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The Tamil tele-serial "Arasi" (spelt "Arase" on the title card) is the sequel to "Selvi", the previous offering from Radaan Mediaworks in the 9.30-10 PM timeslot. This teleserial continues the unfinished storylines from "Selvi", while introducing new characters and plots, mainly revolving around the titular character, Senthamizharase (played by Raadhika Sarathkumar in a dual role, since she also reprises her role as Selvi from the prequel).It is a very popular serial in Tamil Nadu especially among the women and children and always has an average TRP of 2.5 and is the most liked serial for the millions of SUN TV viewers in India and also in foreign countries. This serial was dubbed in Telugu and was Broadcast in Gemini TV as "Jhansi".

Storyline[link]

In "Selvi", an unforeseen turn of events forces the title character, Selvi, to marry the husband of her best friend Thamarai (played by Saritha) while the latter was comatose. Thamarai was understandably furious when she recovered from her coma to find that not only had Selvi married her husband, but also gave birth to his daughter, Kaveri.

Unfortunately, Thamarai failed to see what a ruthless and manipulative her husband Jaydev, or GJ (played by Venu Arvind) really was, believing his lies instead of the truth Selvi kept trying to tell her. The former best friends became sworn enemies. GJ entered into a scheme producing duplicate medical drugs, leading to the death of more than a hundred people. Since the business was registered in Thamarai's name, she was arrested and only then came to realize the truth - how GJ had manipulated Selvi into marrying him for the sake of his and Thamarai's children. Upon overhearing GJ's plan to get rid of Thamarai and remarry the villainous Maya, Thamarai committed suicide in prison, but not before writing a letter to Selvi, in which she apologizes to Selvi and asks her to look after her children. At the start of "Arase", Selvi has more than a conquest for justice for her dead best friend on her plate. She is devastated to learn that Yogeswaran, who she believed to be her father, in fact adopted her, and her biological mother, Senthamizharase, is still alive. Senthamizharase, the exact image of Selvi, is however not keen on meeting her illegitimate daughter since she is now a respected police superintendent and married to a retired judge with two children of their own. GJ meanwhile wants Selvi to come over to his side in the investigation, especially when the people he was working for turn out to be members of a ruthless criminal organization. GJ will stop at nothing, even using his own daughter's affections to gain a path to Selvi.

Meanwhile, Arase will go to any lengths to keep the shame of her past secret from her loving family. But when her husband, Judge Karthigeyan (played by Sivachandran) is placed in charge of the inquiry commission, there is no way he will not miss meeting Selvi and discover the truth.

