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{{Short description|1994 film by Bharathiraja}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2021}}
{{Use Indian English|date=June 2021}}
{{Infobox film
| image = Karuthamma poster.jpg
| caption = Theatrical release poster
| director = [[Bharathiraja]]
| screenplay = Bharathiraja
| story = M. Rathnakumar
| starring = [[Raja (Tamil actor)|Raja]]<br />[[Rajashree (actress)|Rajashree]]<br />[[Maheswari]]
| cinematography = [[Ilavarasu]]
| editing = K. Pazhanivel
| music = [[A. R. Rahman]]
| studio = Vetrivel Creations
| released = {{Film date|df=y|1994|11|3}}
| runtime = 153 minutes{{Sfn|Rajadhyaksha|Willemen|1998|p=520}}
| country = India
| language = Tamil
}}

'''''Karuthamma''''' is a 1994 Indian [[Tamil language|Tamil]]-language [[Drama (film and television)|drama film]] produced and directed by [[Bharathiraja]] from a story by M. Rathnakumar. The film stars [[Raja (Tamil actor)|Raja]], [[Rajashree (actress)|Rajashree]] and [[Maheswari]], with [[Saranya Ponvannan|Saranya]], [[Periyar Dasan]], [[Ponvannan]], [[Vadivukkarasi]], Vaani, [[Vadivelu]], and [[Janagaraj]] in supporting roles. It is set in a village where [[Female infanticide in India|female infanticide]] is prevalent and encouraged, but the title character is against the practice. The music was scored by [[A. R. Rahman]] with cinematography by [[Ilavarasu]] and editing by K. Pazhanivel.

''Karuthamma'' was released on 3 November 1994 and became a commercial success. It won three [[National Film Awards]] (including [[National Film Award for Best Film on Family Welfare|Best Film on Family Welfare]]), four [[Tamil Nadu State Film Awards]] (including [[Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Film Portraying Woman in Good Light|Best Film Portraying Woman in Good Light]]) and the [[Filmfare Award for Best Film – Tamil]]. The film brought widespread attention to the practice of female infanticide and compelled the government at national and state levels to enact various laws to curb this practice.

== Plot ==
{{Long plot|date=November 2020}}
Mokkatha, the wife of Mokkaiyan, a farmer in Pottalpetti village, is in labour. They already have two daughters and are keen to have a son; two daughters born earlier were killed soon after birth by feeding them with poisonous cactus extract. Unable to pay hefty dowries for their daughters' marriages, the villagers consider female infanticide acceptable. A new school teacher, Soosai, feels sad on learning about this practice. When Mokkatha delivers a girl again, Mokkaiyan orders the village midwife Mooli to kill the baby. Mooli reluctantly tries to feed the cactus extract to the baby at a secluded place. Soosai notices this, meets her, and requests to hand over the infant so that he can raise her. She hands over the infant, and he moves away from the village.

Years later, Stephen, a veterinarian, comes to the village. Mokkaiyan's first daughter Ponnatha is married to Thavasi, the son of Mokkaiyan's nefarious sister Kaliamma. The second daughter, Karuthamma, takes care of the family. After getting into some tiff with Stephen, Karuthamma falls in love with him.

Ponnatha has two daughters and is pregnant for the third time. As a girl is born again, Kaliamma orders to kill it. To save her child, Ponnatha escapes with her baby and is chased by Thavasi, who beats her to death; the child also dies. He and Kaliamma lie that Ponnatha committed suicide as her third child was also a girl. Karuthamma, devastated by the death of her sister, does not believe this story. Ponnatha had earlier expressed her fear to her that if she delivered a girl again, Kaliamma would kill her.

When Karuthamma is giving a ceremonial bath to Ponnatha's body, she notices bloodstains on her abdomen. Concluding that she was murdered, Karuthamma stops the funeral and rushes to tell the police. The village chairman Chellamuthu, who is close to Thavasi, asks the police not to intervene, and they comply. Karuthamma refuses to leave the station. Stephen, who was passing by, threatens action against the police if they do not act on her complaint, as he is also a government employee. With no option, the police takes Ponnatha's body away and arrests Thavasi and Kaliamma.

Rosy, a doctor, comes to meet her close relative Stephen. Her presence and closeness with Stephen are misunderstood by Karuthamma. Rosy loves Stephen, but he only likes her. Kaliamma's husband celebrates her arrest by drinking with Mokkaiyan, who is not used to liquor. Mokkaiyan suffers a paralytic attack and loses control of his limbs. Rosy tends to him, and in the process gets attached to Mokkaiyan and Karuthamma.

