The film follows a father’s simple dream of wanting to drape his daughter in a silk sari. In the late 1940’s, Kanchivaram is a town in Tamil Nadu known for its fine silk saris. Its best silk weaver, Vengadam, promises to make a silk sari for his newborn daughter. But this is impossible on Vengadam’s meager salary, so he starts stealing single threads of silk everyday. Meanwhile, he revolts against the mill owners’ exploitation of the workers, and all his dreams get shattered in one moment. Silk has important significance to Indians. It is especially important at weddings and funerals. In the ironic reality where workers can never buy or wear the silk clothes they make, Vengadam’s promise to his daughter goes against the times; he is ready to sacrifice everything for it. Director Priyadarshan captures the harsh reality of Vengadam’s struggle to realize a small wish as a father and husband, and the clash as the leader of a labor movement. However, one man’s tragedy leads to a social awakening. The director ends the film with a tragedy, but declares the social tremors are immense. (KIM Ji-Seok)