Dhanam is a movie that reveals the bad and good side of society and law enforcement - courageously breaking caste perceptions and showing how astrology can and is manipulated for selfish interests.
Dhanam is a s*x w*rker who is a do-gooder to the people in her neighborhood. While many men view her as an object for their lust, economically poor men in the neighborhood regard her as their sister, mother, and an angel who helps sate their hunger and protect their children.
A college student falls in love with Dhanam and expresses interest to marry her after approaching her as a customer. Dhanam refuses him. When he takes her to meet his conservative Brahmin family, they disapprove his choice of a bride.
The family's astrologer tells them that Dhanam is the lucky charm that would bring windfall to the family. So, the conservative Brahmin family keeps their caste pride and their norms aside and agrees to the marriage - not because they suddenly believe in equality - it was all for money.
Few movies portray this kind of greed of the oppressive castes - and the hypocrisy they practice, proving that money can make them do anything.
The family's trusted astrologer isn't honest either - he wants to sleep with Dhanam so he ensnared her in the family that dances to his tunes to coerce Dhanam into fulfilling his sick wish. He leveraged astrology for his lust for the innocent woman who just wanted to live.
So, Dhanam gets married and moves into the agraharam (Brahmin neighborhood). The married Brahmin men in the area habitually ogle at her. Her brother-in-law asks her to come with him to a hotel so he could quench his lust on her. Dhanam remains resilient and graceful in handling all these "upper caste" perverts.
When the women in the Brahmin household douse the dishes that were touched by Dhanam in turmeric water, she asks her husband: "I've touched you too. Will they also douse you in turmeric water?"
The astrologer continues to harass Dhanam - even when she's pregnant. He threatens her that if she wouldn't give in, he'll use his stranglehold on the family to sabotage her.
Dhanam never panders to the astrologer's sick want. So, he tells the Brahmin family that Dhanam's newborn daughter is a bringer of bad luck. Believing him, the family kills Dhanam's child.
Dhanam is devastated and enraged. She locks herself in a room, refusing to eat. When the astrologer asks her again, she agrees to do as he says.
Dhanam convinces the family that she's reconciled and offers to cook lunch. Everyone, including the astrologer eats from Dhanam's hand - unbeknownst to them, Dhanam had poisoned the food. The entire family and the astrologer die.
Everyone, including the police, knows that Dhanam killed all eight people who committed unspeakable injustice to her. But they believed that Dhanam has been through enough.
The police understood the mother's anger. They also speak about how tradition and astrology ruined Dhanam's life. The CID and the justice system decide to use their heart instead of rigid law and release Dhanam. She goes back to the life she led before marriage.
I don't think I've seen a braver story told in Tamil cinema. Not only the film portrays a pr0stitute's pain and resignation, it also illustrates something many people are afraid to say: "upper castes" aren't the definition of goodness and belief in astrology is destructive.
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