Veedu

{{short description|1988 film by Balu Mahendra}} {{Use dmy dates|date=November 2015}} {{Use Indian English|date=November 2015}} {{Infobox film | image = Veedu poster.jpg | caption = Poster | director = Balu Mahendra | screenplay = Balu Mahendra | story = Akhila Mahendra | producer = Kaladas | starring = Archana<br />Bhanu Chander | cinematography = Balu Mahendra | editing = Balu Mahendra | music = Ilaiyaraaja | studio = Sri Kala International | released = {{Film date|df=yes|1988|11|25|ref1=}} | runtime = 108 minutes | country = India | language = Tamil }} '''''Veedu''''' ({{translation|House}}) is a 1988 Indian Tamil-language film directed by Balu Mahendra. Starring Archana as the central character, it depicts the difficulties faced by a middle-class family in building a house. Apart from directing, Balu Mahendra wrote the script, photographed and did the editing as well. The film score by Ilaiyaraaja earned critical acclaim. At the 35th National Film Awards, the film received two awards including one for the Best Tamil Film. Archana won the National Film Award for Best Actress in 1987 for her role in this film. The film was also screened at the "Indian Panorama" of the International Film Festival of India in 1988.also it was the biggest success film in the year

== Plot == Sudha, a 22-year-old unmarried woman, lives in an apartment in Madras with her younger sister Indhu and grandfather Murugesan. She is engaged to her colleague Gopi. The owner of the tenement wants all the families to vacate the place as he intends to construct another building on the same site. Sudha's attempts to find an alternative house are unsuccessful as her family cannot afford the rent they fixed. At this juncture, Iyengar, one of her colleagues, advises her to start building a new house. Though initially hesitant, she decides to build a house after Iyengar motivates her. Sudha's grandfather already owns two construction sites on the outskirts of the city. They decide to construct the house on one of them and sell the other one to raise money. In addition, she also seeks a housing loan and pledges her jewels for money. During this time, Sudha gets introduced to a building contractor who drafts a plan for the house. To get the plan approved, they had to bribe a government official. By this time, unexpected rains halt construction, thereby inflating the cost. Though Gopi comes forward to provide financial assistance, Sudha declines, stating that his sister's marriage would be affected if he provided money.

A kind-hearted Mangamma, a construction worker, helps Sudha with the construction. When she realizes the contractor is stealing materials from the site, she informs Sudha, which in turn leads to the contractor quitting. Mangamma, her supervisor, and Iyengar help Sudha during this time as the construction work resumes. Meanwhile, as the loan sanctioning gets delayed, Sudha seeks financial help from her superior. She becomes even more dejected to know that he is a womanizer. With all her funds exhausted, she decides to halt the construction. However, Gopi offers some assistance, and the work continues to progress further. An excited Murugesan visits the site alone on a Sunday and dies while returning home. Sudha becomes depressed over the situation. When the house is nearing completion and when Sudha and Gopi appraise each other, an official from the Metropolitan Water Authority arrives at the site and asks them how they can construct a house on land already acquired by the authority. In the end, Sudha is shown sitting in the panchayat office, and a voiceover states that she is seeking justice in the court.

== Cast == {{Cast listing| * Archana as Sudha * Bhanu Chander as Gopi * Chokkalinga Bhagavathar as Murugesan * Sathya as Mangamma * Indhu as Indhu * Oru Viral Krishna Rao as a villager * Rallapalli as the manager }}

== Production == According to Balu Mahendra, ''Veedu'' was inspired from his mother. He recalled in an interview that his mother started building a house when he was eight years old, which affected her psychologically.{{Sfn|Baskaran|2013|p=47}} He cites, "She was not the same after that. She became temperamental. She forgot to laugh. She had no time to teach us or play with us. The changes confused me. Years later, ''Veedu'' brought this transformation to life."<ref name="rediff">{{Cite web |date=7 January 2002 |title=Balu Mahendra: The method, the madness |url=http://www.rediff.com/movies/2002/jan/07balu.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160204211448/http://www.rediff.com/movies/2002/jan/07balu.htm |archive-date=4 February 2016 |access-date=19 April 2015 |website=Rediff.com}}</ref> The childhood event affected Balu Mahendra, and he developed the script based on it. He opted to make the film in Tamil as he felt not many good films were made in Tamil cinema then.{{Sfn|Indian Cinema|1988|p=76}} The filming began in 1987, coinciding with the International Year of Shelter.{{Sfn|Baskaran|2013|p=47}}

