha, listen you're not
our daughter
lf l behave badly, l'm not
You weren't born to lndra and me
You weren't born to us
We adopted you when you were a baby
Come here
We love you more than our own lives
Akhil, Vinay?
They were born to us
What's wrong with Amudha?
ls she ill?
She doesn't look well at all
Akhil, Vinay?
They're playing downstairs.
What's wrong with Amudha?
We told her
What a foolish thing to do!
What was the hurry?
Why did you tell her now?
We had to, someday
When should we have told her? At 80!
l meant, she's not mature enough
to understand
lt's better to tell her than
letting her find out...
...from someone else. Don't worry
You look very beautiful
when you're worried
Ma, aren't Akhil and Vinay like me?
No, they were born to me
Why did you tell me
l look like you?
You do look like me
No, look at my arm.
lt's darker than yours
Whether you understand me, or not,
listen to me
Nothing has changed
Your father, Akhil, Vinay, l all of us
still love you...
...the same way
Have you told them, Ma?-No
Don't tell them. They'll hit me
-No one will hit you
Did you find me in a dustbin?
Who are my parents?
We are -Will you send me away?
Silly girl! We thought
you should know
That's why, we told you.
Why did you tell me, Ma?
You could have told me later
ls T. Amudha in this class?-Yes.
And you are?
Her grandfather. Where is she?
That's what l want to know too
Didn't she come to class?
Chitra, where is Amudha?
What happened?
She threw up. l sent her to the toilet.
She didn't come back
Any problem at home?
Did anyone scold her?
You should have been careful
l'm going to tell the Police Commissioner.
He's from my village.
His daughter studies here.
Don't try to intimidate me, Mr.Ganesan
Why don't you call home?
She might have gone back with
someone she knows
Don't worry
Did Amudha say anything in class today?
No, she was very quiet.
She threw up and the teacher
sent her out
Amudha! Amudha!
Did my sister Amudha come here?
ls Amudha here?
Did you see Amudha?
Did you tell Amudha?
l told them repeatedly not to
Who listens? They read psychology
magazines and...
May be you shouldn't have.
Where's Thiru?
He's looking for her
Amudha? And you are?
Give it to her, please
She's at the Perambur Railway Station
Little one, why did you run away?
Are you okay?
l'll come. Don't be scared.
Put the policeman on the phone
Sir, we'll come at once. Please stay
with her till we come
When you see Amudha,
don't ply her with questions.
Hug her, kiss her
the rest can wait.
G.K., have l ever told you
how to bring up your children?
Look, he's your sister's husband,
the head of a company!
He's set aside his work
to be with you.
l'm indebted to him for that.
But l don't want free advice.
Why are you crying?
We know where she is.
Because l feel like it!
How does it bother you?
Drive carefully.
Didn't l take good care of her?
l did!
Can l sleep with you tonight?
Ma's not talking to me.
Why aren't you talking to us?
l won't talk to you
what's wrong with you?
What do you lack here?
what haven't we done for you?
Sorry.
Throw your`sorry'
in the dustbin!
Didn't l tell you she's angry?
Don't cry. You've made us
cry enough!
Do you care about anyone
except yourself?
Tell me, did l bring you up
to be so selfish?
We almost died of worry!
What have l done to deserve this?
Sorry, Ma.sorry. Please don't cry.
Okay,forget it .
You're still angry?
No.l have to put these things away.
Really? You're not angry any more?
Promise?
Smiling? Write about any of this in your
next story...
and the two of us will kill you!
How did you read my mind?
-we'll kill you!
Pray well.
l'll never do this again never,
never again.
Vinay says you bought me in exchange
for old newspapers.
Grandpa said so, l didn't!
Not l! - Yes, it was you!
Eat, you big mouth.
Pa, did you buy me?
You are priceless, dear.
We adopted you, brought you up.
From whom?
From her real mother.
Where is she?
l don't know.
She gave you to us and went away.
ln Rameswaram.
Amudha is crying, Pa.
Don't cry, Amudha.
Why did she go away?
Her name?
What did she look like?
Why did you adopt me?
We didn't adopt you.
You adopted us.
`Umbrella'by lndra.
Who are they?
Leaving a land where
a matchbox costs 15 rupees...
...Where no kerosene, electricity, or
medicines are available; where...
...War cries echo through schools.
