Thursday, July 15, 2021

MANTHANA - TV SERIAL

 Thursday, 15th July 2021

S N Sethuram

Manthana (Kannadaಮಂಥನ) was a 2007 Indian Kannada soap opera, which aired on ETV Kannada. The serial portrayed the challenges faced by individuals and social classes when they try being thoughtful in their actions ( Manthana literally transliterates as Churning). The show started in 2007. The director is S. N. Sethuram who has acted in T. N. Seetharam's series of Maya Mruga, Manvanthara and Muktha (TV series). He is also a retired Commerce Officer.

There are three prime strong characters that of a Mother and her two daughters (one being her own and other step but groomed without any distinction) who are shown in different sets of society and the way they face challenges. The Mother is self-respecting, tough character who takes responsibility being a second wife, now a widow but still a very practicing fundamentally religious woman (void of superstitions). The elder daughter is a gold medalist in her degree academics but is deeply rooted with the family values and displays typical housemaker character having husband, son and a daughter. The younger daughter is an Indian Revenue Services officer who runs away from family and marries her love. The ideological clashes of these central characters and the related ones to them are the mainstay of the show.

The serial available in You Tube, and it took me about a month's time to watch 285 episodes. It was very absorbing serial eager to watch episodes after episodes.Never a time I felt it was boring 

Nandini Gowda

Nandini Jadhav (Nandini Gowda) is Deputy Commissioner of Income Tax, married to her love Arun Jadhav (Mandya Ramesh), also DC in the same department.

Nandini is an honest IT officer, who is sincere, wants to fill Govt. coffers with tax money working in Delhi where as Arun is dishonest, corrupt officer, likes luxury life.

After 10 years of marriage, Nandini decides to take transfer to Bengaluru, live alone, continuing her work as honest Govt. Officer.

Sudha Belwadi

Sumathi (Sudha Belwadi) is Nandini's elder sister, from a middle class family, living with husband, waste body, daughter Shruthi, M A Literature post graduate, son Suresh, also married to Swathi. Sumathi's mother strong and healthy works as cook in various houses.

Chitrashri

Shruthi (Chitrashri) very good acting, twice her marriage proposal broken, third time marries Srinath's brother Ullas, but he leaves her and goes to Australia for job.

Shivashankar Reddy, (Shivaji Rao Jadhav) SSLC fail, Govt. contractor, made large amount of money and property, by bribing the officials, built school, shopping mall, theater, Nursing Home etc etc and also Ashram.

Prahlada Rao (Sudheendra Sharma) is Maths professor, made lot of money by tuition and not paying tax.

Ramachandra Raaya (T N Srinivasa Moorthy) runs Finance, money lending business, also corrupt.

Rajaram, (Aravind Kaushik) honest IT inspector, married to Pushpa, daughter of a corrupt Corporation Supervisor, Srinivasaiah, Later he divorces her for not tolerating corrupt Father-in-Law

Achuth Kumar

Sadanand (Achuth Kumar), Corrupt Executive Engineer, addicted to drinks, his house was raided, has problems in his personal life, with his college going son.

AppaJappa, Reddy's assistant, illiterate, makes money. 

Srinath (Srinath Vashista ), corrupt architect, working in the corporation.

Sadashivaih (B V Rajaram) - Bank Manager, also loots Raddy's 6 crore money deposited in the Bank, tries to cheat his brothers business.

Apart from these there are number of other characters like Kapnipathi, Swamiji, Shruthi Naidu, Bhargavi Narayan (HUD Minister), Sundarasri, etc


The serial highlights social problems, middle class family issues, company affairs, worker's problems, issues at Swamiji's ashram, problems at honest Govt. official,.

The dialogues and presentation of the issues are excellent. One feels that things are actually happening in the surroundings. 

Hats of to S N Sethuram for creating such a wonderful T V Serial, which depicts social life and issues even today.


written Friday 16th July 2021



No comments:

Post a Comment