Kishkindha Kaandam (2024)

[bunniefuu]

Let's use this opportunity wisely to

silence everyone with just a fingertip

and remind those who forgot our

land and people after gaining power,

ensuring that Advocate Sri Anil Baby, who

is deeply connected to his birthplace,

wins by a large majority.

Hey... What's up?

I'm here to deposit the g*n.

You show up only when

elections are declared.

You can head over to the

officer on the right.

- Number?

- 1624/MPM.

License?

- It's a revolver?

- Yes.

- You haven't used it recently, right?

- No, no.

Rounds...

- Okay, then.

- Okay.

Has everyone turned

in their g*ns?

No.

- One Mr. Appu Pillai is left.

- Okay.

Please show your IDs.

Mom, my ID.

- There are two witnesses, right?

- Yes, yes.

Show the ID proof.

Aparna...

Groom's ID?

Here it is.

Full name?

Ajayachandran K. V.

Ajayachandran.

Father's name?

K. Appu Pillai.

You've come from quite far, huh?

How did you end up here?

Where's he from?

Nedunchal.

Nedunchal...

Oh! That's the place with many

eco-tourism attractions, isn't it?

- Yes.

- Okay.

Ajayetta,

it's from the police station.

- Sir...

- Okay.

Just a minute.

- Are you Ajayan?

- Yes.

Appu Pillai?

He is my father.

Not that. Is Appu

Pillai with you now?

Sir, I'm not home at the moment.

What about your dad?

Dad is at home.

But he didn't answer

when we called your home.

Dad doesn't really use

the landline much, Sir.

That's for outgoing

calls, right?

He can still answer

incoming calls, can't he?

It's not that, Sir. He

isn't comfortable using it.

What's the matter, Sir?

Appu Pillai is a g*n

license holder, right?

Yes.

Did you see the notice asking for

licensed firearms to be surrendered?

- No.

- But there is such a notice.

It is mandatory.

Today's the last date.

Oh! Due to the elections, right?

I had read it in the newspaper.

It must be brought to

the station before noon.

I'll reach home

by around 4.30 PM.

Will it be late if I

come after that, Sir?

My dad doesn't go out much.

That will be late.

Where is your house?

Nedunchal.

Where in Nedunchal?

On the way to Thirunelli.

Is it near the forest office?

- It is before the forest office.

- Okay.

The house is known as

Kodaykkal Veedu, Sir.

Okay. We will go and

collect it ourselves.

- Is it regarding the g*n?

- Yes.

Why are you so

stressed about it?

He would have found it by now.

[phone rings]

- Dad...

- Yes.

Did you find it?

No.

I received a call

from the station.

They've asked me to get

it there before noon.

If not, will they

court-martial me?

I have been searching

for it since dawn.

If I don't find it, tell them I'll

carve a wooden g*n and hand it over.

Damn circulars and surrender

notices, all for a puny p*stol!

I'll call you when I find it!

Hang up now!

That's what I told you...

We should've filed a petition this

morning when he said it was missing.

That's for our safety as well.

If someone has stolen it

and fires it somewhere,

we need to have

solid backing, right?

I'm just talking about

the worst-case scenario.

Isn't it better than

having to say it's missing

when the police come

to the house for it?

I understand, Shivetta.

I'd even told Dad that

we must file a petition.

It's because Dad

objected, right?

Okay.

Anyway, let him

continue searching.

Finish what you

came here for. Come.

Okay.

- Happy married life!

- Thank you, Sir.

- Okay, then.

- Okay.

Okay, then.

- Okay.

- See you.

Aparna...

Why didn't you come inside?

I just got here.

He is Praveena's brother.

- Prashobh.

- Hi.

Come home once you're settled.

Okay.

How long are you on leave for?

I haven't received the call yet.

I'll be here for

two months anyway.

Okay.

You guys carry on.

It's getting late, right?

All the best.

Shall we go?

[Kishkindha Kaandam]

Smith & Wesson, 9mm.

It is a p*stol, right?

Yes.

It's been three years since

the license was renewed, right?

Yes.

- That's the one.

- K. Appu Pillai.

Okay.

- Sir...

- Yes.

Everything's good in

the station records.

In February 2021,

he had surrendered the

p*stol to renew the license.

So, after completing the renewal,

we returned it as well, right?

Yes, Sir.

As a former army officer,

you must be aware of the

hassles behind this, right?

How can people like you be

so careless in handling it?

You are?

- I am his son.

- What do you do?

I work in the Forest

Department, Sir.

Shivadasettan's...

Yes.

He had mentioned your wedding

when he requested two days off.

Congrats.

The notice to deposit the g*n was

issued well in advance, right?

And you're only saying the g*n is

missing now, at the last minute?

- Errr...

- What is this, Shivadasetta?

How did this even

happen with you around?

Well, Sir... I just got

to know from Ajayan.

Fine. But they could have at

least informed the station

right away when they realized

it was missing, right?

If this election hadn't come up,

would they have even

realized it was missing?

What if someone misuses it?

Have you thought about it?

Have YOU thought about it?

I'm not someone who

thinks too much!

If it's acceptable, we can write

the petition from here and sign it.

Hey, just write it

and give it to them.

Or... if your ego

doesn't allow that,

I'll come to the station

tomorrow morning.

They totally ruined the

day the newly-weds arrived.

I don't think he gets

how serious this is.

- You got it, right?

- Yes.

Anyway, give a

written complaint.

- And search the house thoroughly.

- Sir.

Attach a copy of the

g*n license as well.

- Okay.

- Okay, then.

- I'll be on duty tomorrow.

- Okay, fine.