They flee the motherland, abandoning
all they own...
...Cross the seas to a land that
offers them no welcome and.
And truly stranded at mid-sea.
All they ask for is the shelter of an umbrella...
And a moment of kindness.
The so-called refugee camp we give them.
ls but an open-air prison.
Among the young boys and girls
the old men and women
is a pregnant woman whose baby...
...is in a tearing hurry to come
into this world.
This is the story of that baby.
You are the one who first inspired
me to write.
You are the one who brought lndra to me.
You are everything to me.
She saw the baby through the window.
What compelled her to go away,
releasing herself from the grasp..
...of the tender finger that recognised
her touch?
What awaited her in her own country?
Duty? Her husband? The war?
Who knows?
Her cheeks wet with tears, her
breasts heavy with milk...
...she had to leave her baby as
soon as it was born.
This cruel act can never be justified.
She turned once, to look. Was it for
the last time?
Who knows?
The child's first cry flowed as
sweet as nectar.
When l read it, l feel in love with Amudha
and with the man who'd written the story!
Where was l? -l wasn't married!
Just a moment.
Saw your story in the magazine.
ls it your first? lt's not bad.
Lies! l heard your wept for a long time...
...lying with your head buried in your hands.
D'you have spies?
Why did you write under my name?
What's the idea?
Are you the only lndra?
You should have used`Alamelu'or
`Kamalee', your sister's name.
You used my name since it's lucky!
Tell me the truth
-you had me in mind...
when you chose the name.
Haven't you heard the names.
lndra Priyadarshini, lndra Parthsarathi?
How much do they pay?
l want a share of the royalty
50 percent. Half!
How was your exam today?
And tomorrow?
Why have you'll come?
When did it happen?
Where did you go? Have you filed
a police complaint?
Bitter gourd's good for the complexion.
You didn't eat it!
ls Thiru back from work?
Help me to fold this.
l have a Sociology exam tomorrow
- my weakest subject.
Not that you're any better at the others!
See what your dear son's done!
He thinks he's a water carrier!
How many times a day must you...?
Was what you wrote true or all lies?
One blow and all your 32 teeth will fall out!
31 . The creator made a mistake!
- 31 then!
ls the baby in the story real?
-yes, she's at the red cross centre.
l want to see the baby, will you
take me there?
l definitely won't!
Have you started on your next story?
l want my 50 percent royalty!
Do me a favour first
-Nothing embarrassing, please!
Forget it, then.
l'll manage, tell me.
No, you won't like it
-don't keep me guessing.
No, you won't agree
- Please, l will.
l'll agree, l will.
You mustn't say a word till we get there.
Can you do that?
Thiruselvan, l read the story.
lt was published under another name?
He borrowed mine.
How is father?
- He's fine.
lt was such a moving story
- Can we see the baby?
lt was beautiful, wasn't it? l cried too.
What's your name?
Your name?
Such a great writer and you can't
think of a name?
Shall l name her then?
Her first cry flowed out like nectar,
like Amudham.
Are you going to adopt this baby...
...Or not?
Or do your ideals stop at the level
of story-writing?
Look, she's pointing in the direction of Srilanka.
Does your mother live there?
She left you and went away?
You don't have anyone?
My mother left me too.
ls this engineer writing stories
about you, to make money?
Ask him if it's enough to just
write a story.
Fool! Will anyone adopt a baby before
getting married?
What's wrong?
lf you want to bathe a baby,
powder its body,
and change its nappies, then adopt
the baby l'm carrying.
Not some dark-skinned orphan,
could be diseased.
They'll check all that.
Shut up. All this can happen only in stories.
Say it again and l'll go back to my
husband's home in Madras!
Right. l just need your signature
at the red cross centre.
Have you gone crazy?
Don't you understand?
Over my dead body!
Akka!
The groom is?- Manager in a granite factory.
Come in, you're just in time.
Get him a chair.
He's our neighbour.
He's the engineer for the huge factory
in the next town.
He also writes stories with titles
like`Umbrella',`Mountain',`Urn'.
He's come to get his keys.
Carry on, l'll come.
Just a moment, sir.Couldn't smoke inside.
A match box?
Don't have one.
l don't have time to read books.
But l scan the horoscopes and read
the gossip columns.
You have excellent taste in literature.
Just a minute. what's lndra like?