A few weeks later, when Thavasi and Kaliamma get bail, they come to attack Karuthamma, but Stephen saves her. Chellamuthu manipulates the villagers into accepting Thavasi's proposal that Karuthamma must marry Thavasi to take care of Ponnatha's daughters (by which the police case will also be closed). Chellamuthu, who has lent money to Mokkaiyan, threatens and seeks immediate repayment if he does not accept this proposal.

Thavasi's father realises that his son is using the young children as bait and takes away the children with him one night. However, he is caught by Thavasi, who, motivated by Chellamuthu, burns his father to death. Thavasi takes the children away and forces Karuthamma to come with him to their village to marry him. Shocked with all this, Mokkaiyan consumes poison and is on his deathbed.

When Rosy expresses her love to Stephen, he gets surprised and states that he loves Karuthamma. Rosy is shocked as she was keen to marry him and decides to move away from the village. When the villagers ask her to treat Mokkaiyan, who is fighting for his life, she does not as she is keen to leave. When her father Soosai arrives, Mooli realises that he is the same person who took Mokkiayan's third daughter. Mooli reveals to Rosy that Mokkaiyan is her real father, and Soosai also confirms it. Rosy treats Mokkaiyan, who now realises his mistake of killing female infants without realising their worth.

Karuthamma, on the eve of her wedding, demands to see the children taken away earlier by Thavasi's father. However, Thavasi is unable to show his children (as they were taken by Chellamuthu to use them as bait to force himself on Karuthamma). That night, Chellamuthu makes Thavasi drunk and asks him to spare Karuthamma for that night. Thavasi agrees in a drunken state, which is overheard by Karuthamma, who also learns that Thavasi had killed his own father. When Chellamuthu goes to meet Karuthamma, she is well prepared to meet him. She murders him and then Thavasi. After saving Ponnatha's children, who were locked inside a box, she returns to her village. Realising that Rosy is her own sister, Karuthamma asks her to look after the children and their father and leaves with the police. Stephen decides to wait for her.

== Cast ==
{{cast listing|
* [[Raja (Tamil actor)|Raja]] as Stephen<ref name="cast" />
* [[Rajashree (actress)|Rajashree]] as Karuthamma<ref name="cast" />
* [[Maheswari]] as Rosy<ref name="cast" />
* [[Saranya Ponvannan|Saranya]] as Ponnatha<ref name="cast" />
* [[Periyar Dasan]] as Mokkaiyan<ref name="cast" />
* Kamala Sekhar as Chellamuthu{{sfn|Dhananjayan|2014|p=337}}
* [[Janagaraj]] as Kaliamma's husband{{sfn|Dhananjayan|2014|p=337}}
* [[Vadivelu]] as Sevalaikaalai
* [[Ponvannan]] as Thavasi<ref name="cast" />
* [[Vadivukkarasi]] as Kaliamma<ref name="cast" />
* [[S. N. Lakshmi]] as Mooli<ref name="cast" />
* Vaani as Mokkatha{{sfn|Dhananjayan|2014|p=336}}
* Theni K. Murugan as Sudalai
;Uncredited
* [[R. Sundarrajan]] as Soosai{{sfn|Dhananjayan|2014|p=336}}
* [[Theni Kunjarammal]] as a villager<ref>{{Cite web |date=18 April 2008 |title=நடிகை தே‌னி கு‌ஞ்சரம்மா‌ள் உட‌ல் தகன‌‌ம்! |url=https://tamil.webdunia.com/regional-tamil-news/%E0%AE%A8%E0%AE%9F%E0%AE%BF%E0%AE%95%E0%AF%88-%E0%AE%A4%E0%AF%87%E2%80%8C%E0%AE%A9%E0%AE%BF-%E0%AE%95%E0%AF%81%E2%80%8C%E0%AE%9E%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%9A%E0%AE%B0%E0%AE%AE%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%AE%E0%AE%BE%E2%80%8C%E0%AE%B3%E0%AF%8D-%E0%AE%89%E0%AE%9F%E2%80%8C%E0%AE%B2%E0%AF%8D-%E0%AE%A4%E0%AE%95%E0%AE%A9%E2%80%8C%E2%80%8C%E0%AE%AE%E0%AF%8D-108041800019_1.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250702085656/https://tamil.webdunia.com/regional-tamil-news/%E0%AE%A8%E0%AE%9F%E0%AE%BF%E0%AE%95%E0%AF%88-%E0%AE%A4%E0%AF%87%E2%80%8C%E0%AE%A9%E0%AE%BF-%E0%AE%95%E0%AF%81%E2%80%8C%E0%AE%9E%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%9A%E0%AE%B0%E0%AE%AE%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%AE%E0%AE%BE%E2%80%8C%E0%AE%B3%E0%AF%8D-%E0%AE%89%E0%AE%9F%E2%80%8C%E0%AE%B2%E0%AF%8D-%E0%AE%A4%E0%AE%95%E0%AE%A9%E2%80%8C%E2%80%8C%E0%AE%AE%E0%AF%8D-108041800019_1.htm |archive-date=2 July 2025 |access-date=2 July 2025 |website=Webdunia |language=ta}}</ref>
}}

