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This biographical drama focuses on the successful career of Lekha, a young Indian actress working in the southern film capital of Madras, who tragically committed suicide because of a failed love affair with one of her directors. Lekhayude Maranam - Oru Flashback is divided into four parts. Part one tells the story of how the opportunistic mother takes her beautiful teenage daughter to Madras in 1977 to push her into a career in films -- but nothing seems to work as their rounds to producers and directors lead nowhere. Part two has the two women becoming high-class prostitutes in order to get out of poverty, but Lekha also gets her first break in a minor part in a musical. Part three chronicles Lekha's rapid rise to fame and stardom, and part four records her life as an established star, winning a best actress award and living with a married director -- the same relationship that will eventually precipitate her suicide in 1980. Although at 168 minutes this film is too long for most foreign audiences, it reveals the inner workings of the Madras film industry with humor and insight and is honest in its portrayal of the tragedy of Lekha -- always more a pawn than a player.