You live next door. You'll know if there's
any gossip about her.
What did you say your name was?
Dhanraj.
Dhanraj, speak with respect and
leave quietly.
l not only write l hit people as well!
Finished -one moment.
Here comes the bride! So the groom is rich.
He'll build her a house with the
granite he mines.
l was really worried that
you would charm my brother!
He's not easy to charm.
l'm going to commit suicide.
Are you? l'm sure l can write a
story about it.
How will you do it?
You can drown or swallow barbiturates.
The cheapest and best way is hanging.
A Sari, a metal ring; that's all you need.
But don't try hanging from the fans
in your house.
They're too old!
ls that all you have to say?
l think the girl's in love with you.
D'you love her?
Why don't you do something?
What should l do?
Elope!
lf she has courage, strength of mind,
she'll refuse to marry the quarry owner.
Maybe she thought you'd stop her!
A letter from your husband.
A letter from your father.
This is my sister, Mrs. Kamala Kumar.
You know Tahsildar Ganesan.
Both will sign along with me. l would like
to adopt Amudha.
Did you bring me here for this?
You talk, you write,
now you want to act on your words.
Bravo! But is this really practical?
Did l ask for advice?
l will, a 100 times. but they...
Thiruchelvan, are you married?
My sister is. She has a child,
expects another soon.
Her husband works in Madras.
Mr.Ganesan will vouch for us.
Who is adopting the baby? You or your sister?
Not me. He will. l've said what l wanted.
Thiruchelvan, your intentions are honourable.
But we don't allow unmarried people,
especially men...
to adopt babies.
The social welfare board will not permit it.
l don't know what more to say.
ls lndra in?
What have you brought?
A stone or a rope for me to commit suicide with?
How old are you?
-How old do l look?
Are you over 18?
-What if l am?
Will you marry me?
And be a mother to Amudha?
Think well before you answer.
Will you please go in?
-What?
We are not wanted here.
Are you crying?
Why are you crying?
l waited a whole year.
You noticed me only because of the baby.
Am l a free gift with the baby?
Are you crying because l said l like you?
Don't touch me!
Are you adopting Amudha for my sake...
or marrying me for her sake?
l like this eye,the other one as well.
l want this cheek, the other one as well.
Stop! Stop!
lf l marry you, l have certain conditions.
You'll have to...
What is this nonsense?
Go, go away...
What's wrong with her?
And what's wrong with you?
Can't leave you alone for 2 minutes!
What's this you've done?
This isn't a chapter in a story,
is it? lt's real, isn't it?
The Tahsildar's here! Go away now!
What d'you think you're doing?
Didn't you hear me?
l'll hit you now! Go in!
You rascal!
Such a short tempered sister!
-Silly fellow!
Why are you standing at the door?
Coffee?
Bring him coffee.
Ganesan, l would like to marry your daughter...
And l would like to adopt Amudha.
For the first, l need your permission.
For the second, l need your signature.
Why did she leave me and go away?
For me. For all of us.
Vinay, don't take that. lt's mine - careful!
Give it back to me!
-Don't read it.
Photographs of Amudha the great!
Right from the time she was a baby!
`For my mother '- which one?
The real one?
Don't read it. lt's my diary.
`Why did you leave me and go?'
Because she had to go to the toilet!
Ma, Amudha and Vinay are having a fight.
Vinay is pulling her hair
Amudha is biting his hand.
What is it now?
He started it!
- No, she did!
Who started it? Can't both of you ever be quiet!
Grandfather!
What's my mother's name?
My real mother's name?
Shyama. M.D.Shyama.
She was from the village of Mankulam.
Her father's name was Devanathan or Devanesan.
Something like that was
written in the register
Have you seen her? What did she look like?
l've seen her, but l don't remember her.
She delivered you in a
Red Cross camp in Rameswaram.
Why did she leave me and go away?
Where is Rameswaram?
lndra, did Pradeep come there?
- ls Pradeep here?
Don't know - Don't know.
No, why?
- He's not home as yet?
lf he comes here, l'll tell him
to call you at once.
Amudha! Vinay, where's Amudha?
Don't know.
Vinay, look at me. Don't you know
where Amudha is?
Don't know - Tell me!
Where's she?
Amudha and Pradeep have gone in a bus.
Where?
Rameswaram.
ls that the truth?
