Waves never cease) is a 1981 Indian Tamil-language teen romantic drama film written and directed by Bharathiraja, from a story by Manivannan.

The film was simultaneously shot along with its Telugu version titled Seethakoka Chilaka (1981) where Karthik and Smitha reprised their roles.

Vichu, a laidback teenager from an orthodox Brahmin family, lives with his widowed mother, a music teacher, in a coastal village.

Mary, a modernised Christian girl studying in a nearby town, returns to the village after finishing her examinations, where her wealthy brother David lives with his wife Elissy.

Feeling insulted, she decides to learn singing, obtains permission from David and enrolls in music classes under Vichu's mother.

Vichu and Mary start exchanging messages written on paper pieces tucked in the harmonium.

Mary gets admission in a city college, but her love for Vichu prompts her to adopt ingenious techniques to fall ill to enable her to get excuses to cancel the trip.

Though he is caught in the act, David cleanly gets away due to his clout, and Mari and his wife quietly leave the house, after sarcastically telling David that he had already 'repaid' them for their loyalty, and Elissy — rather than they — should be given the final payment for coolie services rendered, for standing 'guard' so faithfully during the shameful act.

When they are together, David lands up, beats Vichu and his friends, takes Mary away and speeds up the process of her forced marriage.

However, David and his people arrive; Vichu's mother asks him and Mary to run away to a safer place.

Bava Lakshmanan, who had finished the ninth grade, initially screen tested for the film before Karthik was selected.

[12] For the song "Aayiram Thamarai", Bharathiraja wanted a set with swaying lotuses, for which assistant directors Manobala and Manivannan "ran from pillar to post to get it ready".

[16] The song "Putham Pudhu Kaalai", set to Natabhairavi,[17] was originally recorded for a film titled Maruthani to be directed by Mahendran.

[22] The song was also reused as "Halke Se Bole" in the Hindi film Paa (2009),[23] and was sampled for a Kissan Fruit Kick commercial.

[24] The song "Kadhal Oviyam" was reused as "Meri Zindagi" in the Hindi film Aur Ek Prem Kahani (1996), which was also composed by Ilaiyaraaja.

[30] Sindhu-Jeeva of Kalki praised Kannan's cinematography, Ilaiyaraaja's music, editing and the climax for creating excitement and concluded calling it another colourful painting by Bharathiraja highlighting love.

[33] Alaigal Oivathillai was simultaneously shot along with its Telugu version titled Seethakoka Chilaka by Bharathiraja himself with Karthik and Smitha reprising their roles, which was released one month later.