My Dear Marthandan (மை டியர் மார்த்தாண்டன்)

Stop it!

Haven't I told you not to throw the flowers like that?

Don't throw the flowers! Don't!

Why are you always staring at me?

Go away!

Good morning, my prince!

How many times have I told you that you don't have to do this greeting?

It may be wrong for a teacher to greet his student this way.

But, it isn't wrong to greet the man who gives us abundantly and...

...owns our lands, my prince. Come in. Have a seat.

The world might even stop spinning, but the idiots of our village...

...will never change. Even if they try, my dad won't let them.

My dear students, I am going to read out to you some of the...

...best scores in our gurukul. First of all, the farm and life.

The farming industry. The one who has scored the...

...highest and made us amazed in this is...

...our little prince!

Clap your hands! They give us education. They give us food...

...when we are hungry. Put your hands together as your gratitude...

...to the zamindar!

Up next, history. The one who scored the highest in history is...

...also our little prince. Like little pearls!

What!

Everyone look at this!

It's a blank piece of paper. I didn't write anything for...

...this exam. Nor did I want to. I wanted to actually learn from...

...my own readings. That's the truth. Otherwise, just to prove...

...that exams are useless, I didn't write a single sentence.

The thing is..... The writing there is a special...

...royal writing, so no one can see it. It is only visible to my eyes.

How do you lie so shamelessly? Everyone praises me needlessly...

...on the streets, and at home. They keep a distance from me.

I was hoping that at least here at the gurukul, I could mix around...

...with people, regardless of status. But, you are doing the...

...same, praising me for something I never did.

Was it so wrong to be born rich? I am not going to study...

...any further, or be an obstacle in the way of those who study.

See how well the prince fights? - I'll tell you something, keep...

...it in mind. I'm the one who sucks up to him the most, but...

...you're worse than me.

He is so big, but he's not striking back even once.

Is that all he has, or has he got a weight problem?

You don't know about him. He will withstand any hits.

He will even bear people talking about his family.

But, if you touch the hair on his head, you're done!

Why didn't you just say that earlier? Marthanda!

The hair! Get his hair! - No, little prince! No!

Get his hair!

I touched your hair because I wanted you to hit me back.

You are stronger than me. Far more experienced.

Why do you take my hits every day? - Every hit I take from you is...

...a fistful of rice for my family. However much I get hit...

...every day, they give my family that much rice. You might stand...

...my beating, but my family can't stand hunger, prince.

Marthanda, I thought you're a kid, but you've proven you're a youth.

Vijayapuram's...

...king!

And queen!

Greetings from the...

...zamindar of Semmedu.

First of all..... - He is the zamindar of Semmedu.

For nearly 60 years, the zamindar of Semmedu and the...

...zamindar of Vijayapuram always made alliances.

To ensure that the tradition should continue, we are going to...

...Marthandan engaged to the girl who was born to...

...Semmedu zamindar, 6 years after Marthandan was born.

We accept her as our daughter-in-law, with you as...

...our witnesses.

The Semmedu girl grew up in the residence of virgin princesses.

She is pure.

All regular folk's weddings are matches made in heaven.

But, our Marthandan's wedding is being matchmade in Vijayapuram.

It is a new saying! Number 10 040!

Let the bride arrive.

May I speak with you in private for five minutes?

She is to be your wife. Sure, go on, Marthandan.

Sure, let them speak. - Come on.

What is your name? - You can call me whatever...

...Your Grace likes. - No. What do they call you?

I was born for you. No one calls me by any name. And they shouldn't...

...as well. - Okay, your name is monkey.

Shall I ask everyone to call you monkey?

I would be happy, Your Grace. - Do you like to eat?

Yes, of course, Your Grace. - I like egg vadai,...

...chicken korma, and the likes of it. What do you like?

I was born for you, I should like exactly the same things...

...that you do. - Let's forget about food.

What about gold, diamonds and pearls? Which do you prefer?

I was born for you. I will like whatever you like.

I know what I like. I also know that you know what I like.

But, I need to know what you like. What do you like?

I like everything that you like.

Will you do anything I say? - Gladly. I was born for.....

Please don't say that. Don't. - I won't say it anymore.

What do you want me to do?

Bark like a dog!

Jump on one leg.

Go out there now.

My dear Marthandan, she listens to whatever you say. You should be...

...so lucky to get such a girl. Such grace, such obedience.

Dad, she knows nothing! Whatever I ask about her likes, she tells...