During the 50th episode, Arase's husband, Karthigeyan meets Selvi during investigations, although he doesn't reveal to Selvi that he is Arase's husband or to Arase that he has seen her daughter. He starts acting strangely and upon his return to Mumbai, presents Arase with a photo of Selvi as her birthday present. By this he conveys to Arase that he has met Selvi and knows her secret. A worried Arase summons her mother, Chandramadhi to Mumbai. Will Arase and Chandramadhi succeed in keeping Selvi's existence a secret from her family? It seems as though they will fail when Selvi is mistakenly kidnapped in lieu of Arase by Ganga[a rich prostitute who has political background is arrested in a brave way by Senthamizarasi] who has sworn revenge on Arase.Ganga tries to take revenge on Arase by making her brother to love Kalaiarasi[Daughter of Senthamizarasi].Meanwhile Senthamizarasi rescues Mahima[Selvi's Younger sister] and the entire family makes a move to Chennai.Arase tries to investigate Mahima in a rash manner which is not liked by Selvi.Yogeswaran who adopts Selvi goes to Karthigeyan and complains about Arase and Karthigeyan scolds her.But Arase is not convinced. Meanwhile Madhu[Selvi's younger sister] is fond of his lover Narayanan whose profession is to sell all women in redlight areas in Mumbai.Madhu thinks Narayanan is innocent.He is the one who sent Mahima to Mumbai.Madhu tells to Mahima that she is leaving for Mumbai but Mahima opposes this.She pleads her not to leave to Mumbai but Madhu does not listen to her.The next day Inspector Vasanthi calls Madhu on her cellphone and tells her to be alert.She catcheshold of Narayanan and in the investigation he reveals all shocking facts.Madhu is shocked to listen this and she apologizes to everyone.On the other hand GJ tries to take the advantage of Arase's daughter-in-law's weakness of stealing things whatever she finds. On The other hand Ganga sends a lady to kill Mahima in Chennai, because she does not want the witness for the case.That lady goes and acts as a sweeper there.On the day Mahima goes to Mumbai as the witness with Guru they go to see Arase first. When Mahima and Guru come out the lady brutally murders Mahima.The police present their try to catch her but in vain.Mahima dies.Selvi's adopted Mother abuses her saying that her biological mother has killed Mahima. Selvi revenges on Arase and goes to her house and tells this entire truth before everyone that Arase is Selvi's mother and everyone gets shocked. Soon after Kalaiarasi falls in love with Kannan (Ganga's brother) not knowing that he's faking his illness and is ust acting as though he loves her. On the other hand Senthamizarasi receives information that the group behind the death of 143 people (crimminals that GJ is working for) are going to murder Selvi. In the attempt to rescue Selvi Senthamizarasi arrests her for the death of 143 people due to false medication. Yogeswaran humiliates Arase's husband, Karthigeyan about this.It causes conflict between him and Arase. Karthigeyan soon breaks the case and Selvi is let out of jail. He accepts Selvi as his daughter and takes Selvi home with him. Arase does not let Selvi in the house therefore Karthigeyan and Selvi live as father and daughter in Karthigeyan's new house. On the other hand Arase's son Udhay finds out about Kalaiarasi's and Kannan's relationship and it causes great commotion but Kalaiarasi's and Kannan's wedding is fixed. It's at this point that Senthamizarasi finds out Kannan is Ganga's brother. She stops the marriage and warns Kalai that Kannan really doesn't love her but she doesn't listen and therefore runs away with Kannan. Arase tries to use her police influence to track down Kannan and Kalai. At the point where there's police trying to track then down Kalai decides to go to her father for help but when, they go to her fathers house she finds out that her father Karthigeyan had left Chennai for a couple of days due to his work. Kalai threatens Selvi that f she tells Senthamizarasi her and Kannan would suicide at that very moment. Selvi is therefore forced to not tell Arase about the how Kalai and Kannan are with her but she immediately informs Karthigeyan the news. In the morning Arase through Inspector Vasanthi finds out that Kalai and Kannan spent the night with Selvi. She is furious with Selvi and goes to Selvi's house to bring Kalai home but she's to late because Kalai and Kannan escape without the knowledge of Selvi. Arase is outraged with Selvi and thinks that Selvi is taking revenge on her. On the other hand Ganga gets Kannan married to Kalaiarasi. Kalai shortly discover's that Kannan had lied to her that he had no other family apart from his sister Ganga. And in fact that both his parents, other sister Manga,brother where still alive. This soon comes to the knowledge of Arase...the rest of the story continues on.

The serial concludes with Kaaveri's wedding, as Selvi's father Vishwanathan gets shot by Arasi and everyone is living peacefully now.

Cast[link]

• Raadhika Sarathkumar as Arasi / Selvi
• Sivachandran as Karthigeyan
• Venu Arvind as G. J.
• Latha as Thangam
• Ravikumar as Yogeshwaran
• Babloo Prithviraj as Ganga
• M.S. Baskar as Andavarlingam
• Ajay Rathnam as Vishwanathan
• Subramaniam as Nallathambi
• Anuradha Krishnamoorthy as Sarojini Vishwanathan
• Malavika Avinash / Sudha Chandran as Madurai Thilakavathy
• John Ranjith as Udayachandran
• Santhoshi as Kalaiarasi
• Archana/Meenal as Selvarani
• Shyam as Kannan
• 'Lollu Sabha' Jeeva as Jegan
• Vasu Vikram as Sathya
• Kaveri as Ranjini
• Uday Nair as Kanna
• Shilpa as Yamini
• Lavanya as Yamunarani
• Divyadarshini as Madhu
• Shanthi Williams as Chandramathi (Arasi's Mother)
• Niveda Thomas/Mahalakshmi as Kaveri
• Pasi Sathya as Jegan's Mother
• Soundarya as Selvarani's Sister in Law

Awards and nominations[link]

Sun Kudumbam Awards[link]

See also[link]

• Sun TV
• List of serials aired on Sun TV