No, this isn't

exactly Thirunelli.

This place is before that,

along the Thirunelli route.

You said the license was

renewed three years ago, right?

Hasn't Dad taken

it out since then?

It's not a daily-use item

to take out and use

every day, is it?

So, people like him, who

can't even keep a g*n safe,

were the ones guarding

our country's borders?

Aparna must be quite

impressed, right?

Where is she?

She is talking on the phone.

She is okay, right?

She is.

I could sense that she

is quite chilled out.

What is it, dude?

Nothing...

Come on. Cheer up.

Don't make her anxious

with your overthinking.

Okay, just keep

one thing in mind.

Everyone is okay with it.

It's just your feeling

that it is not okay.

And it's not right to live

your life in solitude.

There must be some

happenings in life, right?

This isn't just about you.

You must think about

Dad too, right?

You get what I'm saying, right?

Yes.

She is coming.

It's my elder brother.

Hi!

Hello.

How is our place?

It's awesome!

I left home a long time ago.

I'm not in contact

with anyone there,

not even with that

'Hitler' in the house.

He told me.

Well, when are you

going back to Bangalore?

Or are you on leave?

I resigned from my

job before I got here.

How come?

I got bored.

So, what's the next plan?

I haven't thought

about any plans yet.

I thought I'll just

go with the flow.

That's cool!

No job can give you the joy of

living without having to work.

Mr. Prasad, please come.

Job calls! I'll call later.

- Good night.

- Good night.

Dude...

- Good night.

- Good night.

Today was a mess, right?

I wonder what your dad felt.

Nothing like that.

My dad is cool with it.

So, there are others who

were not cool with it.

Seems like Prasadettan and

your dad are just so in sync!

You know how old

people are, right?

Moreover, he follows

military discipline.

Don't worry. Dad isn't

all that troublesome.

Ask Maniyan to come

tomorrow with two people.

That... uh...

Or should I climb

trees at the age of 70?

Yes, it's a radio.

Puyinkara Kavu is right

next to this place.

And what you see over there

is the Reserve Forest.

Except for Hanuman and Sugriva,

you can find the entire

army of monkeys here.

Oh!

One fine morning, our

radio went missing.

It was after around a month,

that we found it

hanging on this branch.

It's not at a height where

you can grab it easily, right?

Hearing about this, many

people came to see it.

Seeing the comments from

people and their astonishment,

Dad ordered it to be left on the tree

for everyone's amusement from then on.

And there's no option to appeal

against your dad's order, right?

That order served its

purpose, didn't it?

You were also staring with

your mouth wide open, right?

If you look closely, you will

see many more items up there.

Dolls...

Toys...

Monkeys were Chachu's

enemy number one.

He had even tried to capture

monkeys with a rat trap.

Is it coming from Dad's room?

Yes.

That's his regular playlist.

You will have to bear with it.

It is a North-East

folk song, right?

Yes. Have you heard it before?

I had been part of a volunteer

camp while I was in Delhi.

We went to Nagaland,

Mizoram... and so on.

Dad was in Arunachal

Pradesh for many years.

Hey, shall I share

a thought with you?

It could be silly.

Can't you approach the missing

g*n case from this angle?

Well... a g*n isn't exactly something

too heavy for a monkey to pick up, is it?

So, didn't you hear the

order Dad gave last night?

- Maniyan?

- Yes.

Maniyan chetta... Wooh!

This side... This side!

Look in every nook

and corner, okay?

- Shashiyetta!

- Check that mango tree branch!

Can you see a black object?

No!

That's a sandal or

something like that!

Hey, tighten the knot!

Check that tree as well!

Where all should we search?

Ah!

Now, if a branch snaps

and someone falls,

we will have to

deal with that too!

- Right?

- Come on!

What if we find the g*n?

You always take his side!

Whether it's a

thief or a monkey,

if the g*n gets fired,

we will be in a soup.

Throw it!

If that happens, no one will be interested

in climbing or shaking the tree anymore.

So, shall I leave?

My duty is outside

the station today.

[North East folk song playing]

Huh?

Building only the flyover pillars

won't lead to development.

Have someone explain this

to my election opponent.

Isn't it true?

The locals have started growing

veggies under the flyover,

which has only had its pillars

built in the last 10 years.

Beans and what not! So...

Don't try to fool

the people with that.

Park your vehicle

to the side, bro!

Just a minute. Let that

busy person pass through.

Why are you trying to

squeeze through this traffic?

Wait! I have much more to say!

Sir, you can move forward.

Allow them to pass through.

We needn't achieve anything

by obstructing people.

Move the auto rickshaw!

Let those in a hurry go ahead.

Come!

Go, go!

Creating a fuss during

such a major event!

Didn't you say he's

always at home?

He doesn't go

outside very often.

How long has it been since

he retired from the army?

It must be around 10-16 years.

His elder son and

I were classmates.

He had a very good

reputation back then.

Is it bad now?

Err, that's not what I meant.

- Dasan.

- Yes.

Here you go.

You've added nutmeg, right?

Yes. Shaiju Sir

likes that flavour.

He has set a menu for himself.

Sumadathan Chetta...

Look!

You carry on. I'll come later.

Well... Everyone

is already there.

- I'll be there by the time they start.

- Okay.

Their office is based in Delhi.

I had asked if they have

an office in the South.

So, you've spoken

to them once before.

- They are like a bypass channel.

- Just a minute.

I had sent them Chachu's

photos and details earlier.

Oh!

- So, they are just mediators.

- Yes.

Another NGO is

dealing with this.

Only after verifying the

details we've submitted

and confirming the

parents in person

will they connect us to them.

