Ethirneechal (transl. Swimming against the tide) is a popular Indian Tamil-language drama television series, which airs on Sun TV. The first season of this series starred Madhumitha Hirannaiah, Kaniha, Priyadarshini Neelakandan and Haripriya Isai in lead roles. This show is produced by Sun Entertainment and Thiruselvam Theatres. Dialogues written by Sri Vidhya and written and directed by V.Thiruselvam.[2][3] The series was one of the popular and most-watched TV series in Tamil Nadu from since it's launched.[4] The first season premiered on 7 February 2022, and ended on 8 June 2024 with 744 episodes.[5][6]
The second season of this series was titled as Ethirneechal Thodargirathu (transl. Swimming against the tide 'Continues'). It stars Parvathy Venkatiramanan, replacing Madhumitha H in the lead role, alongside Kaniha, Priyadarshini Neelakandan and Haripriya Isai. It is launched on 23 December 2024.[7]
Nachiappan defies his rich, male chauvinist parents to marry the poorer Parvathi, and they raise their daughters Janani and Anjana in a joint family. Despite Nachiappan's controlling nature, he is wooed by a marriage proposal from business tycoon Aadhimuthu Gunasekaran alias AGS for his brother Shakthivel. Unaware of the mistreatment of Gunasekaran's daughters-in-law, Nachiappan falls for the lie that Janani will be appointed as MD in Gunasekaran's company. Eventually, Janani, a high achiever, marries Shakthivel, the youngest brother in the Aadhimuthu family.
As time passes, Janani learns the harsh reality of her in-laws' treatment of women. Her husband Shakthivel, haunted by childhood trauma, lacks the courage to confront his family. Janani's cousin Vasu warns her, but she proceeds with the marriage. Initially supportive, Shakthivel turns against Janani due to emotional manipulation from his elder brother Gunasekaran.
Janani's co-sisters Eshwari, Renuka, and Nandhini – are also educated women married to uneducated husbands in the Aadhimuthu family. The sisters face restrictions and are forced to be housekeepers by their controlling husbands – Aadhimuthu Gunasekaran, Aadhimuthu Gnanasekaran, Aadhimuthu Kathirvel, and Aadhimuthu Shakthivel. The story unfolds as Janani faces the challenges within her new family, aiming to bring about positive change with the help of Pattammal, Gunasekaran's grandmother.
Janani, standing against male chauvinism, leaves the Aadhimuthu household after Shakthivel doubts her character. Pattamal, who holds a 40% share in Aadhimuthu properties and businesses, joins Janani against Gunasekaran for the rights of Janani and the other daughters-in-law.
Guided by advice from Pattammal, Janani returns to help her co-sisters gain independence. Shakthivel realizes his mistakes, and the story unfolds as Janani strives to empower herself and her co-sisters against the backdrop of family dynamics and societal challenges. How Janani will strengthen herself and liberate her co-sisters forms the crux of the story.
At the end of season 1, Gunasekaran is found guilty of all his crimes and is sentenced to lifetime imprisonment. Motivated by Pattammal, all the four daughters in law leave the Aadhimuthu household to pursue their dreams.
Season 2
The Story Continues from the End of Season 1. After the defeat of Aadhimuthu Gunasekaran, Janani and the rest of the women in the household leave to pursue their dreams. How they overcome the obstacles in the society forms the crux of the story.
