Ezhuthatha Katha (1970)

A story simultaneously exposing venality in the press and corruption among stage stars and politicians. A former prostitute and stage star, Kamalamma, lives on her memories and the income of her daughter Meena, a successful singer. When Prathapan, the editor of a local newspaper, wants to publish Kamalamma’s memoirs, her former clients panic and seek to prevent publication by various means including bribery and violence. Prathapan eventually discovers that his own uncle, a respected political leader, is in fact Meena’s father. A CID agent masquerading as a journalist uncovers an old plot to accuse Kamalamma of a murder committed by politicians and overwhelmed by the pressures, Kamalamma collapses. Meena is taken into Prathapan’s family. Although Kamalamma is presented as a former stage star, her story also evokes the shady past of some film stars.