Annapoorani (அன்னபூரணி)

Food, it's a feeling

That keeps us alive

Early in the morning

To the late-late night

Sweet Spice

And a taste for delight

She's the one to cook

From left to right

- Food! - It's a famous sensation

- Food! - Serious temptation

- Food! - It's a celebration

- Food! - It's an emotion!

Happy birthday, Poorani.

Have a blast!

Poorani! Poorani!

Are you okay?

Hold on, Poorani. Only twenty seconds left.

- Accept that you have lost. - Accept defeat!

- Accept defeat! - Accept defeat!

- Accept defeat! - Accept defeat!

- Accept defeat! - Accept that you have lost.

Ukkali!

Your child is bestowed with special abilities.

She was born with enhanced taste buds.

That is why she expects her mother's milk to taste good.

So you eat healthy and tasty food.

She will take the milk.

I got confused since they did not prepare the dish properly.

Don't overdo it, Poorani.

Do you know who prepared it?

- My father, Chef Arusuvai Annamalai! - No doubt.

But today he has added extra jaggery.

Should sesame oil be on the higher side?

Ghee was extra in the Ukkali make-up…

thus its consistency was that of a halwa.

If you are such a pro, why don't you cook and bring it?

Hurry up!

Make way.

A new chef de partie has come to our kitchen.

The first woman in our kitchen!

There are a total of twenty-one colorful towers in the temple.

Madam, this is Madapalli.

- What's Madapalli? - Yes.

A kitchen where food is prepared as a special offering to God.

- Oh! Let's go inside. - No, no!

Even we are not allowed inside.

Only the cook is allowed to go in.

THIRUMADAPALLI

Greetings, brother!

- Who is this? - This is Bibi Nachiyar.

One of the Divine consorts of the Lord.

- Is this her real name? - Yes.

No, that is not her real name.

Her real name is Suradhani.

Daughter of the Delhi Sultan.

Muslim? How?

When Malik Kafur invaded Srirangam,

he took the idol of Lord Ranga from here and gave it to the Sultan of Delhi.

Sultan's daughter Suradhani did not consider Lord Ranga as an idol…

but saw Him as a manifestation of God and fell in love with Him.

At this juncture, the dance troupe which went from Srirangam

entertained the Sultan of Delhi

and asked for the idol of Lord Ranga as a gift and brought it back.

The following day,

Suradhani was in a state of shock, unable to find her beloved Rangan.

Since she wasn't eating or sleeping, she fell sick.

Unable to bear this, the Sultan

sends his army to rescue the idol under her leadership.

The elders in Srirangam hid Lord Ranga in Tirupati.

Suradhani who came looking for Ranga… As soon as she knew He was not here…

she died at the entrance of the temple

and became one with Azhagiya Manavalan the avatar of Lord Vishnu.

Lord Vishnu, welcoming her love…

accepted Suradhani as one of His consorts,

and named her Thulukka Nachiyar,

and graced her with a place inside His sanctum sanctorum along with Him.

The Lord is dressed in a wrap-around as a mark of respect for her love.

Roti and butter are offered to the Lord on that day.

Not just the history…

even your knowledge is inspiring.

- Thank you. - Did you specifically study all this, sir?

Ask him what he has studied.

He is the first Engineering gold medalist from Srirangam.

He got job offers even then from BHEL, ONGC, Railways, and so many more.

- Why didn't you take those lucrative jobs? - All that is just an occupation.

This is service and devotion!

Every day the food I prepare is offered to God.

The Supreme Lord who measures the whole world…

I feed Him with measures of rice.

What else can I ask for in life?

Saradha?

I am starving. What's for breakfast?

I'm menstruating and away from home.

You are very much at home.

You're behaving as if you are in London.

Don't provoke me, little brat!

Please wait for a while.

What's the hurry? Miss Know-it-all!

You even know how to make Ukkali sweet?

Saradha,

even you haven't cooked such a tasty fare in all these years.

Aren't you eating?

I am running late. I'm taking it to school.

Even our Lord will give only when we ask.

Look, how my daughter satiated my hunger even without me asking her.

True to her name, she is the giver of food and nourishment.

Poorani, Keerthi has arrived with her father.

- Keerthi is here. - Get down, dear.

Did you take everything?

- Yes, Dad. - Go on!

Are you all going on strike?

Poorani has cooked Ukkali and brought it for you.

Did you prepare this?

Wow! It tastes so divine.

Even I can't make it as tasty as this.

I swear!

Food prepared with true love!

Do you love cooking?

Yes, Uncle.

I love cooking a variety of food and enjoy watching people feast on it.

Very good! What do you want to be when you grow up?

You'll become a famous cook, Poorani.

Cook! Cook!

Cook! Cook!

Cook! Cook!

Is cooking such a demeaning profession, Uncle?

Cook!

Do you all know about Karna?

Yes, we know!

King Karna, the epitome of magnanimity and a follower of the righteous path.

He didn't get a place in heaven because he did not distribute free food.

Finally, I believe he gave directions to a place where food was being distributed

and only then he was allowed to enter heaven.

If giving directions to a place where food is served is considered such a noble deed.

Imagine serving that food…

and cooking it must be the height of blessing.

Poorani, your wish to become a cook is not at all wrong.

But why are you cooking?

And who will partake in your meal is crucial.

Nowadays, there are courses in colleges to teach the art of cooking.

Those who graduate are called chefs.

You know fancy 5-star Hotels, right?

The chef is responsible for the entire kitchen.

Do you get it?

So just like a doctor, collector, engineer, or lawyer,

cooking is a profession of huge proportion.

But you have to cook from your heart, with a lot of love.

That's all. Do you get it?

I'll also become the best chef in India, Uncle.

Poorani!

Take a look.

Who is this?

This is Chef Anand Sundarrajan.

He's the best Chef in India.

Hello, cook-girl! Oh, God!

Call her chef!

RAMAYAN

She will win the world one day As the best chef she will sway

With confidence from brow to toe From strength to strength she will grow

Curbing her fear, she crosses hurdles

She climbed the first step in her journey

Despite many hurdles

She looked only toward the solution

She tried to etch the way diligently

For women who slaved In the kitchen daily

She grew as a banyan tree Rooting her feet firmly

She became the mother Who cooked ambrosia-nectar

Was she born from Saraswati Goddess of art?

With dreams in her heart As her counterpart?

Did she walk on fire cheerfully?

Did she add wings To her skills joyfully?

Did she use her father's shoulder

To swing high and even farther?

Did she show off her lovely plumes

When he called her lovingly?

To put a stop to her dreams of glory

Is a non-vegetarian wall necessary?

Poorani, you cooked a delicious meal.

- Hereafter, everyone should call me Chef. - Okay, Chef!

- One more time. - Okay, Chef!

- One more time. - Okay, Chef!

Was she born from the Goddess of art?

Blooming with dreams as her counterpart?

Did she walk on fire cheerfully?

Did she add wings To her skills joyfully?

I want to become a Chef like that.

No, no…

I want to become the "Best Chef in India" like Chef Anand.

We can't do things as per your wish.

You refused the promotion offered to you…

and on top of it, you quit your job!

What do you think of yourself?

I'm going to join a catering college and study Hotel Management.

I told you we should get her married once she graduated college.

Now, she's informing us instead of asking for our permission.

Father, I took up this job only because you asked me to.

I can't take it anymore.

I don't feel alive!

What do you mean by alive?

If you had gritted your teeth and worked for one more year…