They said the school had an excursion
and took money from
Grandfather for the tickets.
Ganesan, did you give her money?
Shall we get off at the next stop and go back?
And if we don't get a bus to go back?
l need to go to the toilet.
Think of something scary!
Will the police catch us?
Why're we going to Rameswaram?
To see whom?
My mother.
Your mother's in Madras.
l saw her on TV yesterday.
That's not my mother.
My real mother's in Rameswaram.
Her name is Shyama. M.D.Shyama.
That is correct.
Shyama, Mankulam village.
Srilanka refugee. April 3rd. 1991 .
A baby girl. Normal delivery.
2.5 kilogram. But she is not here now.
Where is she? We came just to see her.
Who knows? Who are you?
What is your name? Your parents' names?
Why did you do this?
Don't hit him! He's only a little boy.
Why don't you listen? Stop hitting him!
Aren't you Thiruchelvan?
And lndra? How are you?
Our daughter Amudha came here.
Where is she?
Oh yes, the girl you adopted
l thought as much.
My mother's not here, Pa.
This is your mother. l am your father.
Where's my mother, Pa?
She abandoned you 9 years ago.
She could be anywhere
in the world now. Anywhere.
She could have gone back to Jaffna.
We don't even know if she's alive.
ls she dead?
You want to see your mother, don't you?
l'll take you to see her. l promise.
This is the first time, l'm flying.
l'm frightened.
Ah! l'm still alive.
ls this my country?
ls my mother here?
What does `Aibhavan' mean?
-lt means, `Greetings' `Welcome'!
Sankaralingam, Devanathan,
Shanmugadas Welcome!
l'm very happy to meet you
l've read your stories
You've come for?
-Personal work.
Stay for our meeting.
Vikram. GK sir sent an e-mail
to say you're coming.
l didn't know lndra sir
had such a beautiful wife.
Do all of you talk this way
when you meet a woman?
Only l do and only to you!
And who is this.....
even more beautiful?
Dr.Harold Vikramasinghe
GK's friend.
You'll be in my care
as long as you're here.
So, what d'you want to see?
-My mother.
Here she is.
l want to see M.D.Shyama.
The problem is...
...you can never be sure
when a problem will arise!
You speak fluent Tamil?
l know Tamil, Malayalam,
German, French...
...and silence!
Are you a real doctor or a Ph.D
in Geography, Astrology?
A surgeon, Orthopedics.
The knife is real.
The blood is real.
The cries of pain are real.
Mankulam - one is on the
way to Kilinochi.
The other l think is
beyond Vavuniya.
How can you be so untidy
in someone else's house?
Clear it up.
Don't throw things!
-l didn't throw them.
No talking back, no temper.
Do as your mother tells you.
You're not my mother.
Oh no! Shame, shame!
Amma doesn't like me.
She doesn't like me at all.
Greetings to all who are
present here.
Of the many trivial crimes
in this world...
...the worst is to ask a
writer to make a speech.
My wife lndra says that
people read my stories...
....only because l write
under her name!
Are you a Tamilian?
Yes.
Are you from here?
-Yes.
You know only one word in Tamil?
Aren't you going to the meeting?
No.
-Why?
l don't like speeches.
-Neither do l.
That gathering is for my father.
ls that so?
He's a writer.
He's written many stories
under the name,`lndra'.
Haven't you read them?
-No, l don't read stories.
Some people say
that writing is a gift.
You must be born with
that spark.
That's an absolute lie.
Where's Amudha?
-ln the toilet.
The writer's doing great!
l'm an Engineer. No one else
in the family writes.
She's not there.
-She was there.
`They had forgotten
that they had faces'.
What does that mean?
-This is not for you.
My father reads books
like this.
My mother reads magazines.
l have two sets of parents.
This mother's name is lndra.
My real mother's name
is M.D.Shyama.
We've come looking for her.
What's your name?
Amudha - And yours?
Where is your mother?
Why is your Tamil strange?
This is Tamil too.
To write well, you need
a good education.
You need to observe events
attentively.
You need to find out if
someone else...
...is going to write your story
better than you.
Where are your parents?
Gone to their village.
Speak clearly.
l told you she'd be here.
How could you go off by
yourself in a new place?
l was talking to him.
He's Tamil.
ls the meeting over?
She's a chatterbox.
She says her mother is here.
So she's told you!