Cast and characters
Main
Parvathy Venkitaramanan as Janani Shakthivel: Nachiyappan and Parvathi's elder daughter; Anjana's sister; Sriram and Vasu's cousin; Gowtham's best friend; Aadhimuthu Shakthivel's wife. (Dec. 2024-Present) (Season 2)
Haripriya Isai as Nandhini Kathirvel: Ramachandran and Valliammal's daughter; Aadhimuthu Kathirvel's wife; Thara's mother (Season 1-2)
Supporting
Vela Ramamoorthy as Aadhimuthu Gunasekaran aka AGS: Adhimuthu and Visalatchi's Eldest son;Gnanam, Kathir, Shakti and Aadhirai's brother; Eshwari's husband; Dharshan and Dharshini's father; Jailed (Oct.2023-Present) (Season 1-2)
G. Marimuthu as Aadhimuthu Gunasekaran aka AGS (2022-Sep.2023) (Season 1)
Sabari Prasanth as Aadhimuthu Shakthivel aka Shakthi: Aadhimuthu and Visalatchi's youngest son;Gunasekaran, Gnanam, Kathir and Aadhirai's brother; Janani's husband (Season 1-2)
Sathyapriya as Visalatchi: Aadhimuthu's widow;Gunasekaran, Gnanam, Kathir, Shakthi and Aadhirai's mother; Dharshini, Dharshan, Aishwarya and Thara's grandmother (Season 1-2)
Kamalesh PK as Aadhimuthu Gnanasekaran aka Gnanam: Aadhimuthu and Visalatchi's Second son;Gunasekaran, Kathir, Shakti and Aadhirai's brother; Renuka's husband; Aishwarya's father (Season 1-2)
Vibhu Raman as Aadhimuthu Kathirvel aka Kathir: Aadhimuthu and Visalatchi's Third son; Gunasekaran, Gnanam, Shakti and Aadhirai's brother; Nandhini's husband; Thara's father (Season 1-2)
V. Thiruselvam as Jeevanandham:social activist; Eshwari's ex-love interest; Kayalvizhi's widower; Venba's father(Season 1-2)
Sathya Devarajan as Aadhiraiselvi Aadhimuthu alias Aadhirai: Aadhimuthu and Visalatchi's daughter; Gunasekaran, Gnanam, Kathir and Shakthi's sister; Arun's ex-lover; Karikalan's ex-wife (Season 1-2)
Vimalkumar J as Karikalan: Jhansi Rani and Ramalingam's son; Aadhirai's ex-husband (Season 1-2)
Bombay Gnanam as R.Pattammal MA: Aadhimuthu's mother; Gunasekaran, Gnanam, Kathir, Shakthi and Aadhirai's grandmother (Season 1-2)
Gaayathri Krishnan as Jhansi Rani: Ramalingam's second wife; Karikalan's mother (Season 1)
Goudham Krishnan as Gowtham: Janani's best friend (Season 1)
Ziba Shirin as Farhana: Jeevanandham's sidekick (Season 1)
RJ Nelu as Krishna Swamy Meyyappan: Meyyappan and Rajalakshmi's Younger Son, Janani and Anjana's cousin (Season 1)
Maaran Chandrasekaran as Ramasamy Meyyappan: Meyyappan and Rajalakshmi's Elder Son, Krishna Swamy's brother, Janani and Anjana's cousin (Season 1)
Bindhu Pankaj as Umayal Ramanathan: Nachiyappan's elder sister; Janani and Anjana's aunt (Season 1)
T. K. Kala as Meyyappan's,Nachiyappan's and Umayal's mother; Janani and Anjana's grandmother (Season 1)
VJ Keerthi as Keerthi: Umayal's daughter; Janani and Anjana's cousin (Season 1)
Dinesh Mourougane as Sidharth: Umayal’s son; Anjana’s husband (Season 1)
Muthu Lakshmi as Rajalakshmi: Meyyapan's wife; Ramasamy and Krishnasamy's mother (Season 1)
Vasudevan Venugopal as Subramaniam Krishnamoorthy Rajavarman alias SKR: Arasu, Arun and Karthikeyan's brother; Charubala's husband; Gunasekaran's former MD and now his business-rival (Season 1)
Chaanakyaa as Arunkumar alias Arun: SKR's second younger brother; Aadhirai's ex-lover (Season 1)
Giri Dwarakish as Arasu: SKR's first younger brother(Season 1)
Madhu Karthik as Karthikeyan: SKR's youngest brother (Season 1)
Apollo Ravi as Kadambavanam: Gunasekaran's sidekick (Season 1)