...me it's whatever I like. - That's a generational alliance.

Why do you refuse the marriage? - Dad, I'm not old enough to...

...marry yet. Mum, please tell him.

My dear Marthandan, do you not look in the mirror in your room?

It is not enough for the body to grow. The mind needs to grow...

...as well. What have you done to allow my mind to grow?

Even if I didn't excel in my studies, I bought an entire...

...gurukul for you to complete your studies.

Dad, for my mind to grow, I should explore the outside world for...

...like, six months. Maybe then, you can discuss marriage and...

...I might listen. - Six months?

My dear Marthandan, have you decided we should die before we...

...get to see grandchildren? Please, no.

Dad, just let me explore the outside world.

No! - Fine. If you don't allow me,...

...then I will run away without telling anybody.

Is that so?

Diwan! - My king?

Lock the prince in this room. - Your command is accepted.

Marthandan? - Mum?

We have raised you a little too lovingly because we never wanted...

...you to feel any hardship. We found an obedient girl...

...because we never wanted to see tears in your eyes.

Does this seem like betrayal to you, my son?

Is that why you want to leave us? - Mum, I'm not trying to run away.

I just want to find a girl that I can actually like.

All these years, dad has been happy with you because you get along...

...with him. Similarly, shouldn't I find a girl who gets along with me?

You keep saying she is obedient. But, she's basically formless...

...clay that I have to sculpt. How can I marry her?

You raised me without any knowledge of the outside world.

Is it wrong for me to want a girl who is more well versed?

Rather than marry the girl we found for you, and suffer your...

...whole life, we would rather you marry the girl you like, and...

...live happily, even if just for one day. I am not going to ask...

...you to bear your burden just because I bore you for ten months.

You can go.

Go on, son.

They are all wishing they had brought their wives, since they...

...now know you are giving them 39 days off!

You can get all the wives you want in the city if you pay.

Where do you need to go? - I'll tell you something quickly.

Keep it in mind. Go to someplace luxurious!

No. Go where the poor reside in hordes.

Why? Are you going to rub oil on the poor's faces?

Please don't say that. There will only be good people among the poor.

I am going to find a good heart there.

A good heart? Then, did we not come to explore the city?

We are not here to explore the city, but to find a girl.

Such a nice place. - Please give me something extra.

Give him another bundle. - How much is there in a bundle?

A thousand rupees.

Why are there two zeros beside 37? - It's Rs3700, don't you know that?

Just give him four bundles.

And the luggage? - Leave it here.

We will come back for it after we see the house. Let's go.

Okay. - Greetings.

Greetings.

Brother, greetings.

Why are you so greedy and taking what belongs to others?

You made 3700 in place of 37 rupees. Is that not greedy?

his is greedy? Mind your own business!

After breathing in the palace air, this is quite different to me.

I am not leaving this place after this!

I'll say something real quick, keep it in mind.

You must be the first person ever to like the scent of the city.

Forget about that. We must seem poor to everyone. Don't forget.

Are you new here? - Go away.

You look like poor people. I'm calling to see if I can help you.

Looks like you are really poor! - Is that how we look?

I'm really happy to hear it. Brother, you are?

Idea Mani! I have lots of ideas. Whenever anyone in this city...

...needs to do something, they ask me for ideas. I make money based...

...on the ideas I give. - Is this your job? We've never...

...heard of such a job. - This is not my job. Turn around.

I own Mani mobile laundry services. This is just my side hustle.

If you need any ideas, just ask me. Give me those dirty clothes.

Brother Idea Mani, we need a house to live in.

Is that all? Give me the deposit. - What for?

To show you the house. - Give him one bundle.

I don't give ideas for beedi bundles!

It's not beedi. It's a thousand rupees. Here you go.

This is nothing much to me. What do you do back home?

Actually, we are..... - We are farmers. Nothing else.

How many acres do you own? - That's.....

How many acres is it? - Should we say 50 000?

No. - Then, say 10 000.

Just 10 000 acres.

What's wrong? - I'm seeing stars. 10 000 acres?

You are quite poor. - Yes.

I wonder how you will survive here. - With your help, of course.

Why are you all gathering around to stare? They're not showing...

...gimmicks. They are poor. If you come nearer, they will...

...ask you for money too! Go away! Go away, beggars!

Come on, poor people. - Brother, it makes me so happy...

...to hear you call us that.

What's wrong? - It's not going away!

What happened? - There's a beetle on his chin.

That's his beard. - Beard? Why can't you have...