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Metti
Metti
	Poster
Directed by	Mahendran
Written by	Mahendran
Based on	Metti; by Mahendran
Produced by	Ganeshan
Starring	Sarath Babu; C. R. Vijayakumari; Radhika; Vadivukkarasi; Rajesh
Cinematography	Ashok Kumar
Edited by	B. Lenin
Music by	Ilaiyaraaja
Production; company	Rose Arts
Release date	14 January 1982;
Running time	121 minutes
Country	India
Language	Tamil

Metti (/mɛttiː/ transl. Toe Ring) is a 1982 Indian Tamil-language film written and directed by Mahendran. The film stars Sarath Babu, C. R. Vijayakumari, Radhika, Vadivukkarasi and Rajesh.^[1] It is based on Mahendran's novel of the same name that was serialised in the magazine Chaavi.^[2] The film was released on 14 January 1982.^[3]

Plot

Pattabhi arrives on the scene looking to rent a house. He befriends a tea seller and an all purpose broker, who takes him to Kalyani amma's house. When he meets her, Pattabhi reveals that he is the son of Kalyani's estranged husband and that he has come to expiate for his father's sins. Kalyani allows him to rent a room in her house and Pattabhi meets his two sisters Sulekha and Preetha, who is dressed as a Gujarathi woman. The house does not belong to Kalyani amma but is instead owned by a Gujarathi man who is usually away. Then the mother reveals in a private conversation to Pattabhi that she is in fact accused of infidelity by the neighbours, who advise Preetha to dress like a Gujarathi. Pattabhi tries to get close to his sister. Vijayan a writer is the other tenant in the house, and he is in love with Preetha. Sulekha works at a factory and here a co worker professes his love for her. In the course of the film the two daughters come to know of the bad reputation foisted on to the mother and they demand that they all vacate the house which is owned by the Gujarathi. The mother replies that one can never escape from shame and curiously commits suicide. Sulekha decides against the wishes of Pattabhi to marry the co worker who appears dubious. After her marriage she moves to Bombay, and a tearful Preetha meets pattabhi with a letter from Sulekha where she recounts the horror of her marriage. Pattabhi rushes to Bombay and rescues her. On her return, Vijayan has a change of heart and chooses to remarry Sulekha instead. Pattabhi is keen to hear the sound of Metti in the house again which he feels died with Kalyani. He rushes out to buy the metti, but Sulekha can no longer wear it as she is bedridden. The estranged drunken father enters the scene and is the cause for some more trouble in the film. Preetha asks Patthabhi to find her a husband. During the wedding Pattabhi realises that he had forgotten to buy the Metti and he rushes out to buy it. On his way back, he is distracted by his father which proves fatal. The film closes with Preetha wearing the Metti and calling out to her brother repeatedly.

Cast

Sarath Babu as Pattabhi^[1]
C. R. Vijayakumari as Kalyani^[1]
Radhika as Preetha^[1]
Vadivukkarasi as Sulekha^[1]
Rajesh as Vijayan
Senthamarai as Shanmugam
Vennira Aadai Moorthy as Thangam
Tambaram Lalitha as Kalyani's neighbour
Kumarimuthu as the tea master
Master Raja

Soundtrack

The music was composed by Ilaiyaraaja.^[4]^[5] The track "Metti Oli Kaatrodu" is set in the raga Jog.^[6]

Track listing
No.	Title	Lyrics	Singer(s)	Length
1.	"Metti Oli Kaatrodu"	Gangai Amaran	Ilaiyaraaja, S. Janaki	4:44
2.	"Metti Metti"	Mathukkoor Kannan	Brahmanandam, Sasirekha, chorus	3:37
3.	"Santhakavigal"	Gangai Amaran	Brahmanandam	4:16
4.	"Kalyanam Ennai"	Gangai Amaran	Jency, Rajesh, Radhika, chorus	4:51
Total length:				17:28

Reception

Sindhu Jeeva of Kalki praised the acting of the cast, Ilaiyaraaja's music, Ashok Kumar's cinematography and Mahendran's direction.^[7]

Legacy

On the centenary of Indian cinema in April 2013, News18 (then known as IBN Live) included Metti in its list, "The 100 greatest Indian films of all time".^[8]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Ge, Krupa (17 April 2019). "Mahendran's 'Metti': A rare film that lets women be women". The New Indian Express. Archived from the original on 22 March 2024. Retrieved 22 March 2024.
^ சந்திரமோகன், வெ. (9 October 2015). "காற்றில் கலந்த இசை 25 - தரை மீது சிணுங்கும் மெல்லொலி". Hindu Tamil Thisai (in Tamil). Archived from the original on 13 April 2023. Retrieved 13 April 2023.
^ Mahendran (2013) [2004]. சினிமாவும் நானும் [Cinema and I] (in Tamil). Karpagam Publications. p. 344. OCLC 54777094.
^ "Metti". AVDigital. Archived from the original on 21 October 2021. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
^ "Metti". Gaana. Archived from the original on 2 January 2023. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
^ Sundararaman (2007) [2005]. Raga Chintamani: A Guide to Carnatic Ragas Through Tamil Film Music (2nd ed.). Pichhamal Chintamani. OCLC 295034757.
^ சிந்து-ஜீவா (31 January 1982). "மெட்டி". Kalki (in Tamil). p. 16. Archived from the original on 13 April 2023. Retrieved 12 April 2023 – via Internet Archive.
^ "100 Years of Indian Cinema: The 100 greatest Indian films of all time". News18. 17 April 2013. Archived from the original on 13 August 2019. Retrieved 10 March 2023.