Periyathambi

Periyathambi was a Tamil film by V. S. Raghavan, released in 1977. The movie is based on the novel of the same name by Kothamangalam Subbu, a renowned Malayalam writer. Periyathambi is a coming-of-age tale of Thambi, a young boy's journey through the tumultuous and difficult times of his premature marriage.

Karthik played the lead role of Thambi in the film. Directed by V. S. Raghavan and produced by A. S. Udhayakumar, under Vinu's Productions. Throughout the movie, Karthik portrayed the transformation of the protagonist from an innocent child to a bitter and disillusioned man.

Periyathambi's storyline revolves around Thambi's forced marriage with the much older woman, resulting from the community's misinterpretation of a sacred law Prostitution is illegal. To resolve the issue, Thambi meets a woman named Sankari. She is selfless, just, and makes great sacrifices for others, embodying Sree Saraswati, the presiding deity of Music, Arts and Knowledge. She arranges for him to get a better match according to social norms.

However, fate has other plans, and Thambi faces many complications. He comes to realize that he has fallen in love with Sankari instead. However, eventuality leads to him getting married to the much older woman. The story is a reflection of the societal norms in Kerala in the 1960s. Periyathambi explores various subjects such as widow remarriage, permissible concubinage, and the difference of opinion among the people.