Mithunam – Story of a 60-plus couple whose only dream was to LIVE LIFE!

Frankly, I had some other topic in my mind and it’s no brainer to guess which one it would be. But then as part of my college’s film festival, I watched ‘Mithunam’. A movie that was made in 2012 starring Legendary SP Balasubramanian and Lakshmi.

I must say I was keener on who directed it, only at the end of the movie I discovered it as ‘Tanikela Bharani’. Someone who was known for comedy and villain roles. It was not expected of him to make something like Mithunam. Such is the talent of this gentlemen. The movie depicted his thoughts and his feelings on modern lifestyle and family relations.

Jumping into the movie… The retired teacher was always playfully mocked for ‘Draksharamam’

SP Balasubramanian plays the role of a retired teacher. Lakshmi plays as his wife character named as Buchchi. Both are 60 and above, yet their major aim was to live a cheerful life without bothering about the outside world. In fact, what will be the use of the outside world to the retired ones? To those of that age, the world will be their kids and their grandchildren. Unfortunately, it’s not the same in this movie. All five kids are living abroad in the USA. Only the two live in a huge place that is filled with farms. The only connection that they had was with the Cow which they treat like family.

Oh! wait a minute… Children were doing their part. The old couple would stay in touch with the kids over the phone, especially the mother who would hide the mobile in the kitchen and take calls secretly. Both of them share a special bond. The age, resources and situations were all against the helpless couple. But they turned everything into positives. Especially the retired teacher would continuously stress on one point and i.e., ‘Detached Attachment’.

Like any mother, Buchchi Lakshmi was seriously unhappy with this way of life. But she had to give up at a point and she adopted the husband’s lifestyle. She completely got into it and would only be passionate about serving her husband. By the way, Draksharamam is a place in Andhra Pradesh. Wife Buchchi was majorly mocking her husband and playing a prank that she would’ve got married to someone from that place and lived a life of a queen.

Watch Mithunam | Prime Video

The couple were once super excited as the kids promised to come to visit them for a wedding ceremony. Knowing this, Buchchi Lakshmi prepares multiple dishes. What next? The kids postpone their visit citing health issues. Like this, the couple had their share of good and bad memories. Death of Anji (calf), fight over pranks, arguments on food, cooking lovely food, helping each other and what not… everything was pure and filled with love.

Then came the most defining moment of the movie and their lives. An argument over an unknown match that Buchchi Lakshmi used for pranking her husband. But this time it went over the board. Lakshmi was having grapes (drakshas) and suddenly things change. It goes argument to a heated exchange of words. After which both of them didn’t speak to each other for a few days while feeling the guilt inside. That’s when the only lady in the house, Lakshmi falls seriously ill. Appadasu kills his ego and starts taking care of her. He felt terrible and helpless. He couldn’t see his only support leaving him. But that’s life, isn’t it?

Appadasu thought the same and believed that she would leave him soon. That’s when he decided to fulfil her lifetime wish of lighting 1 lakh lamps. Thankfully she takes part in the event and lives happily. That’s when she opens up saying all about Draksharam was just a prank… What would happen next?

Appadasu brings back the kid in him and jumps everywhere in the house. He goes shouting it was just a prank and next day a shocker hits the wife Buchchi. Appadasu leaves the world lying in the armchair… She weeps, cries and yet feels happy that God took him away before her. Only because she didn’t want to leave him alone and let him suffer – basic nature of the females.

My take and the message extracted from the movie:

Only if the kids were close enough to the parents, they would’ve taken care of them. Close enough doesn’t mean in proximity, but occupying their space and doing justice to the title of children. Also, only if the kids were sensible, they wouldn’t have left the parents all alone and live in the USA. This is my hard take. Because in which family all the 5 kids would leave old parents and go? But then who will change the parent’s mindset? Every parent feels that their kids should reach heights and live the life of their own. We all have a role to play at some time. A child, parent and then grandparent. But the concern is how much do we live up to that role.

77% Indian parents expect to live with sons, and not with daughters, in old age | India News – India TV

Many times, we see how much the parents are left to suffer. We have borrowed enough from the west but one thing that we shouldn’t is ‘relationships. Just because the way relations are dealt in the western world is truly opposite to India. So, the point that I leave you with is… are you going to let your parents live with pain, sacrifice for what they have given to you all through the life or will you respect their wishes and fulfil them. Are you going to be their only choice or leave them with no choice?

I guess All of us have to stick to one thing and that’s to take care, respect and love our parents unconditionally. This will add a lot of positive karma and who knows how it’ll help you in your future. Because as I said, you will be a parent tomorrow too. Finally, for the sake of our nation’s pride and history, let us not fall into the trap of foreigners

Published by Sriram

A Teacher trying to Learn new things and explore the world each day! Believe in Happiness by the virtue of sacrifice and forgiveness.

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