Okay.

- It's okay now.

- That is their policy.

Prashobh, we got connected.

Okay. So, you talk to them.

I'll send the link.

- Okay.

- This is the window.

- Ajayetta...

- Yes.

Well... Aparna Chechi

is with you, right?

Huh?

- I mean, she must be...

- okay with this, right?

Of course.

I had told her before

the wedding, right?

I was just asking... Okay.

Anyway, call me

after the meeting.

- Okay, then.

- Okay.

Hi, good evening.

Good evening.

[in Hindi] Sorry, I got

held up with some work.

So, I couldn't schedule

the meeting earlier.

- That's okay.

- Okay.

Then, we'll start?

Sure.

Since when do you know Gaurav?

Actually, I don't

know him in person.

He is a colleague of Prashobh.

Oh, your in-law.

So, you have never met him?

No. Actually, it's like...

they had a chat

and put me through.

Chinmay, called as...

Chachu.

Yes.

You are...

Ajayachandran K. V.

Yes.

And...

Mother's name...

Praveena Ajayachandran.

Yes.

Umm... where's Praveena?

She is...

She can join if she wants to.

- No, I mean...

- She passed, actually.

It's been two years now.

Oh, sorry.

So, how old was Chachu

at the time of missing?

Seven.

And date of missing?

3 years back.

March 20th,

So how long did you follow up

initially with the classifieds?

- It went on for like...

- seven days, initially.

Can you tell me the languages

he was familiar with?

Only Malayalam.

But he could understand

English to an extent.

Okay.

Alright, Ajay.

I'll forward these

to the higher desk.

They will reach you once

the paperwork is complete.

- Thank you.

- Nice talking to you.

Pleasure.

Ajayetta, these also need

to be sent out today.

- To Thirunelli, right?

- Yes.

This time, I have

changed the ingredients.

Keep it inside.

Baby Sir got lucky today, huh?

Does he pay anything

to Sumadathan Chettan?

Since it's for booze, he won't

be his usual stingy self.

I'm telling you, the first question

will be if he has Google Pay.

No, no. He has paid for it.

I thought you'd be on

leave this whole week.

A new person has arrived, right?

Not going on a

honeymoon trip, Ajayan?

No.

Didn't you say she's

a nature freak?

At least take her for

a stroll in the forest.

What was she doing

in Bangalore? IT?

She started off with IT.

- She left it when she lost interest.

- Is it?

Then, she pursued MSW.

And worked with their

syllabus-making team in Bangalore.

Isn't that correct, Ajayetta?

- [phone rings]

- Yes.

And a bit of theatre

and travel in between.

She has come here

leaving all that behind.

She is a perfect

match for Ajayettan.

We get that Ajayan is stuck here

since his father is alone here.

But shouldn't these younger girls have

a clarity about what they want to do?

Isn't it enough to have clarity about

what they shouldn't do, Mohanetta?

Hmm. Okay.

Yes.

11th block, right?

I'll be there soon. Give

me 10 minutes. Okay.

- Please check these too.

- Okay.

Listen, a shot has been

fired in the forest.

Are the Maoists active again?

Let's go visit the place.

It was Shaiju who called.

He is at the spot now.

Where is it?

There's a truck-way that goes up

from Kallepathi, right? Over there.

- 10th block?

- No.

- Hey, Tony.

- Yes.

- Get me the Jeep keys.

- Okay.

I think it's at the

boundary between 11 and 12.

They fired shots at

one of our signboards.

Great!

And you wanted me to take

her on a trip to this forest?

Things were finally

getting calm.

Now, the people will

get talking again!

Don't exaggerate.

They too have needs, don't they?

Yeah, right! As if they need

to fire shots to make a living!

- I'll bring the Jeep.

- Okay.

- Hi...

- Hi.

As we all know,

g*nf*re is nothing new in

the Kallepathi forest region.

It was in April that the Thunderbolt team

arrested two people for weapons training.

How many times will you

repeat the same thing?

It's not as if I've applied

for a passport, is it?

It is management protocol, Sir.

We can only do it once all the

requirements we listed are met.

I've come after asking

about it over a phone call.

You didn't tell me about

this protocol then!

It's not that. We had a

server update last week.

- So...

- So, you lost it?

It is not lost, Sir.

- When we did the server update...

- So, you can get it.

Sir, I didn't mean that.

Just tell me whether you

can get it for me or not.

That's what I said, Sir. We'll

know only after checking.

- Do you want me to check it?

- No, Sir. Just a minute.

Hey, girl. You only need half the time

you're wasting on excuses to get it done.

Instead of doing

it, you are just...

- Can you quickly check the back-up files?

- What?

- Some sort of confusion, it seems.

- What?

Have you come here earlier

for the same thing, Sir?

Do things get done here

based on prior acquaintance?

Okay.

Is your name Appu Pillai, Sir?

Yes.

Age 70, birth star is Chothi,

Zodiac sign is Libra.

Yes. Err, okay.

Sir, you've been requested to go

to the Lay Secretary's office.

Sir, your umbrella!

The locals informed the police

that they heard continuous

g*nf*re for just a brief period.

Anyway, there were no

casualties this time as well.

The locals and police believe someone

was involved in weapons training.

Couldn't they choose a better

spot for their sh**ting practice?

Right at the elephant's

butt? Really?

Didn't you say that

they too have needs?

- We will have to put up a new one.

- Yes.

One game in front and

another through the back!

Everyone is aware

of your nasty past!

Prakashan, save your jabs

for those who'll take it.

Don't try to mess with me.