== Production ==
The film was titled after [[Bharathiraja]]'s mother.<ref>{{Cite web |date=21 January 2013 |title=Who's who of Tamil film world congregate in city |url=http://timesofindia.com/city/madurai/Whos-who-of-Tamil-film-world-congregate-in-city/articleshow/18107898.cms |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201124125254/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/madurai/Whos-who-of-Tamil-film-world-congregate-in-city/articleshow/18107898.cms |archive-date=24 November 2020 |access-date=6 February 2017 |website=[[The Times of India]] |location=[[Madurai]]}}</ref> [[Periyar Dasan]], who worked as a professor in [[Pachaiyappa's College]], made his acting debut with this film, as did [[Rajashree (actress)|Rajashree]] and [[Maheswari]];<ref>{{Cite web |date=7 February 2017 |title=சாதனை புரிந்த தமிழ் படங்கள் – 281 – எஸ்.கணேஷ் |url=http://www.dinamalarnellai.com/web/news/22411 |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://archive.today/20201128120615/http://www.dinamalarnellai.com/web/news/22411 |archive-date=28 November 2020 |access-date=28 November 2020 |website=[[Dinamalar]] |place=Nellai |language=Ta}}</ref> Rajashree's voice was dubbed by [[Radhika Sarathkumar|Radhika]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=6 November 2019 |title=''மகேஸ்வரிக்கும், எனக்கும் ஒரு பெரிய ஆசை... அதை பாரதிராஜா சார்கிட்ட சொன்னப்ப''-'கருத்தம்மா' ராஜஸ்ரீ |url=https://cinema.vikatan.com/tamil-cinema/actress-rajashree-shares-her-experience-about-karuthamma-movie |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20201128115515/https://cinema.vikatan.com/tamil-cinema/actress-rajashree-shares-her-experience-about-karuthamma-movie |archive-date=28 November 2020 |access-date=28 November 2020 |website=[[Ananda Vikatan]] |language=ta}}</ref> Kamala Sekhar, the film's art director, also portrayed the village chairman Chellamuthu.<ref name="IE review" /> Initially, Bharathiraja wanted to cast [[Vijayakumar (Tamil actor)|Vijayakumar]]'s second daughter Anita as Rosy but Vijayakumar and her mother [[Manjula Vijayakumar]] refused because Anita wanted to study medicine; the role went to Maheswari.<ref>{{Cite web |date=15 May 2024 |title=பாரதிராஜாவின் இந்த பிளாக்பஸ்டர் ஹிட் படம் அனிதா விஜயகுமார் நடிக்க வேண்டியதா? நல்ல சான்ஸை மிஸ் பண்ணிட்டாங்களே! |url=https://tamil.asianetnews.com/gallery/gallery/anitha-vijayakumar-is-the-first-choice-for-bharathiraja-karuthamma-movie-gan-sdij0m |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20240607031233/https://tamil.asianetnews.com/gallery/gallery/anitha-vijayakumar-is-the-first-choice-for-bharathiraja-karuthamma-movie-gan-sdij0m%23image2 |archive-date=7 June 2024 |access-date=7 June 2024 |website=[[Asianet News]] |language=ta}}</ref> Although [[B. Kannan]] shot the film, his assistant [[Ilavarasu]] was credited as the film's cinematographer.<ref>{{Cite news |date=22 January 2011 |title=Grill Mill: Ilavarasu |url=http://www.thehindu.com/arts/cinema/article1111529.ece |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230306041209/https://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/Grill-Mill-Ilavarasu/article15529078.ece |archive-date=6 March 2023 |access-date=6 October 2025 |website=[[The Hindu]]}}</ref>

