Final Episode - Selvi

SELVI
A more unsatisfying finish could scarcely be imagined.

At the end of the previous episode, Selvi receives a letter, which she barely glances at. After all the ceremonies are over, she opens the letter, and disovers it is from Tamarai! What does it say? A complete apology, how blind she had been, and how disappointed that Selvi did not come to see her in jail, so that she could apologize to her in person. She had all along misunderstood Selvi's sacrifice,and not heeded her warnings. GJ had come to jail to visit, but not her, just Maya.  He told her how he had managed to separate the two of us, and succeeded in treating me and sending me to jail.  He promised her that from now on he was going to live with her.  Selvi, my friend, my children should not be allowed to live with him anymore.  You must take them away from him and raise them yourself.

After reading this, the fat one heads straight to GJ's  residence.  There she shows him the letter. He crumbles as he reads it and at the end, tries to tear it up.  One would have thought she would have the foresight to take a Xerox copy instead of the original. Anyhow, she manages to grab the letter before he can tear it.  Then she proceeds on an elaborate definition of what a husband and wife relationship is, quoting from the Manu Smriti, no less. The kids show up around this time and are listening.  At the end of all this she says she will not let the kids stay with him anymore.  He says nothing she says that will be the appropriate punishment for him.  The kids speak with their feet and go up to her saying "Father is a bad man.  Let us go with Selvi amma." The three of them walked out of the house.

This gives new meaning to the expression, damp squib.

Dec 27

KOLANGAL
Abhi comes to the office, and finds her labor contractor waiting. He accuses her of cheating the poor workers, when she claims she had to give the 1 lakh rupees for some urgent need. While this is getting ugly, Bhaskar turns up, and throws a bundle at the contractor, asking him to take the money and get out. Abhi is suprised. Bhaskar later tells her he felt responsible for her plight,and borrowed the money.

At Bhaskar's home, his mother Alamelu invites Suresh in for a snack. Then she tells him Abhi actually took the money, otherwise, why should she have paid it off? Suresh is pondering this, when she takes off to attend to something. The remote control doesn't work, so he gets bored and leaves without saying anything. Her daugher comes to Alamelu and says she has to go to a friend's wedding, and can she have the diamond necklace please?  Her mother says, why do you want to advertise that you have a diamond necklace, especially in light of what has happened recently (the Kala incident). the daughter insists.  Mother says it is in the Bureau,look under the two piles of clothes on the second shelf.the daughter looks and, predictably there is nothing.  She calls the mother who looks also and gets in a fit upon not finding it.  She suspects that it was Suresh who saw the bureau  unlocked, saw his opportunity, and made away with the necklace.  She runs out of the house yelling that she will have Suresh's hide.

Anjali is walking down the road fiancé pulls up in a car.  He has a secret he wants to share with her.  He has always wanted to enter the police force.  He had applied and now he has been selected.  This means he doesn't have to move to Bombay.  He asks our to come and celebrate at a restaurant.  All this is being seen from a distance by Maddy.  He follows them to the restaurant, and approaches them suddenly.  Introducing himself, he claims to be Anjali's dance teacher.  He says he is a photographer too.  anjali is distressedbut there is not much shecan do. She is afraid that while the photographs in the album she's seeing him show her future husbandis that of her.  After giving her a good fight, Maddy suddenly withdraws the photo album, saying that the rest are out of focus.  Then he takes leave.  When Arjun steps out to take a phone call, Maddy reappears, and threatens Anjali but unless he gets his money, these photographs will be plastered outside her wedding hall.  She pleads with him, and says she will somehow arrange the money.

SELVI
 not much, just images of various people crying over Tamarai's demise.  In the end, people have crowded around a picture of Tamarai at Sevli's House.  G. J. enters.  Sylvie looks  with daggersat him.\

Dec 26

KOLANGAL
Abhi comes home, and faces criticism from all over her foolishness. If someone gave money to someone else, and the latter claimed to have given it to you, why prove it by returning the money? Abhi tries to explain, then gives up.