Let's see how long

you'll keep this going,

by supplying hooch

and hauling jugs!

If you talk nonsense,

I will smack your face!

If I don't get you arrested,

then my name isn't Prakashan.

It's easy to pick

low-hanging fruit, right?

He is the temporary

watcher here.

You must have heard

about him; Sumadathan.

He was involved in some Naxal

activities back in the past,

discreetly.

He used to make home-made bombs.

One day, one blew up in his

hands while he was making it.

That's when everyone found

out about his real profile.

This happened 40 years ago.

He gave it all up back then.

He gave it up. But

you know, right?

Once someone's name

is on the list,

even if they cleanse

themselves in the Ganges,

people will still see

them the same way!

Try getting me arrested!

Your tricks won't work on me!

No cartridges or caps

have been recovered.

And from the b*llet impact points,

it's clear they didn't use r*fles.

- Are you saying it isn't them?

- I didn't mean that.

I just pointed out that it's

different from their usual pattern.

From the evidence

we have so far,

we can assume it's either

a revolver or a p*stol.

Anyway, it's a small g*n.

- And did you ask Dad about this?

- Sigh!

What can I ask him?

Don't frame it like a question.

Just make a general statement saying

this is what the ballistic team said.

They just said that

it could be a p*stol.

And you already concluded

that it is Dad's g*n?

You started seeing our dad

only after I did, kiddo!

Both of them are old buddies.

Does he still visit Dad?

- Who? Suman chettan?

- Yes.

He rarely comes home.

It's true that he carried

us around as kids.

But I've never thought he was

someone we could keep ties with,

whether it was back then or now.

- You do...

- Papa, can we go out?

Where?

- Downstairs.

- Now?

- Yes.

- Let's go after saying goodbye to uncle.

Who is it?

- No!

- Ichu?

- Talk to your uncle.

- Uncle's dear Ichuma?

Hey...

Let me see. Show

me your teeth!

Eeee...

Show your teeth... eeeee...

Bonjour!

What did she say?

She said, 'Bonjour'.

Oh, Bonjour!

Oh, no! Don't pull my hand!

Don't run. Let me see you!

- Come on, Papa! Come!

- Ichu...

Let's go.

Okay, dude. Gotta go.

Otherwise, she won't leave me.

I'll talk to you later. Bye.

Come, come! Let's go!

Okay.

Was it Prasadettan?

Yes.

What is he saying?

Nothing.

His usual talk.

It's 7.30 PM.

Dad isn't back home yet.

Should we try calling him?

No.

He will come.

This time is normal for home.

Must he go on his own if

he wants to buy something?

If he says it, someone will

buy and bring it, right?

Dad is very particular

about certain things.

He has to do it all by himself.

Even if we offer help,

he won't accept it.

Okay. No, no!

I'll start now itself.

Did you check the

petrol level, Dad?

Okay. I'm coming.

Dad's car isn't starting.

Let me go and check.

I will come with you.

- Dad...

- What took you so long?

It maybe due to

the cold weather.

The battery was due

for replacement.

Then you should have

replaced it, right?

What else do you

have to remember?

What if I ended up stranded

somewhere with no phone signal?

No one else owns

land in this area.

All the land up to

the stream is ours.

Would it be the workers

from the nearby plot?

They were there until 7.30 PM.

What work were they

doing at night?

Let me go and check.

Is that enough? It's

dense forest over there.

I'll bring a torchlight.

Err... how often do

you come around here?

Nobody really comes around here.

Oh.

Have you ever seen anything else

burned to ashes like this here before?

No.

And you haven't seen a fire

like this before either?

No.

By looking at the ground here,

it doesn't appear that way.

Look at this.

The forest has grown evenly

across the surroundings,

just like the other

areas in this compound.

But within a two-foot

radius of the burnt spot,

new short grasses have sprouted.

When I removed the topsoil,

I found burnt ashes underneath.

It's clear that things have been

burned here several times before.

Where is your boundary

on the east side?

There are two wild jack trees

10 metres away from that stream.

Okay. And beyond that?

It was my land. I sold it.

Oh, the land purchased by

those folks from Kottayam?

- Yes.

- Okay, okay.

This burned area is still

within your boundary, isn't it?

A resurvey won't be

necessary, right?

Maybe the workers from the nearby

plot burned some waste there.

When someone goes

out to burn waste,

will they count the

number of wild jack trees?

- That's what I also said.

- Okay.

But she wanted to verify

it the police way.

Ah, that's good.

I rarely get to play

the police around here.

Ah...

Does Sumadathan

Chettan come here?

No.

Why do you ask?

There's talk that your dad

visits Sumadathan Chettan often.

After the Kallepathi

g*nsh*t incident,

there's such a talk going

on at the station as well.

Well...

I know he won't get

involved in such things.

But still, ask him to steer clear

of that company for a while.

Why get into

unnecessary trouble?

Right?

- Shivadasettan!

- Yes.

Belgaum is in Karnataka, right?

Yes.

Sumadathan?

We call him 'Suman Chettan'.

He used to come home

regularly before.

He was very fond of my elder

brother and me when we were kids.

Is it for sure that he has

quit his Naxalite activities?

Hey, even when Dad was involved in

it, he never kept anything secret.

He's straightforward

in every aspect.

That... old... Nilambur case.

I had heard about

it from Dad himself.

Nilambur case?

In the 1970s, Naxalite movements

were strong in this region.

The burning of the Records

Room at the Munsiff Court

was a major case back then.

Dad's name was on

the list of suspects.

And then?

Since my grandfather

was quite influential,

he managed to get

my dad off the case.

However, he didn't let

Dad stay here any longer.