== Music ==
The soundtrack was composed by [[A. R. Rahman]], with lyrics by [[Vairamuthu]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Karuthamma |url=https://avdigital.in/products/karuthamma |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210615091231/https://avdigital.in/products/karuthamma |archive-date=15 June 2021 |access-date=28 November 2020 |website=AVdigital}}</ref> The film marked Rahman's second collaboration with Bharathiraja after ''[[Kizhakku Cheemayile]]'' (1993). As with ''Kizhakku Cheemayile'', the songs in ''Karuthamma'' gained Rahman notice for composing [[Indian folk music|folk music]], contrary to his reputation for composing westernised music.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Yamunan |first=Sruthisagar |date=22 September 2018 |title=Audio master: AR Rahman's 1990 masterwork 'Thiruda Thiruda' is still stealing hearts |url=https://scroll.in/reel/893729/audio-master-ar-rahmans-1990-masterwork-thiruda-thiruda-is-still-stealing-hearts |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210615091328/https://scroll.in/reel/893729/audio-master-ar-rahmans-1990-masterwork-thiruda-thiruda-is-still-stealing-hearts |archive-date=15 June 2021 |access-date=28 November 2020 |website=[[Scroll.in]]}}</ref> The song "Poraale Ponnuthayi" is based on [[Mohanam]] raga.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Mani |first=Charulatha |author-link=Charulatha Mani |date=16 September 2011 |title=A Raga's Journey – Magical Mohanam |url=https://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/a-ragas-journey-magical-mohanam/article2459174.ece |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190823084232/https://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/a-ragas-journey-magical-mohanam/article2459174.ece |archive-date=23 August 2019 |access-date=17 November 2020 |work=[[The Hindu]]}}</ref>

The music of "Poraale Ponnuthayi" was reused for "Gurus of Peace" in the album ''Vande Mataram.''{{sfn|Dhananjayan|2014|page=337}}

{{track listing
| extra_column = Singer(s)
| all_music = [[A. R. Rahman]]
| all_lyrics = [[Vairamuthu]]
| title1 = Thenmerku Paruva Kaatru
| extra1 = [[P. Unnikrishnan]], [[K. S. Chithra]]
| length1 = 05:02
| title2 = Poraale Ponnuthayi
| note2 = Sad
| extra2 = [[Swarnalatha]]
| length2 = 06:22
| title3 = Poraale Ponnuthayi
| extra3 = [[Unni Menon]], [[Sujatha Mohan]]
| length3 = 05:42
| title4 = Pacha Kili Paadum
| extra4 = [[Shahul Hameed]], [[Minmini]]
| length4 = 04:41
| title5 = Kaadu Potta Kaadu
| extra5 = [[Bharathiraja]], [[Malaysia Vasudevan]]
| length5 = 05:33
| title6 = Araro Ariraro
| extra6 = [[T. K. Kala]], [[Theni Kunjarammal]], [[Deepan Chakravarthy]]
| length6 = 01:47
| title7 = Yaar Petha Pillai
| extra7 = [[P. Jayachandran|Jayachandran]]
| length7 = 02:03
}}

== Release ==
''Karuthamma'' was released on 3 November 1994.{{sfn|Dhananjayan|2014|page=336}} The film received critical acclaim{{Sfn|Rajadhyaksha|Willemen|1998|p=60}} and became a commercial success, running for over 100 days in theatres.{{sfn|Dhananjayan|2014|page=338}}

=== Critical reception ===
''[[Ananda Vikatan]]'' mentioned in its review dated 4 December 1994, "Though the subject taken up was delicate, instead of making a documentary, the director has narrated the film, through visuals, which should be appreciated. Bharathiraja must be congratulated for making a heart-wrenching film on a delicate subject without lecturing us on the theme". The film was given 45 marks.{{sfn|Dhananjayan|2014|page=338}} Malini Mannath of ''[[The Indian Express]]'' wrote, "''Karuthamma'' is a film that will move many a human heart."<ref name="IE review" /> K. Vijiyan of ''[[New Straits Times]]'' wrote, "Bharathiraja returns to do what he is best at — telling stories about ordinary village people [...] And in ''Karuthamma'' he has a winner". He also praised the film's humour, a rare feature in Bharathiraja's films.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Vijiyan |first=K. |date=28 November 1994 |title=Powerful tale of female infanticide |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=McdOAAAAIBAJ&sjid=VRMEAAAAIBAJ&pg=3418%2C3254791 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230823024325/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=McdOAAAAIBAJ&sjid=VRMEAAAAIBAJ&pg=3418,3254791 |archive-date=23 August 2023 |access-date=23 April 2021 |work=[[New Straits Times]] |pages=29 |via=[[Google News Archive]]}}</ref> Prince of ''[[Kalki (magazine)|Kalki]]'' lauded Bharathiraja for daring to depict such an atrocious social problem onscreen.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=பிரின்ஸ் |date=4 December 1994 |title=கருத்தம்மா |url=https://kalkionline.com/kalkionline_archive/imagegallery/archiveimages/kalki/1994/dec/04-12-1994/p1.jpg |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20220915081115/https://kalkionline.com/kalkionline_archive/imagegallery/archiveimages/kalki/1994/dec/04-12-1994/p1.jpg |archive-date=15 September 2022 |access-date=26 October 2021 |magazine=[[Kalki (magazine)|Kalki]] |page=1 |language=Ta}}</ref>