Usha gets a call from Maddy. Goes to Bangalore to try and get money from her parents (see reference above to having someone else pay for someone else's mistakes). Father, fortunately, has lost his fortune, so no question of asking him for money.

SELVI
Selvi gets the news from Aishwarya, goes into shock. Hospital scuffle between Tamarai's brother's and father on one side and GJ on the other. Nagendran tells GJ and Tamarai's family that the post-mortem is taking place, and the body will be handed back shortly. My own guess, judging from the tawdry acting in the episode today, is that the whole matter is a ploy by Nagendran to get GJ to confess.

Dec 25, 2006: A Christmas Day Crucifiction

KOLANGAL
Abhi gets a loan at high interest for paying her 'labors' (laborers), but, when called by her uncle to settle the claim by Kala and family, she relents and pays the one lakh to them. The reason: she wants to prevent them from making a scene at her office.

Ranjan gets details about Abhi constructions from Ganga. He tries to maro line, she doesn't give him any lift. Ramachandran watches from afar and later informs him that her heart is with Tolkappian. For telling him this, Ranjan makes him his PA from now on.

SELVI (Leaving us hanging)
Totally unexpected development. Tamarai overhears all, and all the warnings Selvi has given her flash through her head. All the pleadings of others like her father, Prabanjan, Niranjan, even Amar, saying that GJ was a fraud, zip through her mind.

Meanwhile, Selvi wakes suddenly in the middle of the night, saying she had a bad dream about Tamarai, she wants to see her immediately. Tamarai's father calms her down and gives her a glass of water and asks her to sleep.

At Malar's she tells herself that she has isolated Amar, and could easily kill him now, but that's not enough. He and his family must be made to come to the street without anything, as they made her family do.

A prisoner walks down the corridor, and finds a hanging figure. He runs to the jail warden, and says the new prisoner, Tamarai, has hanged herself. The superintendent calls the hospital for an ambulance, and tries to hush up the case as an accident, although, the prisoner says, she has hanged herself by her saree.

GJ gets a phone call in the middle of the night. Fine piece of acting. GJ's ambiguity between mild goodness and amorality is always well portrayed by him. Once again he reveals a natural combination of guilt, shock and indifference as he gets the news.

Up to Dec 22

Kolangal

Kala's family comes to her home to celebrate her daughter's coming-of-age.  The conversation turns to the 100,000 rupees that her father had given her.  She says that Alamelu promised to invest it for a good interest, but now is refusing to give it back, saying she had invested it in Abhi's company, which was now in financial trouble.  Kala's brothers and father are aghast and insist that they go to Alamelu's to settle the matter right now.

When they go to Alamelu's house, she dismisses them saying that she had already told Kala the money was being invested in a company, which meant it required at least three months notice to be returned, especially as it was being returned before maturity.  She advises them to seek redress from Abhi herself.

They head to Abhi's house, where her mother and Aarati express complete surprise at this news.  Unfortunately for them, uncle Tiruvengadam happens to be there too.  He pacifies all sides by saying that he will arbitrate this at his house.  He asks aarati to call Abhi and ask her to come to his house.

Meanwhile, Abhi is trying to raise the money to satisfy Ranjan's demands.  She goes to a financier, one who, finally, appears to be sympathetic to her cause. She explains her problems to him, and he promises to get her the money in a few days.  When she is gone, Ranjan appears and tells the financier to string her along. Back in the office, Abhi gets a call from Aarati  telling her about this new problem and asks her to go to her uncle's house.

Selvi
Tamarai overhears GJ's spilling his guts to Maya.  Her face contorts in anger and pain.

New developments at Amar's. Malar is sobbing.  When Amar asks her the reason, she says is too shameful to tell.  Then, reluctantly, she tells them how his father had been behaving strangely with her, even to the extent of grasping her hand. Amar confronts his father, who has been out all night, and returns in the morning. Amar interprets this to mean the guilty conscience.his father denies all knowledge of any wrongdoing.  But this is not acceptable to Amar. Finally he declares that either his father will live in this house or he will. Heartbroken, Andavarlingam leaves the home, with just a pot containing Karthan's ashes.