He was banished immediately.

It was only after that event

that he joined the military.

Your grandpa was

really something, huh?

Of course!

He was my dad's

father, after all!

I called you several times.

You know how the signal

is out here, right?

What happened?

We've received a mail

regarding Chachu's matter.

It is from Karnataka.

It's not as if we didn't

make an effort to find him.

On the day he went

missing and the day after,

there were reports of people spotting

Chachu in Pollachi and Tirupur.

Back then, all of us did

everything we could, to find him.

Praveena Chechi was lucky.

She was spared from enduring

this prolonged stress

and witnessing all of this now.

I...

There's a game

that Chachu loved.

I was trying to

remember its name.

He'll start playing it

as soon as he wakes up.

He was crazy about it.

He'd say that he'll find the treasure

after completing six more levels.

To be honest,

I couldn't give him

any attention at all,

especially after

Pravi's treatment began.

Then, how will I remember

the name of the game?

[Missing]

[School student

missing] [(Sumadathan)]

[Nilambur Court burning case

- Police investigation over]

[Sumadathan (20),

Appu Pillai (17)]

[indistinct

conversation in Kannada]

[speaking in Kannada]

Kamal!

[speaking in Kannada]

[speaking in Kannada]

Ajay Chandra! Come.

Let's go.

Well, this receipt won't do.

That's why I asked you to

come when everyone is here.

Okay, I'll come

later and collect it.

Please tell me these

details for now, Chetta.

Full name?

It's in the paper I gave you.

House name?

That's also in it, right?

Wife?

I'm asking your wife's name.

She is no more.

She passed away.

Children?

Ajayan.

Is it just 'Ajayan'?

Ajayachandran K.V.

Don't you have one more son?

If you know everything,

why are you asking me?

I'm asking his name.

Prasad Chandran K.V.

Chetta, I need a

few more details.

I don't want to trouble

you any further.

If there's anyone else

here, please call them.

He didn't use my name

when he called for me.

He addressed me as

'Hey, ' 'You, ' etc.

And he was really angry as well.

But later when he saw me,

he didn't ask me anything.

He wasn't angry at all

and acted as if

nothing had happened.

Then?

Then, it was only when

I checked his phone,

that it really struck me.

He had only less

than 10 contacts.

But their identities and

details were saved in brackets.

There are some things...

They are just my doubts.

But I feel hesitant to share

it until I know for sure.

Did you call that

carpenter after that?

What, Dad?

I asked if you called

the carpenter after that!

Yes, I had called him.

Calling and talking

alone won't suffice.

The work should get done!

We didn't ask him to build

a snake boat, did we?

It's just to fix a

door lock, right?

I will call him once again, Dad.

Otherwise, I'll ask

someone else to come.

I want my door

repaired today itself,

even if it takes calling in

Perumthachan, the master carpenter.

Did you enter Dad's room?

He can instantly tell if someone

else has been in his room.

That's what I don't understand.

Why must he react this way if a

family member has entered his room?

Dad doesn't like it.

He will react.

Have you ever wondered

why he acts that way?

I found this in Dad's room.

You said Dad takes only

insulin tablets, right?

This is not an insulin strip.

These are anti-depressants,

and Google says they're mainly

prescribed to neuro patients.

Actually, it's not just

this particular incident.

His manner of speaking and dealing

with people often feels strange.

And... the day Dad's friend

from the army visited,

that man was very talkative,

but Dad seemed

overwhelmed by panic,

almost as if he was confused.

He had a small

notepad in his hand,

and seemed to be reading from it

for all his questions and responses.

And after his friend left, I saw Dad

scribbling something on it, as well.

Remember the day he called us

saying the car wouldn't start?

Now I have a doubt about

that incident as well.

What if he had stopped after getting

confused about the way back to our house?

I think we must consult

a doctor, Ajayetta.

Sorry, I didn't mean to...

Dad's having a bit of

trouble remembering things.

Just like you

pointed it out now,

the first person to notice

it and inform me was...

Chachu.

We brought it up with Dad once.

Like you said now,

we suggested consulting

a doctor too.

Mom!

I had never seen

my dad like that.

Our plan was to sit down with Dad,

speak calmly, and convince him somehow.

That was when...

Uncle Jacob, who was in the

army with Dad, paid us a visit.

Don't you know that Dad doesn't

really talk much, Uncle?

Ever since mom passed away, he

has been silent most of the time.

So, nothing seemed

unusual to us.

I had assumed he was probably

undergoing some neurological therapy.

But when you say that

none of you had any clue

about this medical condition

of his for all these years...

Phew!

That's incredible, man!

He must be doing

something extraordinary.

He doesn't want even you

to know about it, Ajayan.

Not talking much to anyone...

and avoiding socializing

outside his house

must be his strategy.

He's scared his actions

will give him away.

He is a proud man.

He would have

recognized you, right?

Since he has his old army

pictures framed on his wall,

he would definitely

get the connection.

Beyond that,

what he remembers and

what he doesn't...

God knows!

When did you notice

it first, Uncle?

So, you have no idea about

the whole picture, Ajayan?

You know why he was fired

from the army service?

Fired?

Pillai's was a kind of

obsessive perfectionism.

Uncompromising attitude.

He was extremely strict

in ensuring that neither he nor his

battalion made even the smallest mistake.

Initially, his forgetfulness was a

running joke in our friend circle.

I have witnessed some issues

caused by his forgetfulness.

Without letting many

people know about it,

he was able to manage

it brilliantly.

But such minor forgetfulness

eventually led to

major complications.

He misplaced a service p*stol.

It escalated into an issue that

Pillai couldn't cover up in any way.

