# Muthukku Muthaaga

Muthukku Muthaaga (transl. Pearl to pearl) is a 2011 Indian Tamil language drama film written, produced, and directed by Rasu Madhuravan. It features an ensemble cast including Vikranth, Natraj, Harish, Oviya, Monica, Prakash, Veerasamar, Ilavarasu, and Saranya Ponvannan. The film revolves around the relationship between parents and their children. The music was composed by Kavi Periyathambi, while cinematography was done by U. K. Senthil Kumar. The film was released on 18 March 2011. Ilavarasu won the Ananda Vikatan Cinema Award for Best Character Actor.

## Plot

Thavasi and Pechi, an ageing couple, have five sons: Bose, Raman, Selvam, Lakshmanan, and Pandi. Thavasi and Pechi strive hard with their meager earnings to bring up their sons so that most of their needs are met.
Raman, the eldest, is a government school teacher. He married Rasathi who is Pechi's childhood friend and Pechi married her son to Rasathi without demanding dowry. Due to his profession, Raman lives with his family in a different town.
Lakshmanan second son loves Vasanthi who is a daughter of a wealthy man who wants his son-in-law to live with him in his home. Pechi and Thavasi prioritized their son's happiness so, they let him go as an in-house son-in-law.
Bose, the third son falls in love with Annamayil, a nurse. Without knowing this, Thavasi and Pechi arrange Bose's wedding with their relative Panju, for which Bose agrees as he does not want to make his parents feel bad. Annamayil also understands Bose's situation and accepts his decision. Panju mentally tortures Bose which leads to Thavasi make him agree to a nuclear family lifestyle. Though Panju is unkind, her parents who are direct siblings of Thavasi and Pechi (Thavasi's sister married Pechi's brother) are very supportive of the family.
Fourth son Pandi, who is not good in studies slits throat of his rich friend who tried to molest Rasathi's sister by blackmailing her with Rasathi's dress changing video taken by a crook when she came to buy clothes for her wedding in his family shop. Pandi killed the rich friend to save his family honor.
Fifth son Selvam got a job in IT and need to move to the city due to his job and falls in love with Swetha.
Though all sons love their parents a lot due to situations job lifestyle all sons stay separate now with their parents. Due to old age and happenings in family Pechi is diagnosed with asthma. Willing to spend few days with their sons family Pechi and Thavasi first go to Raman's house.Their Rasathi who spends a lot for her maternal family with her husband Income doesn't like her in laws coming to her come or her husband spending money on them. Understanding her attitude, Thavasi and Pechi leaves the place.
Lakshmanan who is ill-treated by his in-laws comes back to his parents. Vasanthi who is a caring wife follows him but considering their son's future they take both Vasanthi and Lakshmanan to Vasanthi's parents who don't respect Pechi and Thavasi.
While visiting for asthma check up Pechi sees Annamayil who works in the hospital. Seeing her care for them and her kind attitude Pechi regrets not marrying her to Bose. Pechi and Thavasi visit Bose to see their grandson. Panju who is not willing to show her son to Pechi who have asthma takes him and leave him to her mother. Bose understanding Pechi's intentions visits his in-laws and tells the situation and they send their grandson with Bose. Panju makes a scene when Pechi caresses her grandson causing Bose to spat at her. Panju spits her anger to Pechi and ask her why she is being a trouble not dying which breaks Pechi.
Pechi decide to end her and Thavasi's life fed up of loneliness and family troubles. Meanwhile, Selvam who arranged Pechi to visit asthma specialist with help of Swetha who genuinely care for his parents visits hometown to take his parents first time in flight. Pandi who is bailed with much difficulty by his brothers support also comes to his hometown. The rich friend Pandi killed his brothers tries to attack all 5 brothers who come united to see their parents. They manage to entangle them and Bose explains to them why his brother killed their brother. Understanding that their brother is a womaniser, they let Bose and his brothers go.
While this is going in their home Pechi mixes poison in mutton curry and serves Thavasi and eats herself. Thavasi though he found poison eats without complaint. Finally when the old couple sits together Thavasi asks Pechi, was he able to keep her happy in these many years of life. Pechi understanding Thavasi knows about poisoning explains that she doesn't want to leave him with the demonic daughter in-law alone that's why want to take him to the afterworld with her citing her deep love from him. Thavasi wholeheartedly accepts her decision. In dying moments Pechi expresses her regret not settling Pandi and Selvam but consoles herself citing they are responsible.
When all brothers eagerly visit their parents, the couple who had a lengthy happy married life in poverty had already left the world which leave the brothers heartbroken. In the funeral time Rasathi who now knows about Pandi sacrifice to save her honor regretfully come and begs for pardon from her husband and Pandi. Panju who have no regret makes a crying scene to act in front of society. Understanding her intentions Bose tries to strangle her supported by his uncle (Pechi's brother and Panchu's father). But Raman stops him, citing their parents died to let the daughter-in-laws live happily with their husbands.
The movie concludes with marriage of Selvam and Swetha and Pandi and Rasathi's sister (who had crush on Pandi and later loved him after his sacrifice).

## Cast

* Vikranth as Bose
* Natraj as Raman
* Harish as Selvam
* Ilavarasu as Thavasi
* Saranya Ponvannan as Pechi
* Prakash as Lakshmanan
* Veerasamar as Pandi
* Oviya as Swetha
* Monica as Annamayil
* Singampuli as Suruttu
* K.P. Jagan
* Varshini as Vasanthi
* Sujibala as Raasathi
* Gayathri Yuvaraj as Gayathri
* Janaki as Panchavarnam
* Jayalakshmi as Virumayi
* Raj Kapoor as Thavasi's relative
* Vaiyapuri
* Scissor Manohar

## Production

It was initially reported that Oviya, after the success of Kalavani (2010), increased her remuneration for starring in this film. Oviya dismissed these reports, along with rumours of a rift between her and the director Rasu Madhuravan. Monica, after a chance meeting with Madhuravan, accepted to star in the film after he narrated the script to her. Nassar was the original choice for the role that later went to Ilavarasu. In July 2011, W. Hansraj Saxena, then the COO of Sun Pictures, was arrested under the Indian Penal Code Sections 406 (criminal breach of trust) and 420 (cheating) after he was found guilty of buying the film's satellite rights from Madhuravan for ₹50 lakh (equivalent to ₹1.1 crore or US$130,000 in 2023), less than half of the promised amount, and refusing to pay the remaining money.

## Soundtrack

The soundtrack was composed by Kavi Periyathambi.

## Critical reception

Malathi Rangarajan of The Hindu wrote, "Worthy performances make [Muthukku Muthaaga] watchable, and topping the list in the acting category are Saranya and Ilavarasu, who play the parents of five sons. Madhuravan scores with a fairly neat narration". The New Indian Express wrote, "Repeating the same theme from film to film, the director seems to have exhausted all his ideas. It's better that he re-invent himself and shift genres". Sify wrote that the film "could have been made into a smash hit daily soap had it been pitched to a small screen producer", and noted its lack of originality. The critic praised the performances of Ilavarasu, Saranya and Singampuli, but felt Oviya and Monica were wasted, and criticised the music.