Karuthamuthu
Karuthamuthu ( 'Black pearl') was a 2014 Indian television Malayalam language series, which premiered on 20 October 2014 on Asianet channel. It is the second longest running television soap opera in Malayalam television completing successful telecasting for five years with 1,450 episodes and four seasons. Karuthamuthu started off with story of a black-skinned lady, her life tribulations and story with Kishor Satya and Premi Viswanath in the leading cast. Kishor Satya, Renu Soundar and Akshara Kishor played the lead role of season 2 which portrays on the story of "Balamol" (the daughter of Dr. Balachandran and Karthika). Darshana Das  and Rini Raj plays the lead role in Season 3 which dealt the trials and tribulations of "Balamol" and "Podimol" (the daughter of Jayachandran and Kanya). Pradeep Chandran as Abhiram IPS. Finally, Season 4 portrayed the story of "Muthu" (Abhiram-Bala's daughter) played by Baby Kezhiya retaining the same cast of previous season. The show had highest TRP rating in the beginning and towards the last season rating decrease which force the channel to stop the serial. It is the first Malayalam show to be remade in five languages (Telugu, Kannada, Hindi,Bengali Marathi and Tamil). The show has  been retelecast in Asianet Plus in the noon slot of 1.00PM IST since 15 June 2020, but was later cancelled due to low ratings. Plot. Season 1. Karthika, a dark-skinned girl, is treated badly by her fair-skinned sister. She marries Balachandran but has to fight societal and family pressures in order to lead a happy married life. Season 2. Nathan finds Karthu and her daughter roaming around in streets of Tamil Nadu and takes them back but Karthu is physically ill and admits her in a hospital without being into others eyes. The series takes a twist with  Bala's arrival to Kaipamangalam. Everyone refuses her except Balan. Later, Balachandran and family learn that Balamol is his own daughter at the same time Karthu's presence on the other hand Mareena and Balan's marriage was fixed, cruel Mareena learns that Balan is making a fool of her and plans to kill him. Mareena and Karthu's step-father know that Karthu and her daughter is alive. They plan to kill them without anyone knowing about it. After an accident, Karthu loses her memory and is taken care by Dr. Arun, his mother wants him to marry Paru  (Karthu). In an attempt to kill Balan unfortunately Jayan is killed by Mareena and Kanya becomes mentally unstable and later she gives birth to a baby girl. Balan suffers from cancer and leaves to Canada. Finally after series of events Kanya kills Mareena and is imprisoned. Podimol cared for by Karthu who remember her past and is back to Kaipamangalam finally Balan, Karthu and Bala reunite. Mareena's ghost started attacking payyans but everything was just a mirage. According to an astrologer's findings, Kunjusekharan becomes worried about Podimol as he predicted that Bala and Podimol cannot survive together  at a place. Kunjusekhara mislead Kanya who came back but returns to her house with her baby. Season 3. Balachandrika becomes the sub collector of the city and story goes around her life. Now the story turn to show the relationship between Balamol and Podimol. Balamol being a collector catches Podimols's wrongdoings and forms an instant dislike towards her, despite Bala's soft heart. Bala and Abhiram are in love with each other from quite a long time, but Podimol loves Abhiram, too. Bala secretly marries her long-time lover Abhiram, without Podimol's knowledge. Later Bala's family  reveals that Podimol is Bala's cousin and suddenly out of nowhere Bala suddenly starts caring for her, even though Podimol doesn't know that Bala is married to her dear. Bala accidentally promises Podimol to get her love. Aromal, Bala's cousin tries to convey the message to Podimol that Bala is already married to her love. Podimol rejects this idea saying that her blood, her sister won't let her fail. On the other hand, Bala and Abhiram spend time secretly with each other in the fear of Gayathri learning about their marriage. Abhiram and Bala are keen  on spending time with each other but cannot due to fate. Meanwhile, Bala conceives and Podimol learns of it later. She decided to die but Bala saved her. After treatment under Dr. Arun, she got fine and marry Ganesh, a gentleman whose mom is a horrible woman. Balan died before the wedding and everyone found out two days after the wedding. Bala does all the rituals of her father who left for his heavenly abode. She faints and gets admitted in the hospital where she experiences severe pains. Her condition becomes critical when she is pushed from the stretcher  by a person sent by Kunju Shekharan. However, she survives the attack. Bala and Abhiram are blessed with a baby girl. The family rejoices. Meanwhile, Gayathri faces ill treatment from her mother-in-law who constantly berates her. However, her husband is supportive. Season 4. It portrayed the story of Muthu, the daughter of Abhiram and Bala.