Her mother  congratulates Malar at this coup. Malar is cool, and finally tells her mother that this home is not her place.  She should leave.  She should go and stay with her husband. Malar's mother and two sisters arrive at Selvi's,  seeking refuge.  Her husband also shows up, having been tipped off by Malar. He warns Selvi at her stepmother only knows how to cause trouble.  But Selvi will not listen, and they move in.

Meanwhile, Ranjani's son Raghu, who has been ill for several days, while Sathya refuses to take him to the hospital, is finally admitted by Ranjani. The doctor declares that while the child's life has been saved, he has lost his eyes forever.  With Sathya comes to know of this, he is cool.  A few days later, he runs into a doctor friend of his in whom he confides  The doctor says he should get another test.he takes all the papers including the child's DNA report, to the doctor.  The doctor declares that the child is indeed Sathya's.  Immediately a wave of remorse sweeps through SAthya. He rushes to the hospital.  But Ranjani will not allow him see the child, holding him responsible for the loss of a child's eyes.  He pleads, to no avail. Finally, Ranjani relents,  and he goes to the child's bedside, falling at his feet and apologizing.

Up to Wed, Dec 20

KOLANGAL
Anandi missing, doesn't come home all night. Much agony all around. Finally she pulls up in an auto (award winning performance, managing to find an auto in Chennai in the middle of the night). She says she was with Karthik. When scolded by mother for being out all night, she snaps that Karthik is on her conscience, and if marrying him will cure him, she would do that too!

Maddy blackmails Usha showing photos of Anjali. She agrees to pay him 25 lakhs.

Abhi goes from financier to financier, seeking money. All refuse, citing her criminal background (the time in jail).

SELVI
GJ is out on anticipatory bail, and kicks father in law out of his home, now that Tamarai has transferred it to his name. Nagendran tells Selvi that none of GJ's accomplices, including Govind, are talking, and all the paperwork is in Tamarai's name, so unless Tamarai speaks out, GJ will be out free and she will be in. Selvi says she would like to speak to Tamarai. When She and Dileepan go to the jail, they find GJ there, protesting that they have a prior enmity to him, and would poison his wife's mind. Selvi says he is committing more and more sins. Later GJ hands a petition to the jailor, saying he wants to visit the prisoner.

He goes to the visiting area. "The Prisoner" arrives. She is none other than Maya. GJ sweet-talks her, and says he will marry her, that they will live together. She is pleased. He says he has managed to implicate Tamarai in a case so that she will forever be in jail. In the background, in another cell(?) Tamarai listens in horror.

Dec 18

KOLANGAL
Tolkappian comes to the office. Abhi is sitting at her office, despondent. He asks why she has drifted away from their friendship. She answers elliptically, saying it is not enough that the two of them seek to be friends, as was made clear to her. He tries to ask who said what, but she will not answer. Anyhow, he says he will confront this Ranjan guy and answer force with force, if necessary.

Usha rescues Anjali from Maddy, who has drugged her and wants to tape his molestation of her. Usha beats him up, breaks his nose, and takes Anjali away. Back home, she discovers her son is ill and taken to the hospital. Well now, but Adi is furious at her having left without telling anyone where she went. She cannot explain. Anjali apologizes to her.

SELVI
Kids alone in Tamarai's place (what happened to Grandma?). They don't want to go with Selvi because then, their father will not come to see them (which anyway he is not, as he is  in hiding). Commissioner gives Nagendran full authority to pursue GJ. GJ meets with lawyer, instructs him to make sure all Tamarai's property is transferred to him, and that he gets anticipatory bail.

Week of Dec 15

KOLANGAL
Tolkappian wonders why Abhi has never come to see him after her release. Ganga keeps him in the dark about Abhi's visit when he was recovering, and how it was she who drove Abhi away. Anandi also wonders why, but Abhi deliberately rebuffs her.

