16 Vayathinile

16 Vayathinile (16 வயதினிலே)
Directed by : Bharathiraja
Produced by : S. A. Rajkannu
Written by : Bharathiraja
Starring : Kamal Haasan,Rajinikanth,Sridevi and Kanthimathi
Music by : Ilaiyaraaja
Release date : 15 September 1977
Running time : 139 mins
Language : Tamil

16 Vayathinile (English: At the Age of Sixteen) (Tamil: 16 வயதினிலே) is a 1977 Tamil feature film directed by Bharathiraja. The film stars Kamal Haasan, Rajinikanth and Sridevi. The film’s score and soundtrack are composed by Ilaiyaraaja. The film marked Bharathiraja’s debut as a filmmaker/screenwriter and it met with a strong critical reception upon release.Cinematography by P. S. Nivas. It was also Rajinikanth’s first color film. This is the first film which changed the melodrama of Tamil films shooting inside the studios and sets. The film was completely shot in outdoor locations and marked a new era in Tamil cinema. The film won four State Awards and one each in the South Filmfare Awards and National Film Awards ceremonies.

This film revolves around a young, beautiful 16-year-old girl, Mayil (played by Sridevi), filled with ambitions of becoming a teacher. She is an attractive, intelligent woman living in a small society and experiences ripe love when sees the new veterinarian who has come to visit. Many are impressed by this charming young fellow who has entered the village. He seems to be a wealthy, prosperous man and soon develops a relationship with Mayil. Mayil, who is deeply in love, sacrifices her opportunity to study in the teaching college course to spend time with him. But his intentions are not pure and he dumps Mayil after exploiting her.
Mayil’s mother also passes away, leaving her only with distant cousin Chappani for support. Chappani (Kamal Haasan), a village bumpkin, is taken advantage of and isolated by the society. He is secretly in love with Mayil, but is jealous and upset about the vet. Another important character is the village roughie Parattai (Rajinikanth) who also has an eye on Mayil. How Mayil lives and whom she chooses as her man forms the rest of the story.

The theme of this emotive story is to show how vulnerable women are at the age of sweet sixteen, the age of love. This story conveys strong themes and depicts an issue faced by many young women in same situation as Mayil, all over the world…

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