In fact, he had been

aware for quite some time

that something was

not right with him.

Not only did he evade

medical check-ups,

but he also tried to keep his

condition hidden from everyone.

Perhaps he was reluctant

to deal with the controversy and

embarrassment if everyone found out.

Eventually, one of our team members

found the g*n by coincidence

from the washing machine

in the army quarters.

It was only because Pillai's

service records were good,

and out of the concern that this might

damage the force's goodwill if exposed,

that the top authorities

kept the news confidential.

He was terminated

with immediate effect.

It's not for any other reason

that I didn't tell you.

It's been 16 years since

Dad came back from the army,

and in these 16 years,

he's only been trying

to do one thing;

making sure no one

discovers his memory issues,

and facing it all by himself.

Just imagine the struggle

he's been enduring for it.

That's the kind

of man my dad is.

Both in this town and

during his service,

that's the kind of

reputation he had.

Regardless of what he loses,

he cannot afford to let

his dignity be affected.

It might be because of his ego.

If that is what Dad wants,

we should stand by him, right?

Where is Mumma's Chachu?

Look at what Papa is doing.

Look, dear!

Do you see Papa's new camera?

Look at the new camera.

Smile!

It's okay. I'll go with him.

- Hey... Look over there!

- Chachu!

Chachu, you must not cry!

Look at the monkey jumping!

Don't cry, Chachu!

See... it jumped.

- Did you see him jump over there?

- Okay.

Is this Sumadathan?

Yes.

Papa, come!

- Mummy!

- Hey, you will fall down!

Chachu!

Hey, no! Don't

sh**t water at me!

Hey, hey!

- Jack fruit! I want jack fruit!

- He wouldn't climb unless you agreed!

- I want it!

- Get him down, Ajayetta!

No! No!

Yes!

Oh!

Enough, Chachu!

- Your intestine will flip!

- Okay.

- Superman!

- Superman!

- Superman!

- Come on, fly!

Bring him down! He will fall!

Won't you listen?

- How many times should I tell you?

- He is fine.

Come down, I say!

Are you happy now that

you got it from Grandpa?

How was Dad with Chachu?

Huh?

How was Dad's behaviour

towards Chachu?

Chachu was about two

and a half years old

when Praveena was

first diagnosed.

After that,

both of us were fully occupied

with tests and treatment.

Chachu was mostly with Dad.

A friction has always existed

due to Dad's strict

military discipline.

It was way more intense

with my elder brother.

No, Chachu!

Your Papa has come!

Hey, watch your step!

Papa!

What he remembers and

what he doesn't...

God knows!

Why did you ask that?

Could there be anything else

that he might have forgotten?

Anything related to

Chachu's missing?

Hello.

Yes.

Where is this exact location?

Who are you?

Okay.

Make sure nobody

gets close to it.

Okay, okay.

The day he went missing...

Was it the day you went to the hospital

with Praveena Chechi for her check-up?

Yes.

It was when you

returned home at night,

that you realized that

Chachu was missing.

That means...

it occurred when only

Dad and Chachu were here.

What if Dad knew...

what happened to

Chachu that day?

What if he has

forgotten what he knew?

- How many workers are there?

- Eight of my workers.

Did he answer when you called?

Joy Sir is at Mundakkayam, Sir.

Even if he's in Antarctica, tell

him to be here by dawn tomorrow.

- What?

- Okay. I'll call him.

Go and call him then!

Whom are you waiting for?

Okay.

It's been only two years

since Joy bought this land.

From whom did he buy it?

The land belonged to the

person living next door.

One Mr. Appu Pillai.

When will they reach?

They've crossed Nedunchal.

- Dig over there too.

- That area.

One of you come here.

Take care of things

here. I'll be right back.

Didn't I tell you I'd come

home when this is over?

Why did you come here?

It was the workers who saw it

while digging for the foundation.

Take him home with you.

I'll come there before I leave.

- Go.

- Shivetta...

Do you have any idea

whose it might be?

The forensic team

hasn't reached yet.

Further procedures will be

conducted after they arrive.

Come.

It doesn't seem that

big in size, right?

- Start from the middle.

- Okay.

Though it's from

the primate family,

the skeleton isn't

that of a human.

Huh?

The Reserve Forest

is nearby, isn't it?

Once I realized it was

a monkey's remains,

I thought it would be a case

that's limited to our usual set-up.

Wildlife Department, right?

Since it's a non-bailable case,

the one who did it

must have buried it.

Let's wait for the report

from the veterinary centre.

The report is out already.

I came by to talk

about that as well.

As of now, even the

police will get involved,

since it comes

under the Arms Act.

Arms Act?

What's the status of your

father's g*n missing case?

Pillai Chettan sold the property

to Joy, two years back, right?

Yes.

Did he mention

anything about this?

What happened?

The monkey's postmortem

report is out.

Okay.

The cause of death

is b*llet injury.

b*llet?

Yes.

What's the owner of

the property saying?

He is out of the picture.

He purchased the property

from us, two years back.

The monkey's remains they

found are three years old.

Sorry! Have you been

waiting for long?

That veterinary officer just left after

going on and on with the whole story!

He says that there's

an exit wound,

and based on the patch

on the monkey's bone,

it could be from a

0.32 calibre b*llet,

or perhaps a larger calibre.

What's the latest on Appu Pillai's missing

firearm case that you mentioned to me?

The calibre of Appu

Pillai's g*n is 0.35.

So, it could be that too.

It was during my time as

the SHO at this station

that Appu Pillai applied

for his g*n license.

I had met him back then as part

of the verification process.