Made on a shoestring budget of ₹12 lakh (worth ₹4 crore in 2021 prices), the film's central theme revolved around the struggle of a middle-class family to build a house. It also marginally focussed on the change in human behaviour and corruption.{{Sfn|Baskaran|2013|p=47}} The story was credited to Balu Mahendra's wife Akhila Mahendra, while he wrote the screenplay, filmed and edited apart from directing the film. The film does not feature any soundtrack.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Baskaran |first=S. Theodore |author-link=S. Theodore Baskaran |date=6 January 2002 |title=Music for the people |url=http://www.thehindu.com/thehindu/mag/2002/01/06/stories/2002010600150500.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020327194905/http://thehindu.com/thehindu/mag/2002/01/06/stories/2002010600150500.htm |archive-date=27 March 2002 |access-date=19 April 2015 |work=The Hindu}}</ref> Ilaiyaraaja, a Balu Mahendra regular, was signed as the composer. On the latter's request, he used portions of his composition from the album ''How to Name It?'' for the film score.<ref name="Vikatan">{{Cite web |last=மோ. |first=அருண் |date=24 September 2013 |title=தமிழ் சினிமாவின் எல்லையை மாற்றியமைத்த கலைஞர்கள்! |url=http://www.vikatan.com/cinema/article.php?aid=41491 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304032449/http://www.vikatan.com/cinema/article.php?aid=41491 |archive-date=4 March 2016 |access-date=24 April 2015 |website=Ananda Vikatan |language=ta}}</ref><ref name="Kolappan">{{Cite news |last=B |first=Kolappan |date=14 February 2014 |title=Balu Mahendra passes away |url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/balu-mahendra-passes-away/article5687355.ece |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140222051859/http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/balu-mahendra-passes-away/article5687355.ece |archive-date=22 February 2014 |access-date=22 April 2015 |work=The Hindu}}</ref> Most of the sequences were narrated through jump cuts and montages, shot mostly using a hand-held camera.{{Sfn|Baskaran|2013|p=47}} The final length of the film stood at {{Convert|3039|metres|feet}}.{{Sfn|Dhananjayan|2014|p=298}}

== Reception == Although filming began in 1987, the film was released only a year after. It turned out to be a box-office failure but won critical acclaim.{{Sfn|Baskaran|2013|p=47}} N. Krishnaswamy of ''The Indian Express'' wrote, "With ''Veedu'', Balu Mahendra becomes the first auteur (author) in Tamil cinema [...] Balu Mahendra, always among the frontline directors in the South, has with Veedu set himself quite apart making it a tall order for others to bridge the gap".<ref>{{Cite news |last=Krishnaswamy |first=N. |date=8 July 1988 |title=Veedu |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=P9oYG7HA76QC&dat=19880708&printsec=frontpage&hl=en |access-date=31 January 2022 |work=The Indian Express |pages=5 |via=Google News Archive}}{{cbignore}}</ref> Balu Mahendra admitted that he did not expect the film to be a box-office success or a failure, but would have the satisfaction of having made a good film.{{Sfn|Indian Cinema|1988|p=76}} Archana's portrayal as a middle-class woman fetched her a lot of accolades from the critics. Chokkalinga Bhagavathar, who played her grandfather, received equal praise.{{Sfn|Baskaran|2013|p=47}} He was a strong contender for that year's National Film Award for Best Actor, but eventually lost to Kamal Haasan.<ref>{{Cite magazine |year=1989 |title=Way to go! |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0ZgdAQAAMAAJ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200614154633/https://books.google.com/books?id=0ZgdAQAAMAAJ |archive-date=14 June 2020 |access-date=9 October 2016 |magazine=The Illustrated Weekly of India |pages=57}}</ref> At the 35th National Film Awards, the film won in two categories: Best Feature Film in Tamil, and Best Actress for Archana.{{Sfn|Indian Cinema|1988|p=76}} The film was among the 16 films to be screened at the Indian Panorama section of the International Film Festival of India in 1988.{{Sfn|Indian Cinema|1988|p=103}} Balu Mahendra won the Cinema Express Award for Best Director – Tamil.<ref>{{Cite news |date=11 March 1989 |title=Cinema Express readers choose Agni Nakshathiram |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=P9oYG7HA76QC&dat=19890311&printsec=frontpage |access-date=19 February 2021 |work=The Indian Express |pages=4 |via=Google News Archive |agency=Express News Service}}{{cbignore}}</ref> In 2002, the film was screened under the "Indian Summer" section of the Locarno Film Festival.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Rodier |first=Melanie |date=28 June 2002 |title=No Man's Land producer to head Locarno festival jury |url=http://www.screendaily.com/no-mans-land-producer-to-head-locarno-festival-jury/409759.article |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304092614/http://www.screendaily.com/no-mans-land-producer-to-head-locarno-festival-jury/409759.article |archive-date=4 March 2016 |access-date=24 April 2015 |website=Screen International}}</ref>