Meanwhile, at the office, Rajamani madam appoints her nephew, Ranjan, as her authorized representative to run the project. He gives Abhi 10 days time to complete the project, or he will find someone else, as laid down in the contract. Abhi pleads that this was because of Rajamani madam's insistence on buying the land with the three holdouts. Ranjan says all that is not his concern.

Minister and Selpetta Saroja have a falling out. He asks her brothers to buzz off when they approach him for money, saying that undr th4e new government, goondaism is becoming difficult (now a government monopoly?). Then Saroja herself calls him, but he brushes her off, and she threatens him saying she is watching out for him to slip, and his time will come. You know it will.

SELVI
The serial has moved rapidly from the ridiculous to the boring. A week was devoted to the exchange of child hostages. Now the children are all back to their respective pavilions.

GJ, with Nallathambi's wise counsel, decides to mix fake medicines with real ones in his supplies. As you might expect, one of the victims of the fake medicine is young Kaveri. Others are also affected, including a few deaths. Police, led by Clouseau himself (Nagendran) hunt down the perpetrators, and land up at GJ's factory. The MD is taken into custody (that's Thamarai), and she is in complete shock. GJ, asked by Nallathambi to choose between his freedom and his wife's safety, chooses the former, and goes underground. Selvi says she knew this day would come to pass, and goes to see Tamarai.

Week Ending Dec 8

KOLANGAL
When we last saw, the judge said there was one piece of evidence not yet presented before the court. There is consternation in the courtroom. Judge continues. Upendra gave a dying declaration. Abhi is innocent. I killed both Prabu and my former wife, and another innocent man. As I tried to escape, I got in an accident, which broke my leg and was in an ashram. Tolkappian convinced me and brought me to Madras to exonerate Abhi, and at the court some rowdies stabbed me.

Abhi is released. Goes straight to see Tolkappian. Ganga catches her and says she cannot meet him, because then he would leave Ganga and become heartbroken (don't look at me, I'm just reporting ). Abhi gets a phone call from Rajamani madam, who wants to call a meeting immediately. Abhi says, not tomorrow is the earliest. Rajamani insists, then calls the meeting herself. She says she's going to withdraw from her contract with Abhi, and give the project to her nephew, Ranjan, who's coming back from Singapore.

Sends Ranga to receive Ranjan. Ranjan turns out to be a womanizer. Ganga's car breaks down along the way to the airport, but Ranjan has been picked up by a friend, whom he asks to swerve close to Ranga, when he spots her on the road. He later gets down and apologizes, but Ranga is angry. Later Ranga goes to Rajamani's home to apogize for not being able to meet Ranjan, then sees Ranjan himself there. He says there are files he needs, she says anything, anything, sir.

Tiruvengadam has parleyed his Rs. 15 lakhs into a political post. Easwaran spots his posters, etc., and goes into a meeting being addressed by Tiruvengadam. Some party workers in the audience are saying his sudden rise to prominence is owing to his contribution of Rs. 15 lakhs to the party leader. Easwaran's blood is up. He goes right up and thrashes Tiruvengadam in full public view, accusing him of stealing 15 lakhs. The party workers are all aghast at a man who steals from his own home (they being more familiar with those who steal from others) and this being an inexorable no-no, he is divested of all his party positions.

But Tiruvengadam has the goods on Easwaran, and threatens to reveal all to his current wife and family. Easwaran caves and Tiruvengadam asking for constant support(call it blackmail).

At Abhi's place, Mano and Anu return in due course.  They are received with ill-concealed disgust by the members of the family. Abhi tells Mano she is not angry with him. Anu has brought two sarees , one for her mother-in-law, and the other for Abhi. Mother-in-lawrefuses to take the saree. Tiruvengadam arrives, and tries to play judge.

