Paava Kadhaigal

Paava Kadhaigal is a 2020 Indian Tamil-language anthology drama film consisting of four short films directed by Sudha Kongara, Gautham Vasudev Menon, Vetrimaaran and Vignesh Shivan. Through four unique stories, the film explores how pride, honour, and sin influence complex relationships of love. The anthology features an ensemble cast of Kalidas Jayaram, Sai Pallavi, Simran, Anjali with Shanthanu Bhagyaraj, Prakash Raj, Gautham Vasudev Menon, Kalki Koechlin, and others. It released in Netflix on 18 December 2020, to mostly positive reviews from both critics and audience. Episodes Plot Thangam (Gold) Set in the early 1980s in a small town in Kovai district, Sathar (Kalidas Jayaram), a Muslim transwoman is in love with their Hindu childhood friend Saravanan (Shanthanu Bhagyaraj), who she affectionately calls 'thangam (gold)' and believes that once her sex reassignment surgery is done, they can get married and live together as a normal couple. She earns money by standing in a queue for villagers in the ration shop and delivering their goods to their homes. Saravanan returns to the village after completing his studies and has also acquired a good bank job. Saravanan confides in Sathar that he is in love with her younger sister Sahira (Bhavani Sre). Though heartbroken, Sathar comes to terms with the harsh truth and unites Saravanan and Sahira, who start seeing each other. Word spreads to both the families about the budding love, and due to the religious differences, both families oppose the relationship. Despite Sathar's efforts to protect Sahira, she gets beaten up by their abusive father. Saravanan and Sahira plan to elope and get married, and Sathar gives them the money she has saved up for her sex reassignment surgery.