Anveshichu Kandatiyilla (1967)

Emotional drama about a woman’s unsuccessful search for happiness, made as a reply to the biblical homily, ‘seek and ye shall find’. Susamma (Vijaya), born eight months after her parents’ marriage, is for this reason rejected by her father and ridiculed by her village community. She eventually becomes a nurse during WW2 and falls for a dashing captain who turns out to be a philanderer. He is killed and she returns home where she has a relationship with Anthony, who turns out to be a married man. Disillusioned, she finds peace in the very hospital where she used to be a nurse. Bhaskaran’s biggest film to date, with a major star cast, adapting one of Parappuram’s war stories (cf. Ninamanninnya Kalapadakal, 1963). Bahadur and Bhasi have independent comedy routines.