We're going to Mankulam
tomorrow to see her.
lf you visit Madras,
come home.
3rd cross, Ashoknagar. Anyone
will show you lndra's house.
All stories start from life
and end with it.
Nothing to worry about.
No foreign bodies inside.
No danger, just shock.
She'll have fever for 2 days.
Amudha, we'll go to Mankulam
tomorrow to find your mother.
l didn't give it back, Appa.
Forget about it. Close your
eyes and get some sleep.
l'm scared to close my eyes.
l keep hearing the blasts
over and over again.
Will this bus definitely
go to Mankulam?
He says it's okay.
He'll take you there.
Will you forget me?
-No.
You'll marry me when you grow up?
-No.
The army will stop the bus
at a check-post.
lf they want your passports
show them.
They know you're coming.
Don't worry about us.
-l'll try to join you.
Thinking of home?
Wonder how they are - Akhil,
Vinay, my father.
Don't worry.
We've left two kids behind
for the sake of one.
ls she asleep? lf she hears
she'll tear me apart!
Sometimes it's hard to tell
who's mother and who's child!
The army is moving towards Kilinochi.
ln half an hour...
...they will shell the area.
Please leave Mankulam
and head eastwards.
Women and children must
proceed to safety.
All are requested to co-operate
with the Army.
Sundarlingam?
-ln the temple.
Where's it?
-Down east.
Someone's come in search of you.
We've come looking for
Mankulam Shyama.
Yes, the doctor called me.
Let's get out quickly!
Your name?-Thiru.
We want to see Mankulam Shyama.
lf you'd come later, you'd not
have seen even Mankulam!
Down this road, third house
on the left.
Let's go! - l'm not coming.
Father asked me to fetch you.
Nothing will happen to me.
Ammanchi'll take care of me.
Take them to Shyama.
lf they shell the place, there'll
be nothing left. Come with us.
lf l go, who'll light the lamp?
Just take them and go!
Go now, all of you!
Farewell my countryl
Where the sea washes
my front door...
These palm groves
these birds' nests...
Will l ever see them again?
The smiles have died on
our lips....
With our souls shrouded.
Only the shells of our bodies
go in weary procession.
That's her, standing there.
Grandpa won't leave the temple.
Shyama, these people have come
from lndia, looking for you.
Shyama?
Yes.
We've come from Chennai
in search of you.
We've brought you
something priceless.
Your daughter.
Amudha, your mother...
My daughter would have been
her age.
This is your daughter too.
No she isn't.
This is your child.
We adopted her.
Mother tell them she's
not my daughter.
Aren't you Mankulam Shyama?
l'm...but l'm not her mother.
All my children are buried...
...under the 'poo arasu' tree
outside the village.
Didn't you go to lndia and
have a baby in Rameswaram?
l've never left this
village all my life.
But today we're leaving
Mankulam forever.
What's your name?
l heard the Army was moving in
so l came at once.
ls there another Mankulam?
-Yes, in the North. Let's go.
Aunty, this is lndra, and
this, the original lndra.
This is my aunt.
Your daughter's been on strike
for a week.
She's not talking to me.
Doesn't want me near her.
Bathes and dresses by herself.
l feel like slapping her!
Why get so worked up?
Don't. Am l not justified?
Mother and daughter..
so alike.
One stops and the other starts!
At least, do you love me?
Very much.
l've come. l'm right in the middle!
Tamil?
-Yes.
Where's Devanathan's house?
-He's not here.
Where's his house?
-Ruined! All ruined!
Darling, this is Amma speaking.
How are you?
When are you coming home?
ln a couple of days.
No, come back now.
All right, give the phone
to Grandfather.
Whose Amma are you, mine or hers?
-Yours and hers.
Talk to Amudha now.
Don't want to talk to her.
Don't like her.
l'm sick, l have fever.
He's lying. When d'you
plan to be back?
Soon, Appa.
Akhil wants to talk to you.
Akhil, baby, how are you?
Talk to me... l miss you both so much.
Akhil, don't cry...
l miss you too...
Please don't cry.
l can't bear it.
l love you darling.
l love you, Amma.
Amudha, what happened?
Give her some water...
She must have seen something
that frightened her.
No one wins in guerilla warfare.
But then no one loses either.
lt's like prolonged cancer.
Why can't we live peacefully?
