# Kaatrukkenna Veli (TV series)

Kaatrukkena Veli (transl. What's the Need of a Fence for Air?) is a 2021 Indian-Tamil language drama starring Priyanka Kumar with Swaminathan Anantharaman and Darshan K. Raju. It is an official remake of Star Jalsha serial Mohor. It premiered on 18 January 2021, and aired on Star Vijay and is also available on the digital platform Disney+ Hotstar before its telecast. The series final episode was aired 30 September 2023 and ended with 809 episodes.

## Plot

The story revolves around Vennila, an undergraduate student who aspires to be a IAS officer. When her father forces her to get married after finishing school, she flees her wedding with the aid of her mother. With her former teacher Sharadha's help, she joins the Meenakshi Shivanandham college, which is owned and run by Sharadha's in-laws. The story presents Vennila's struggle for her right to study at the college, as her pursuit of education faces continuous opposition from both Sharadha's in-laws and members of her own family alike. Together with her college friends, and with the help of Surya, her Economics professor and Sharadha's estranged son, she overcomes each obstacle that is thrown her way. Slowly but inevitably, Vennila and Surya begin to fall for each other.

## Cast
### Main

* Priyanka Kumar as Vennila Surya – Varadharajan and Vasuki's younger daughter; Sowmya and Vishnu's sister; Surya's student turned wife. (2021–2023)
* Darshan K. Raju / Swaminathan Anantharaman as Surya Mahadevan – Sharadha and Mahadevan's son; Meenakshi and Shivanantham's nephew/foster son; Abhi and Anandhi's cousin; Madhuvarshini's ex-fiancé; Vennila's economic professor turned husband (2021) / (2021–2023)
* Malavika Avinash / Jyothi Rai / Harsha Nair as Sharadha Mahadevan – Mahadevan's wife; Surya's mother; Vennila's mentor. (2021) / (2021–2023) / (2023)

### Supporting

* Veena Venkatesh / Sujatha Panju as Meenakshi Shivanantham – Shivanantham's wife; Surya's aunt/foster mother. (2021; 2023) / (2021–2023) (Main Antagonist)
* Tarun Master as Shivanantham – Mahadevan and Vishwanathan's brother; Meenakshi's husband; Surya's uncle/foster father.
* Bhanu Prakash as Mahadevan – Shivanantham and Vishwanathan's brother; Sharadha's husband; Surya's father.
* Akshitha Ashok as Abhinaya "Abhi" Vishwanathan – Bhanumathi and Vishwanathan's elder daughter; Anandhi's twin sister; Surya's cousin (Antagonist)
* Preetha Reddy as Anandhi Vishwanathan – Bhanumathi and Vishwanathan's younger daughter; Abhi's twin sister; Surya's cousin.
* Aarthi Ramkumar as Bhanumathi Vishwanathan – Vishwanathan's wife; Abhi and Anandhi's mother.
* Raj Khanna as Vishwanathan – Shivanantham and Mahadevan's brother; Bhanumathi's husband; Abhi and Anandhi's father. (Antagonist)
* Sridevi Ashok as Shyamala – Meenakshi and Shivanantham's daughter-in-law.
* Vetrivel as Inspector Anbucheziyan - Vennila's ex-fiance. (Antagonist)
* Reshmaa as Sowmya Madhavan – Varadharajan and Vasuki's elder daughter; Vishnu and Vennila's sister; Madhavan's wife. (Dead)
* Maanas Chavali as Madhavan – Maragathavalli's son; Sowmya's abusive husband and murderer. (Antagonist)
* Padmini as Vasuki Varatharajan – Varatharajan's wife; Sowmya, Vishnu and Vennila's mother.
* Nalinikanth as Varatharajan – Vasuki's husband; Sowmya, Vishnu and Vennila's father.
* P. R. Varalakshmi as Varatharajan's mother; Sowmya, Vishnu and Venneila's grandmother.
* Shammi as Maragathavalli – Madhavan's mother.
* Shyam Sundar as Madhavan's father.
* Dayana as Roopa – Vennila's college friend
* Raghavendran Puli / Chandru as Maaran – Vennila's college friend.
* Harishankar Narayanan as Seenu – Surya's best friend
* Gana Hari as Tamizh – Vennila's college friend
* Dhilip Kumar as Akash – Vennila's college friend

### Cameo appearances

* Janani Ashok Kumar as Madhuvarshini – Surya's ex-fiancé (2021)
* Ashwini Aanandita as Shivani – Surya's colleague and one-sided lover (2023)
* Vinoth Babu as Vetri - a well known rowdy who intervenes to save Vennila from Inspector Anbu (2023)

## Production
### Development

At the end of 2020, Star Vijay planned an official Tamil remake of Star Jalsha's Bengali language series Mohor to be produced by Endemol Shine India.

### Casting

Actors Darshan K. Raju and Priyanka Kumar were initially cast to fill the roles of the lead characters Surya Mahadevan and Vennila; however, Raju left the show in October 2021 and was replaced by Swaminathan Anantharaman.The role of Surya's mother was initially given to Malavika Avinash, who left in September 2021 and was replaced first by Jyothi Rai, then by Harsha Nair.
Veena Venkatesh was cast Meenakshi Shivanantham (Surya's aunt and foster mother), but tested positive for Covid-19 and was unable to complete filming. Sridevi Ashok was cast as Shyamala.

## Adaptations

| Language | Title | Original release | Network(s) | Last aired | Notes |
| Bengali | Mohor মোহর | 28 October 2019 | Star Jalsha | 3 April 2022 | Original |
| Kannada | Sarasu ಸರಸು | 11 November 2020 | Star Suvarna | 28 August 2021 | Remake |
| Telugu | Guppedantha Manasu గుప్పెడంత మనసు | 7 December 2020 | Star Maa | 31 August 2024 | Remake |
| Hindi | Shaurya Aur Anokhi Ki Kahani शौर्य और अनोखी की कहानी | 21 December 2020 | StarPlus | 24 July 2021 | Remake |
| Malayalam | Koodevide കൂടെവിടെ | 4 January 2021 | Asianet | 22 July 2023 | Remake |
| Tamil | Kaatrukkenna Veli காற்றுக்கென்ன வேலி | 18 January 2021 | Star Vijay | 30 September 2023 | Remake |
| Marathi | Swabhiman – Shodh Astitvacha स्वाभिमान – शोध अस्तित्वाचा | 22 February 2021 | Star Pravah | 6 May 2023 | Remake |