Bold, unconventional, his women also came with shades of grey

CHENNAI: At a time when audience was awed by the versatile acting prowess of Sivaji Ganesan and the charisma of M G Ramachandran, K Balachander gave women the mantle to lead a film. The master story teller transformed the way women were portrayed in films and got them beyond just romancing around trees.Touching upon subjects that were not attempted before in the annals of Tamil cinema, KB was known for making strong statements through his carefully scripted characters and powerful storylines that were against the conservative middle-class family norms. His women are mostly urban, educated, bold and intelligent who often get caught with issues that were not socially acceptable in those times like unconventional love, sexual freedom and women's rights.Films like 'Aval Oru Thodar Kadhai' and 'Manathil Uruthi Vendum' brought women to the fore where they shouldered the responsibility of taking care of their families, when men failed to do so, at the expense of their own private lives. But not all his women were perfect role models. With their own frailties, women were portrayed with shades of grey and in some cases they ended as a failure.KB made 'Arangetram' in 1973, in which the woman protagonist hailing from a conservative Brahmin family goes to work to take care of her poor family but eventually ends up as a prostitute. But when one thought all would end well after she marries the man who was once rejected by her, KB ends the movie with a tragic twist as the woman loses her sanity. In his earlier films too, the auteur portrayed his female characters as those who go beyond the social system. "He was a decade ahead when it comes to portrayal of women. He made very bold statements. He was a true follower of Mahakavi Bharathiyar who visualised 'Pudhumai Pen' (new age woman)," said film historian and actor Mohan V Raman. Despite all the weaknesses that his woman subjects carried, they all were given choices to eventually make their own decisions - like the complex relationships in 'Apoorva Ragangal' and 'Avargal' or the revenge seeking character in 'Moondru Mudichi'. "The choices were an articulation of sexuality. He mostly dealt with women in urban atmosphere where the problems are more complex. These women were not born liberated but were given a choice to liberate," said Hariharan, film critic.While his characterization of women was often a topic of debate, it did bring a breath of fresh air for many urban women. What is even more refreshing is that his films still carry relevance in the present day scenario and that is perhaps what makes him an 'Iyakunar Sigaram' (one who scaled the peak).