He is quite grumpy.

Wasn't it from his family

that a boy went missing?

Yes, it's been almost

three years now.

Even before that, he had gone missing

from school a couple of times.

The kid just takes

off on his own!

Both times, his family and the school

authorities managed to find him at night.

Where was he then?

The kid was making up

stories like it was a movie.

Yet the story he told had no

connection to where he was found.

When he went missing

for the third time,

or rather the last time,

upon hearing that he

went missing again,

everyone thought, The crazy

boy has taken off yet again.

Are you saying nobody even

tried to look for him?

- No, I didn't mean that.

- We tried our maximum, Sir.

There were people who had

spotted a boy of Chachu's age

at Palakkad railway

station that night.

And on the same night, around

2:00 a.m., at Pollachi too.

It's been a couple of years

since the boy's mother died.

She was frequently sick

and often in the hospital.

I guess the boy got frustrated since

no one was giving him enough attention.

Chachu, stop! Chachu...

Chachu! Stop there, boy!

Son!

Chachu!

Stop there, son!

Chachu, stop! Son!

Just stop there!

Chachu!

Stop there, son!

Chachu!

Chachu!

Wake up, Sir.

School's dispersed. Don't

you want to go home?

Walk.

Walk, elephant.

Dad, why didn't

you take the car?

The car's out of petrol.

But I filled it

up just yesterday!

Get in, Dad.

I'm heading home too.

The case of the monkey's

remains found in the field

is now being investigated by

the Forest Vigilance department.

Did you know about it?

Nobody informed me.

It wasn't found

from my property!

What did the owner say?

The property owner?

Who else could be

the owner here?

Well...

Joy Sir bought the land from us

only two years back, right?

The remains found are

about three years old.

It was k*lled by a g*nsh*t.

Apparently, a small g*n, possibly

a p*stol, was used to k*ll it.

Who said so?

I mean...

The test results say so.

Just because of that,

it can't be assumed

that the g*n is mine.

You...

You needn't worry about it.

They will keep on

asking such questions.

Is the question theirs or yours?

Shall we go to bed?

Do you have a policy against

making things easy for people?

Sir, this is beyond our...

Listen! Please consider

my age, the time...

Why are you making

things difficult for me?

I want it right now.

Since there has been a server

update, we need to check it.

If it's available, we have

no problem in giving it, Sir.

Can you please wait

for five minutes?

I will wait.

Okay.

Hello.

[THIRUNELLI - NEDUNCHAL]

Finally!

[in Tamil] I thought you must

be away on a family tour.

Please come.

I waited for a long time, and when

you didn't turn up, I called your son.

He said he's gone

out with his wife.

Oh! This photo came here?

It was there, no?

But this is the

perfect spot for it.

This picture brings back all the

wild memories from that crazy night!

It was crazy, buddy.

I'll come in a moment.

How's the work at the

cardamom estate coming along?

It's hard to manage

with just cardamom.

Planting something else alongside

it would help balance things out.

The workers' attitude

is different now.

I need to be around all the time

to make sure they do their work.

How is Aravind?

Aravind is doing very good.

He just got a new

job last month.

He is going to Australia.

He is planning to settle there.

But once he goes, he

won't be coming back.

He isn't answering.

Anything wrong?

Nope.

Sometimes, he doesn't answer

calls if he's with someone.

Living there is

supposedly safer.

He claims we're

all backward here.

Today's youth are moving to the UK,

Australia, and Canada and settling down.

The youth are over there,

while the elders remain here.

By the way,

how is your knee after surgery?

Many people hesitate to

acknowledge their memory problems,

and we should approach

them with greater care.

Arguing with them

will only cause panic.

They might become paranoid,

their blood pressure could rise,

and they could even

lose touch with reality.

It depends.

How about recovery?

It cannot be guaranteed.

Long-time acquaintances,

languages,

and the surroundings of their

house, which they engage with daily,

could become ingrained

in their habitual memory.

So, they may or may

not forget all of this.

It varies from person to person.

If he became willing to

depend on someone else,

he wouldn't have to deal

with so much stress, right?

People with this condition usually have

trouble trusting the people around them.

They can't tell who'd take

advantage of them or how, right?

They will always

have that insecurity.

If my memory is correct,

Me, you, Charan and Jacob...

All of us went in a Jeep, right?

You remember Jacob, right?

He downed a full bottle!

And he drove the Jeep

recklessly at full speed.

I honestly thought he'd crash,

and that would be the end of us!

He finally stopped the car

at 7th Lane, near Lal Chowk,

and right in front of the Major's

quarters, he urinated on the road.

The guard came running and

started shouting at us.

You were the one who pleaded

with him and said sorry.

He only let Jacob go after that.

Jacob...

How do you know Jacob?

What a question!

Weren't we all

together in Kashmir?

But Jacob has never

been to Kashmir.

Oh, yeah.

True, true, true, man.

Sometimes, I lose it completely.

My memory isn't

as sharp as yours.

I'm turning 73 in

the coming June.

You must give me some

memory tips, mate.

No fan?

No wonder I'm sweating

like this. Phew!

[sings an old Tamil song]

You still haven't told

me how you know Jacob.

When was it?

I know him from our time

at the Itanagar camp.

Arunachal Pradesh.

Yeah.

Yeah, man.

Yeah, same.

I met him there, too.

But...

that was in 1986.

When you came last time,

you had told me that in 1986,

you were in IPKF, right?

Did I say so?

Yes, yes. Of course!

Peace Keeping Force.

Rajiv Gandhi.

I was in IPKF.

If you were with IPKF,

you must have been in Jaffna.