Vishnu Vasudev as Sethuraman: Savitri's widower; Eshwari's father; Dharshan and Dharshini's grandfather (Season 1)
Subhashini as Valliammal: Nandhini's mother; Thara's grandmother (Season 1)
Bharathi Kannan as Kovai Subaiah: Visalatchi's younger brother (Season 1)
Balaji as Thiruvengadam: Parvathi's brother; Padmavathi's husband; Sriram and Vasu's father (Season 1)
Vasavi as Padmavathi: Thiruvengadam's wife; Sriram and Vasu's mother (Season 1)
Subramanian Gopalakrishnan as Sriram: Thiruvengadam and Padmavathi's son; Vasu's brother; Janani and Anjana's cousin (Season 1)
Dhatachani Santho as Kotravai IPS: Special Officer for investigating Dharshini's case(Season 1)
Kotravai as Meenakshi: A lawyer of Eswari (Season 1)
Johithya as Ilaveni: Jeevanandham's sidekick (Season 1)
Archana as Rani: Maid in Gunasekaran's house(Season 1)
Abhinaya Palaniswamy as Kalaiarasi: Pattamal's nurse (Season 1)
Sabarish Selvaraj as Kumar: Arasu's sidekick(Season 1)
Anbarasi as Anbarasi: Janani's friend (Season 1)
Jillu Vikram as Vikram: Janani's friend (Season 1)
Abinaya as Kathija: Janani's friend(Season 1)
Merwen Balaji as Kedhar: Janani's friend (Season 1)
Sudha Pushpa as Savithri: Sethuraman's wife; Eshwari's mother; Dharshan and Dharshini's grandmother(Season 1)(Dead)
Hema Dayal as Kundavai Duraisaami: Aadhimuthu Shakthivel ex-fiancé (Season 1)
Jayashree as Jayashree Chandrasekhar: Chairman of Dharshan's college (Season 1)
Production
Development
In later September 2021, Sun Network[8] confirmed through a press release that it would distribute the new Tamil serial, to be produced by Sun Entertainment and Thiruselvam Theatres and written and directed by V. Thiruselvam.[9][10][11] The dialogues for the series are written by Sri Vidhya.[12]
Casting
Kannada and Telugu actress Madhumitha Hirannaiah[13] was selected as the female lead but was later replaced by actress Parvathy Venkatiramanan in the second season[14].Tamil film actress Kaniha[15][16] were cast as the main role, who making her come back after 14 years in Tamil television series.[17][18][19][20] Priyadarshini[21] and Haripriya were cast as the parallel leads. Bombay Gnanam, was cast as a supporting role, who making her comeback after 10 years.[22][23]
Film director and actor G. Marimuthu[24][25] was selected as the negative lead till his death on 8 September 2023. He was replaced by writer Vela Ramamoorthy.[26][27] Sabari Prasanth was selected as the male lead. While Keerthana, Kamalesh, Merwen, Goutham K S, Vibhu Raman[28] and Sathyapriya were also selected for supporting roles. In end of December 2023, playback singer T. K. Kala join cast as Janani's grandmother.[29]
The Series initially started to Air on from 7 February 2022 at 9:30 pm. Later On 9 October 2023, it was Shifted to 9:00 pm.[2][30]
Season 2
This Series is initially started to Air on from 23 December 2024 at 9:30 pm.
Reception
Trp Record
In Barc Era, This is the first ever Tamil Television Series to become No.1 at U+R Market in TRP ratings at 9:30 pm slot all over Tamil Nadu.[31][32][33]
Season 1
Critical response
The series gradually gained more popularity and viewership in January 2023 by its screenplay, and mainly for the natural and realistic acting.[31]Ethirneechal gave tough competition for ratings to its same channel's top rated soap Kayal.[34]
.jpg)
