Meet Petchiammal, the mother who lived as a man for over 30 years to protect daughter

Remember south superstar Kamal Haasan’s character in ‘Chachi 420’ dressing up as a woman to get his daughter and wife back? The shenanigans of Kamal Haasan's character may have evoked a a lot of laughter but the story of Tamil Nadu's Petchiammal is far from funny.

57-year-old Petchiammal has been living as a man for over 30 years in order to protect her daughter.

Hailing from Tamil Nadu’s Thoothukudi district, she was 20 years old when her husband passed away just 15 days after their wedding, according to media reports.

Finding it difficult to raise a daughter as a single mother and after facing harassment as a female worker in male-dominated workplaces such as tea shops, hotels and construction sites, Petchiammal decided to start living as a man. She renamed herself Muthu and relocated with her daughter.

While in 'Chachi 420' Kamal Hasan soon put an end to his dual life, Petchiammal has been living as Muthu for 36 years. Her daughter is now married but Petchiammal doesn’t want to change her identity back to that of a woman. According to media reports, she wants to remain Muthu as it is the changed identity that gave her daughter and her a safe life.