== Legacy == In a 2013 review, ''Ananda Vikatan'' called ''Veedu'' to be among the two films that took Tamil cinema to world cinema level. Further, it praised the film for highlighting the plight of Indian middle-class families and the political set up of the nation. It stated ''Veedu'' was one of the few Tamil films that scores good on both content and narration, and also appreciated Balu Mahendra's directorial skills. Critics praised the film for being more visual and Balu Mahendra's understanding of cinema as a visual medium. However, the magazine criticised the usage of background score in the film as it felt it lessened the impact of an otherwise good film.<ref name="Vikatan" /> S. Theodore Baskaran in his ''The Eye of The Serpent: An Introduction To Tamil Cinema'' states that ''Veedu'' was a "striking departure" from the previous films of Balu Mahendra,{{Sfn|Baskaran|2013|p=47}} as it was devoid of commercial elements like dance, songs, fight and comedy sequences.{{Sfn|Dhananjayan|2014|p=298}} While analysing Archana's characterisation, Baskaran noted Balu Mahendra's penchant for strong characterisation of his female leads.{{Sfn|Baskaran|2013|p=47}} Balu Mahendra had to construct a house which was mean to be a set for the house which was shown in the film.<ref name="Ram">{{Cite web |last=ராம் |author-link=Ram (director) |date=15 February 2014 |title=பாலுமகேந்திரா... தமிழ் சினிமாவின் வீடு! |url=http://www.vikatan.com/article.php?aid=92200 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304084232/http://www.vikatan.com/article.php?aid=92200 |archive-date=4 March 2016 |access-date=24 April 2015 |website=Ananda Vikatan |language=ta}}</ref> The building which was later fully constructed, now houses the film school started by Balu Mahendra in 2007.{{Sfn|Baskaran|2013|p=47}} In many interviews, Balu Mahendra had claimed that ''Veedu'' and ''Sandhya Raagam'' were the only films that satisfied him the most as he made in these two the fewest mistakes and compromises.<ref name="rediff" /> The negative of the film is lost.<ref name="DNA">{{Cite web |last=Krishnan |first=Rukmini |date=18 February 2014 |title=Balu Mahendra: A legend that lives on |url=http://www.dnaindia.com/blogs/post-balu-mahendra-a-legend-that-lives-on-1963176 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141205155707/http://www.dnaindia.com/blogs/post-balu-mahendra-a-legend-that-lives-on-1963176 |archive-date=5 December 2014 |access-date=24 April 2015 |website=Daily News and Analysis}}</ref> In September 2002, ''Veedu'' was screened as part of a six-day workshop jointly conducted by the Department of Journalism and Communication and the Mass Communication Alumni Association of the University of Madras; it focussed on the impact of cinema on society.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2 September 2002 |title=The impact of cinema |url=http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/mp/2002/09/02/stories/2002090200140400.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140607065017/http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/mp/2002/09/02/stories/2002090200140400.htm |archive-date=7 June 2014 |access-date=20 June 2024 |work=The Hindu}}</ref> The Tamil film ''3BHK'' (2025), which followed the struggles of a family to purchase a three-bedroom house, was noted for its similarities to this film.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Menon |first=Vishal |date=11 July 2025 |title='3BHK' Movie Review: An Unsettling Drama About The Great Middle-Class Dream |url=https://www.hollywoodreporterindia.com/reviews/theatrical/3bhk-movie-review-an-unsettling-drama-about-the-great-middle-class-dream |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250713151654/https://www.hollywoodreporterindia.com/reviews/theatrical/3bhk-movie-review-an-unsettling-drama-about-the-great-middle-class-dream |archive-date=13 July 2025 |access-date=13 July 2025 |website=The Hollywood Reporter India |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Purushothaman |first=Kirubakar |date=4 July 2025 |title=3BHK Movie Review: Siddharth's Relentless Pursuit Of A Home Leaves No Room For Joy |url=https://www.news18.com/movies/reviews/3bhk-movie-review-siddharth-relentless-pursuit-af-a-home-leaves-no-room-for-joy-ws-l-9421254.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250710173328/https://www.news18.com/movies/reviews/3bhk-movie-review-siddharth-relentless-pursuit-af-a-home-leaves-no-room-for-joy-ws-l-9421254.html |archive-date=10 July 2025 |access-date=13 July 2025 |website=News18 |language=en}}</ref>

== References == {{reflist}}

== Bibliography == *{{Cite book |last=Baskaran |first=S. Theodore |author-link=S. Theodore Baskaran |title=The Eye of the Serpent: An Introduction to Tamil Cinema |publisher=Westland |year=2013 |isbn=978-93-83260-74-4}} *{{Cite book |last=Dhananjayan |first=G. |author-link=G. Dhananjayan |title=Pride of Tamil Cinema: 1931–2013 |title-link=Pride of Tamil Cinema |publisher=Blue Ocean Publishers |year=2014 |oclc=898765509}} *{{Cite web |title=Indian Cinema 1988 |url=http://iffi.nic.in/Dff2011/FrmIP1988Award.aspx?PdfName=IP1988 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304105656/http://iffi.nic.in/Dff2011/FrmIP1988Award.aspx?PdfName=IP1988 |archive-date=4 March 2016 |access-date=19 April 2015 |publisher=Directorate of Film Festivals |page=76 |format=PDF |ref={{harvid|Indian Cinema|1988}}}}

== External links == * {{IMDb title|id=0235858}}

Category:1988 Indian films Category:1988 Tamil-language films Category:1988 films Category:Best Tamil Feature Film National Film Award winners Category:Films about corruption in India Category:Films directed by Balu Mahendra Category:Films featuring a Best Actress National Award–winning performance Category:Films scored by Ilaiyaraaja Category:Tamil-language Indian films