=== Accolades ===
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Event
!Award
!Recipient
!{{Abbr|Ref.|References}}
|-
| rowspan="3" |[[42nd National Film Awards|1994 National Film Awards]]
|[[National Film Award for Best Female Playback Singer|Best Female Playback Singer]]
|[[Swarnalatha]] (for "Poraale Ponnuthaayi...")
| rowspan="3" style="text-align: center;" | <ref>{{Cite web |date=1995 |title=42nd National Film Festival |url=http://dff.nic.in/images/Documents/75_42ndNfacatalogue.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200725171953/http://dff.nic.in/images/Documents/75_42ndNfacatalogue.pdf |archive-date=25 July 2020 |access-date=27 November 2020 |publisher=[[Directorate of Film Festivals]]}}</ref>
|-
|[[National Film Award for Best Lyrics|Best Lyricist]]
|[[Vairamuthu]] (for "Poraale Ponnuthaayi...")
|-
|[[National Film Award for Best Film on Family Welfare|Best Film on Family Welfare]]
|[[Bharathiraja]]
|-
| rowspan="4" |1994 [[Tamil Nadu State Film Awards]]
|[[Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Female Playback Singer|Best Female Playback Singer]]
|Swarnalatha (for "Poraale Ponnuthaayi...")
| rowspan="4" style="text-align: center;" | {{sfn|Dhananjayan|2014|page=338}}
|-
|[[Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Lyricist|Best Lyricist]]
|Vairamuthu (for "Poraale Ponnuthaayi...")
|-
|[[Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Actress|Best Actress]]
|[[Rajashree (actress)|Rajashree]]
|-
|[[Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Film Portraying Woman in Good Light]]
|Bharathiraja
|-
|[[42nd Filmfare Awards South]]
|[[Filmfare Award for Best Film – Tamil|Best Film – Tamil]]
|Bharathiraja
| style="text-align: center;" |<ref>{{Cite magazine |date=1995 |title=The 42nd Annual (South) Filmfare Awards |url=https://archive.org/details/42ndFilmfareTamilFilmsWinners |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20170207141045/https://archive.org/details/42ndFilmfareTamilFilmsWinners |archive-date=7 February 2017 |access-date=27 November 2020 |magazine=[[Filmfare]] |via=[[Internet Archive]]}}</ref>
|}

== Legacy ==
=== Societal impact ===
The first film to bring to light the menace of female infanticide on screen, ''Karuthamma'' forced the government at national and state levels to act against this practice and bring in suitable laws to curb it. It became a catalyst for this change in the society,{{sfn|Dhananjayan|2014|page=338}} and was instrumental in "making way for the ban on prenatal sexual identification".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sundaram |first=Nandhu |date=19 July 2018 |title=Karuthamma, Nammavar, Kadhalan, Nattamai – Tamil cinema offered its best in the watershed year of 1994 |url=https://www.firstpost.com/entertainment/karuthamma-nammavar-kadhalan-nattamai-tamil-cinema-offered-its-best-in-the-watershed-year-of-1994-4775931.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180817212007/https://www.firstpost.com/entertainment/karuthamma-nammavar-kadhalan-nattamai-tamil-cinema-offered-its-best-in-the-watershed-year-of-1994-4775931.html |archive-date=17 August 2018 |access-date=24 November 2020 |website=[[Firstpost]]}}</ref>

