Plot
The film begins in 1942, during World War II, when Chandrasekaran, Gnanasekaran and Gunasekaran are three Indian immigrant brothers from Madurai, Tamil Nadu living in Rangoon, Burma. Their younger sister Kalyani was raised in their home town by their father Manickampillai. Her marriage is arranged with a writer named Thangappan, and the brothers plan to visit Madurai to attend the wedding. Due to war conditions and bombardment of Burmese ports by Japan, the shipping company offers only one ticket and Gunasekaran, the youngest brother, takes it and leaves for Tamil Nadu. The ship however fails to reach on time due to the dangers of the war, and Kalyani's marriage takes place without any of her brothers attending it.
Kalyani becomes pregnant. But on the day she delivers her child, her husband and her father die, leaving her and the child destitute. Her house gets auctioned off, and she makes her living by selling food on the streets. After being stranded at sea for several months, Gunasekaran finally arrives in Tamil Nadu at Madras. However, while watching a dance performance, he is robbed of all his belongings after being intoxicated. Reduced to the status of a pauper, he becomes enraged at the status of the once glorious Tamil Nadu, and fakes insanity by indulging in numerous tricks to make a living. Gunasekaran finally comes across his destitute sister at Madurai, having learned of their father's death and her poverty. He continues to play insane and does not reveal his true identity to her, but hovers around her. Kalyani is irritated by the stranger's "insane" behavior, unaware that he is her brother.
Kalyani is nearly molested by a vagabond named Venu, but is saved by Gunasekaran. She later leaves Madurai and arrives at Tiruchi, where she gets employed as the maid of blackmarketeer Narayana Pillai, who also tries to molest her. She is however saved by his wife, and leaves the job. While searching for his sister, Gunasekaran reaches Tiruchi and comes across Vimala, a wealthy woman to who he explains the miserable status of him and his sister in the society. After resting in her house for a while, he silently leaves to continue searching for Kalyani.
Meanwhile, as Japanese shelling intensifies in Burma, Chandrasekaran and Gnanasekaran decide to return to India. Chandrasekaran reaches Tiruchi safely and becomes a judge, but Gnanasekaran is lost in the journey and loses a leg in the shelling before arriving in India. He begs for a living, forms an association for beggars and tries to reform them. Kalyani reaches Chandrasekaran's palatial house seeking food, but Chandrasekaran throws her out without recognising her. She later arrives at a temple seeking help, but the temple priest also tries to molest her. Frustrated with life and unable to feed her child, Kalyani throws it into a river and attempts suicide, but is soon arrested for killing the child and brought for trial.
At the court, Kalyani defends her act of infanticide with the judge being Chandrasekaran, who after hearing her tragic story realizes she is his sister, and faints. Gunasekaran is also brought for trial, having attacked the priest who tried to molest his sister. Gunasekaran fights a battle in the court, explaining the misfortunes which has befallen him and his family, and justifies his actions. Gunasekaran's valiant defense in court awakens everyone on the evils of the society. As the trial proceeds, Vimala arrives and produces Kalyani's child, which was revealed to have fallen in her boat instead of the river. Kalyani and Gunasekaran are pardoned and acquitted by the court, and are finally reunited with Chandrasekaran. Gnanasekaran, while collecting donations for his association of beggars, also joins them unexpectedly. With Vimala and Gunasekaran deciding to get married, the family subsequently inaugurates a welfare home for orphans.
Read more about this topic: Parasakthi (1952 Film)
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