SELVI
The kid has been kidnapped by Pandian. He says he will let Selvi stew for a couple days before telling her this is what happens if he messes with his daughter.  In the mean time he will call GJ. as soon as he calls G. J., the father in GJ comes to the fore. GJ organizes a rescue party and succeeds in rescuing the child from the kidnapper.  In the process, G. J.'s men have knifed Chellappillai.  Now G. J. has a child.  He tells Tamarai that hereafterthe child will stay with them.  She tries to protest but he overrules her.

The two kids Sachin and Aishwarya run offto Selvi's house and tell her where her child is.  She goes to GJ's place and pleads with him to give her child back.  He refuses.  He says the child is as much his.  She weeps and falls at his feet and begs Tamarai, all to no effect.

There is some idiotic prattle on the click click and Prabanjan front. Click click's mom prescribe their having a kid as a solution to all their problems.

Tamarai's father also went with Selvi to demand the child back.  Both of them were physically hurled out.  He now devises a new plan.  He persuades Sachin and Aishwarya to go  with himto the police station and tell the police that his father is hurting him and that he would rather live with Selvi. GJ and Tamarai are flummoxed by this move.

Dec 1

KOLANGAL
Abhi in court. Usual taunts by Tillai. Tillai is confident that all will turn in his bosses' favor, and calls Adi to report. Abhi is disappointed that her mother hasn't come. Anandhi tactfully lets her know that her mother doesn't believe she's going to get bail. They have on their side (my observation) a lawyer who appears to have an IQ lower than the director's (that's saying something). Trial begins. Imagine this. Three goondas (Mari group) confess to killing two people, Prabu and who they thought was Upendra. The fact that Upendra showed up in court was dismissed as saying they only thought Prabu's companion was Upendra. How is Abhi involved? She paid us and instructed us to kill them, they say. Where is the proof? No one asks. The judge slinks away and returns with a judgement in time for a commercial. When he returns, he mournfully signs the last page of the papers before him, and says...

There is a fresh piece of evidence that hasn't been considered...

SELVI
The kid Kaveri announces that tomorrow is her birthday. Everyone else has forgotten it (of course, if you show up suddenly after five years, that's bound to happen). What does she want? You wait, knowing the hackneyed demand of a zillion children in a zillion movies is right around the corner -- I want my dad. The hug, the tears. Next scene. Selvi is taking Kaveri around to a large clothing store. There are more security guys than clothes. Anyhow, they finish buying up the store and just as they are about to board an auto, Selvi looks around for her daughter, and she is nowhere to be found.

Nov 30

GORANGAL
It is the day of Abhi's trial. A brief flashback of all that has gone wrong in her life runs through her mind, as a fellow inmate advises her to reconcile herself to a long stint in jail, what to do, no, such is life.

Mano is torn between wife and duty. Finally succumbs to wife's promise that the new sambandhi, a judge, can get Abhi freed. Usha and Easwaran try telling him that, not only did he forget about his mother's sickness, today was Abhi's trial, shouldn't he be in court? Wife says, are you going to save her? It is not as though she is going to hang...

After the engagement, Arjun, Kishore and a couple of others get together upstairs for a drink, and persuade Mano to have one also, then two, etc. Finally he passes out. But not before he calls home, and gets Aarati, who makes her usual expression of outrage before banging the phone down.

SELVI
GJ goes to Selvi's house, to ask for the taali back. No way, says Selvi. You may not be anything to me, but I need your taali. What a fine message to the liberated new generation. Taali  is everything. Finally he tries to grab her and take off the taali, an ill advised move. His high school physics teacher would have told him all about the power of inertia, a commodity directly in proportion to mass. In this unequal tussle, Selvi hurls him against the parapet wall, where he struggles to catch his breath. Back home empty handed, he faces the other celestial entity, Tamarai, who says she needs the taali pronto. OK, I'll go to court, says he.

As Prabanjan and click-click are getting set for their wedding night, there is a commotion outside, and old man Pandian awaits, threatening to kill all in sight. Semmangudi (or what's her name) refuses to open the door, and on his insistence, comes back with kerosene which she pours over herself, presumably an 'over my dead body' message.