Alaipayuthey

Movie: Alaipayuthey
Release Date: March 2000
Story, Screenplay, Direction: Maniratnam
Cinematography: P.C.Sreeram
Music: A.R.Rahman

Cast: R.Madhavan (Karthik)
Shalini (Shakti)
Swarnamalya (Poorni)

Karthik is an engineer who happens to meet Shakti, a medical student, at a wedding. After this, the two meet regularly on suburban trains, to and from work and university. Karthik and Shakti eventually fall in love. However, upon meeting for arranging their marriage, both their parents clash, and the wedding is called off. Shakti decides she will not get married without her parents' consent, and the relationship between herself and Karthik is called off altogether.

Unable to stay separated for very long, coupled with chance meetings, the lovers find themselves resuming their relationship. With the help of their friends, and Shakti's elder sister Poorni, their marriage is completed legally, and all the while, they continue to meet each other without their parents' knowledge. But during Poorni's engagement, Shakti's secret marriage is found out. Eventually Karthik and Shakthi are kicked out of their homes.

The couple move into an apartment to live together. However it's not long when the couple get into misunderstandings. The tensions between them reaches its threshold when Shakti finds Karthik with another woman at a suburban station. Later she eventually finds out that the woman is none other than Poorni, and Karthik was only trying to fix her marriage which was putoff due to Shakti's relation with him. Shakti meets with an accident when she was going to meet Karthik for asking an apology. The couple emotionally but happily unite in the hospital.

Photo Courtesy: Madras Talkies