The truth is, those who make...
...Kalashnikov rifles, mortars,
grenades, land mines...
...and bombs have a commercial
interest in war.
Developed countries have stopped
fighting, but developing countries...
...use wars as testing grounds
for weapons.
ls there no end to this?
-There is.
We must dump our weapons
in the sea.
Or may be Amudha's generation
will arrive at a solution.
He's from lndia. He's a
famous Tamil writer.
lndra sir, say something.
Our eyebrows are...
...lowered, our eyes closed
lips parched, teeth clenched...
He's a Tamilian.
We walk with our backs bent.
We whom you rule over...
Lock us up...
...in cagesl flay us with staves
Let the skin on our backs festerl
One day our eyebrows will arch
our closed eyes open again.
Our puckered lips will throb
and our clenched teeth grind.
Rule over us until then.
Flaunt your power over usl
Yes, l've seen his photograph.
He's the writer, lndra.
Wait, what's your name?
-Vikram.
Full name?
- Harold Vikramasinghe.
He's Srilankan.
Move away!
He's the one who brought
me here.
Are you mad?
You've entered this area without
permission and with a Srilankan.
He came to help me. He's taking
us to meet a girl named Shyama.
Why are you looking for her?
We've brought her daughter.
We adopted her.
She wants to see her mother.
Do you know Shyama?
Yes, l do.
Can we see her?
We've found your mother.
We've found Amudha's mother.
Was Shyama there?
Did you see her?
l saw her brother. He asked us to
go to the Subramaniam Park.
Where's Shyama? - Over there.
People have come from lndia
looking for you.
Why?
They were seen in Mankulam.
He's a writer and he's come
with his wife and daughter.
The girl is your daughter.
What should l tell them?
l asked them to come to
Subramaniam Park.
l won't see them.
Shyama, she's your daughter.
My children are here.
Not one or two - 300.
She's changed thrice since
morning and looked at the watch...
...atleast ten times!
Look!
Maybe she's not coming.
She'll come! She'll definitely come!
`Thambili' -that's tender coconut
water in your country.
Why hasn't she come? Did
you complain about me?
That l argue or fight a lot?
l said only good things.
He said he'd bring her.
The Army's coming, let's go!
No, let's wait for some
more time.
We can't stay here, Amudha.
Listen to me...let's go.
Why did you lie to me, Appa?
The Army's here!
Tell them to go away.
Ask her to come.
l won't come with you.
l'm a child.... How could
you cheat me?
That was a narrow escape.
Let's go home, Appa.
Let's not stay here.
Let's go.
Can we go through Subramaniam Park?
We heard that the Army went
back only last night.
lt doesn't seem wise to
go back there.
No, Amma...You were hurt there.
lt was because of me.
We won't get down.
We'll just take a look.
You escaped by a whisker.
Okay, but l won't stop if
l see the Army...l'll go on.
Let's go.
Wait a minute.
My chest hurts.
lt's nothing.
lndra sir, the real lndra
and Amudha.
Won't you sit down?
Amudha has brought you something.
My album...
lt has photographs of me
as a child.
lt has my poem too. l won
a prize for it.
Photographs with Kamal Hasan,
A.R.Rahman, Grandfather...
...Akhil and Vinay...Won't you
have a look?
Do you have a photo of yours?
She's written down some questions.
She wants to ask you.
20 questions. Can l ask?
Ask her.
Why did you leave me and go away?
The situation was such.
l went on a boat as a refugee.
l was forced to come back.
l had no choice.
Who is my father?
Can l see him?
Did you hold me when
l was born?
Did l cry or did l laugh?
They took you away a minute
after you were born.
l touched you once with
my finger.
That was all.
You can hold her now.
l didn't want to cry.
Amma, ask her to come with us.
Let's take her to Madras.
You tell her, Appa...she'll
listen to you.
There's no war, no
Army in Madras.
We can watch TV and go
to the movies.
We can go to the beach.
l have work here.
You can do it later....
Please say yes.
You have brought her up well.
Thank you.
Don't go. Come with us...
or take me with you.
This is your father and
this, your mother.
Don't go, don't...
Someday, there will be peace
in this country
Come back to me then.
When will that be?
When, Amma? When, Appa?
Don't! lf you call out to me
like that, l cannot go.
Amma, come to me once,
one last time.
Then you can go.