Sakhi

Alaipayuthey is a 2000 Tamil romantic drama film directed by Mani Ratnam, starring Madhavan and Shalini, the film explores the tensions of married life and the maturing of love. The film's score and soundtrack are composed by A. R. Rahman.

The film's story is mostly recollected in flashbacks by the character Karthik (Madhavan). Karthik and Shakti (Shalini) fall in love against the backdrop of Chennai and its suburban trains, against the wishes of their parents. The film was well received by critics and it did well at the Tamil and Telugu box-offices primarily for its music and realistic portrayal of romance and married life. It was dubbed into Telugu as Sakhi.

The film made its European premiere at the Berlin International Film Festival in 2001. It was shown at various film festivals nationally and internationally. It also carried a very popular soundtrack, composed by A. R. Rahman. Alaipayuthey was later remade in Hindi cinema as Saathiya, directed by Shaad Ali in 2002, starring Rani Mukherjee and Vivek Oberoi.

Karthik (Madhavan) is an engineering graduate who happens to lay eyes on Shakti (Shalini), a medical student, at a wedding. The two meet regularly after their that on suburban trains, to and from work and university. Karthik and Shakti eventually fall in love. Karthik's father Varadarajan, a lawyer, learns of the relationship and meets with Shakti's dad Selvaraj. He asks Selvaraj, a railways employee, for his consent to a marriage between the two young lovers. However, upon meeting, the two parents disagree and the wedding is called off. Shakti decides not get married without her parents' consent, and the relationship is called off altogether.

Unable to stay separated for very long, coupled with chance meetings, Karthik and Shakti find themselves resuming their relationship, albeit secretly, without the knowledge of their respective families. They decide to get married, without telling anyone, but carry on living with their parents, hoping that a time will come when both families will see eye to eye and can be told of the development. With the help of their friends, and Shakti's older sister Poorni (Swarnamalya), they marry legally, and they continue to meet without their parents' knowledge.

Poorni gets a engagement proposal soon after. Poorni is willing to marry the suitor - Raghu. The prospective groom's father offers his second son's hand in marriage to Shakti. Shakti's mother Saroja urges her to accept the marriage proposal, unaware of the fact that Karthik and Shakti are already together. Shakti eventually tells the truth, and Poorni's engagement is called off. Karthik and Shakthi are thrown out of their homes.

With the help of friends, Shakti and Karthik move into an apartment, in development. They cope for a while, however it's not too long before the couple start arguing over various issues that the two seemed so much more tolerant of before they got married. The tension escalates. Shakti learns that her father is seriously ill back home. She and Karthik decide it would be best to visit him. Upon arrival they get the news that her father has died. Wracked with guilt, the two return home, their relationship taking a turn for the worse.

The two stop talking to each other. Meanwhile, Karthik takes it upon himself to sort out Poorni's adjourned marriage proposal to Raghu. He arranges a blind date between the two, which initially fails, backfiring on Karthik, however, with more meetings, Poorni and Raghu become closer. This development takes place without Shakti knowing. She and her husband have not spoken to each other for a long time. Karthik waits until Poorni and Raghu's marriage is confirmed before telling Shakti. Poorni is desperate to tell her sister the news herself. Whilst hugging Karthik, thanking him for his efforts, Shakti witnesses their close contact and misunderstands it, leading to an even bigger argument, and a trade of insults.

Shakti eventually learns of her husband's efforts in getting her sister married, and wants to thank him. Karthik sets off to the railway station to get his wife. She had left the hospital where she works and neither is on the train she usually takes. Karthik waits for his wife.

Meanwhile, in a hurry to rush home, Shakti meets with a car accident, which leaves her fighting for her life. She is hit by a car driven by a lady (Kushboo in a special appearance). The woman's husband IAS Officer Yashvardhan (Arvind Swamy) ensures that Karthik is informed about the accident. Finally Karthik meets his wife in the hospital. In these turn of events Karthik understands the true meaning of love. The movie ends with Shakti coming out from coma and hugging Karthik on the hospital bed.

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