Marmaram (1982)

A sensitive and progressive headmaster, Narayana Iyer (Venu), falls in love with the school’s music teacher, the lower-caste Nirmala (Jalaja), whose husband is a political activist (Gopi) on the run and whose child is looked after by her parents in her home village. Narayana overcomes his own prejudices and endures his orthodox mother’s disapproval. When Nirmala’s husband is shot by the police, Narayana consoles Nirmala and their love for each other triumphs over all social and emotional obstacles. The young but prolific director described the film as, ‘The melodious murmur of two people who love each other with all their hearts’.