=== In other films ===
The theme of ''Karuthamma'' found place in other Tamil films, especially in the form of comic scenes or comedy films. In ''[[Kadhal Sadugudu]]'' (2003), a character played by [[Theni Kunjarammal]] tries to kill a female child with poisoned milk. Super Subbu ([[Vivek (actor)|Vivek]]), who sees this, comically remarks that he has been seeing this from the days of ''Karuthamma''.<ref>{{Cite AV media |title=Kadhal Sadugudu |type=motion picture |language=ta |publisher=NIC Arts |year=2003}}{{time needed|date=June 2024}}</ref> Scenes from ''Karuthamma'' have also been parodied in ''[[Tamizh Padam]]'' (2010), in which the theme of female infanticide has been replaced with that of male infanticide. Periyar Dasan reprises his role from the original film.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Nathan |first=Archana |date=2 June 2018 |title=Flashback: CS Amudhan's spoof 'Tamizh Padam' is an honest (and a very funny) Tamil movie |url=https://scroll.in/reel/881053/flashback-cs-amudhans-spoof-thamizh-padam-is-an-honest-and-a-very-funny-tamil-movie |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190810011531/https://scroll.in/reel/881053/flashback-cs-amudhans-spoof-thamizh-padam-is-an-honest-and-a-very-funny-tamil-movie |archive-date=10 August 2019 |access-date=24 November 2020 |website=[[Scroll.in]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=29 January 2020 |title=10 Years of Tamizh Padam: 30 iconic Tamil movie scenes that the hilarious film spoofed |url=https://www.cinemaexpress.com/photos/slideshows/2020/jan/29/10-years-of-thamizh-padam-30-iconic-tamil-movie-scenes-that-the-hilarious-film-spoofed-876.amp |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220208080729/https://www.cinemaexpress.com/photos/slideshows/2020/jan/29/10-years-of-thamizh-padam-30-iconic-tamil-movie-scenes-that-the-hilarious-film-spoofed-876.amp |archive-date=8 February 2022 |access-date=8 February 2022 |website=[[Cinema Express]]}}</ref>

== References ==
<references>
<ref name="cast">{{Cite news |last=Ge |first=Krupa |date=16 July 2019 |title=Ms. Representation: Silver linings |url=https://www.cinemaexpress.com/stories/columns/2019/jul/16/ms-representation-silver-linings-12987.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200705215551/https://www.cinemaexpress.com/stories/columns/2019/jul/16/ms-representation-silver-linings-12987.html |archive-date=5 July 2020 |access-date=27 November 2020 |work=[[Cinema Express]]}}</ref>
<ref name="IE review">{{Cite news |last=Mannath |first=Malini |date=11 November 1994 |title=Rocking the cradle |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=E5JlAAAAIBAJ&pg=1562%2C3762356 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230823024325/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=E5JlAAAAIBAJ&pg=1562,3762356 |archive-date=23 August 2023 |access-date=20 September 2019 |work=[[The Indian Express]] |pages=6 |via=[[Google News Archive]]}}</ref>
</references>

== Bibliography ==
* {{Cite book |last=Dhananjayan |first=G. |author-link=G. Dhananjayan |title=Pride of Tamil Cinema: 1931–2013 |title-link=Pride of Tamil Cinema |publisher=Blue Ocean Publishers |year=2014 |oclc=898765509}}
* {{Cite book |last1=Rajadhyaksha |first1=Ashish |author-link1=Ashish Rajadhyaksha |title=Encyclopaedia of Indian Cinema |last2=Willemen |first2=Paul |author-link2=Paul Willemen |publisher=[[British Film Institute]] and [[Oxford University Press]] |year=1998 |isbn=0-19-563579-5 |orig-date=1994}}

== External links ==
* {{IMDb title}}
* {{Rotten Tomatoes}}

{{Bharathiraja}}
{{Filmfare Award for Best Film – Tamil}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:1990s feminist films]]
[[Category:1994 Tamil-language films]]
[[Category:1994 drama films]]
[[Category:1994 films]]
[[Category:1994 Indian films]]
[[Category:Best Film on Family Welfare National Film Award winners]]
[[Category:Films about mother–daughter relationships]]
[[Category:Films about sex selection in India]]
[[Category:Films about women in India]]
[[Category:Films directed by Bharathiraja]]
[[Category:Films scored by A. R. Rahman]]
[[Category:Films with screenplays by Bharathiraja]]
[[Category:Indian drama films]]
[[Category:Indian feminist films]]
[[Category:Tamil-language drama films]]
[[Category:Tamil-language Indian films]]

Karuthamma - Revision history

Rudratree at 15:10, 10 April 2026