This is a 1977 children film, which wom the Kerala State film award for it's director P.Subramaniam. There are a few children's stories running in paralle, who are all students of the school headed by Sathyaseelan (Madhu). Sathyaseelan and his wife Lakshmi(Kaviyoor Ponnamma) does not have children. Mallika Sukumaran plays a school teacher and SP Pillai the drill instructor. There is a large cast of famous actors donning small roles for this children's film. Saikumar has a role as Vikraman, a child in the school. Urvasi and Kalpana also debuted in this movie, but I couldn't identify which. An older lady looked and sounded like Kalpana, and it seems she is indeed the actress' mother. Interspersed with the narrative is scenes from older movies like Sreerama Pattabhiskekam etc as a piece of advice.
In one story arc, Kanchana (Baby Sumathi) is a rich girl with a kind heart. She stands up for the less fortunate. She helps a classmate's mother get treated, helps out her driver with housing, helps an old lady get to the hospital. There is Vikraman, the rich bad boy who in the end mends his ways. There is a rivalry between Vikraman and the good boys' gang led by Subhash. There is also the studious Chandran whose father is the drunkard Madhupan played by Kuthiravattom Pappu. Sathyaseelan Master and Lakshmi informally adopt Chandran, and the opportunistic Madhupan steals a necklace from the house. There is also Ammini, the long term maid/cook of the house. The children catch Madhupan and in the end gets rewarded by the police.
It was one of those feel good, slightly preachy children's movies. The girls' short school uniforms reminded me of the school unifroms I had seen of my elder sister and cousins. :) Though it does look odd in dance sequences.
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