In Sri Lanka.

Yeah.

If you were in Sri Lanka,

how did you come to

know Jacob in Arunachal?

Why are you lying?

What?

Why are you lying to me?

Lying?

Me?

Why should I lie to you?

If so,

everything I just

said was a lie.

I was just bluffing.

You were okay with all

the lies I told you.

What is this adjustment for?

Who are you?

Who are you?

Actually...

One second. I'll

be right back.

Hi, Son.

Good that you came now.

I was about to leave.

- Hello, Aparna.

- Hi.

Why are you leaving in a hurry?

Coming here wasn't in my plans.

I had to head to the estate

but thought I'd pay a

quick visit to Pillai.

All okay here?

Yeah, yeah.

We are just...

See! We were talking

about this photo.

Right, Appu Sir?

Look at it!

This picture brings back all the

wild memories from that crazy night!

Crazy!

Good old days, right?

Okay, then.

I'm leaving.

I need to take care of

some work on my way there.

Shall I leave, Ji?

I plan to come to the

estate again next month.

If time permits,

we'll definitely meet.

See you that time.

Take care.

Bye.

- See you.

- I'll just see him out.

So what happened, Prakashetta?

- Is he the photographer?

- Hi, I am Mukundan.

Show me the photo quickly.

Show it to him.

Shouldn't we inform

the police immediately?

Let me see it

first, Prakashetta.

Sir...

The tribal colony boundary

starts from the 13th block.

The news coming from

Kallepathi Reserve Forest

evokes surprise and an

increased sense of fear.

The picture of a monkey

holding a p*stol...

If it has fallen down,

it can be retrieved.

Rapid Response Team is

searching the entire area.

Neither the Thunderbolt team

nor the police found any clues

about the suspected weapons training

incident that happened months ago.

Do you have any idea

which direction they went?

It's a forest, right, Sir?

We couldn't tell which

direction they went.

Naxal movements have

previously been reported

in the tribal colonies

beyond the 13th block.

What if the monkeys got it

from one of their camps?

Isn't it Axle wood tree?

Look! Isn't it an

Axle wood tree?

In the Kallepathi area,

Axle wood trees are found only

beyond the 20th and 21st blocks.

Your request for photography

and the permission we granted

was limited to visiting only

the 18th and 19th blocks.

You can't just roam around

the forest however you want!

Easy, Aravindetta.

We got to know this because

they roamed around, right?

Issue Section 144 in

Kallepathi Subdivision.

It's been decided to close

the tribal school for a week.

- Okay, Sir.

- And tourist permission is a definite no.

You should go and inform

the colonies directly.

- Take Prakashettan along with you.

- Okay.

Shouldn't we cross-check this with

Appu Pillai's fire-arm missing case?

If it's proved that

it is Dad's g*n,

we are in for

double the trouble.

They might file a case for

failing to secure the possession.

And if there are any

casualties due to the g*n,

it will be a tough

knot to untie.

But we can just say that

it's not ours, can't we?

Dad must be aware of

the legal side, right?

Sir.

Appu Pillai has

confirmed the p*stol.

But...

he can confirm only the

model description, right?

How can he be sure

that it is his g*n?

Among all the license

holders in Revenue records,

only Appu Pillai has

a g*n with this spec.

Which is this g*n?

Shield EZ series.

- Smith & Wesson?

- Yes.

Is it available here?

He had qualified for the National

sh**ting Meet in the past.

So, he has the

privilege to import it.

Like I said before, I feel

this could be a fake g*n.

It could even be a toy g*n.

It could be.

But the issue here

is public threat,

either until we

recover that g*n,

or until we get a

closer look at it.

So, we can't take a chance

based on that assumption.

We can give a petition to suspend

Appu Pillai's g*n licence.

Notify the Collector's office

and the Superintendent.

Sir.

Start the follow-up inquiry.

Okay, Sir.

Dad...

Dad!

Let go of me, Dad!

Let go of my hand, Dad!

- What are you doing?

- Hey!

Dad!

Move away, Dad!

Hey! What are you... Dad!

What the hell are you doing?

- Leave me, Dad!

- Move!

Dad!

Dad... Get up.

Get up.

What is this?

What happened?

- Ajayetta.. that...

- Hey!

What are you doing?

It's Dad who's burning

stuff here. I saw it!

What did you see?

Why should he do that here?

- It's not me, Ajayetta!

- Then?

Ajayan...

If there is a problem

between you two,

resolve it in your room.

Don't give the townsfolk

any reason to gossip.

Huh?

Oh...

Have you had enough?

Dad is planning

something, Ajayetta.

Okay... Say it.

There are already a hundred

stories about him in town.

Now you can start one

from home as well.

Like all of you, I can't think

rationally all of a sudden.

For everyone else, Appu Pillai

is just a curious character.

But to me, he is my father!

Okay. Let me see.

If you want tea or coffee,

we can provide it. Okay?

This may take some time.

We spoke to Sumadathan, the

watcher, in the morning.

There are certain things that

only the two of you know, right?

You are old friends, aren't you?

Hey, this is going

beyond what we thought.

Since morning, they've been digging

into Pillai Chettan's history

to connect it with

the current issue.

If we had clarity on what

Suman Chettan told them,

it would have been easier

for us to deal with it.

Third week of March, 2021.

During that time, a monkey

was shot and k*lled...

on your property.

Evidence from the monkey's

remains found in Joy's property

matches the specifications

of your p*stol.

In the witness statement given

by Sumadathan, the watcher,

there is an explanation

for this incident.

But he doesn't know what happened

to the p*stol after that.

That is missing in

his story as well.

That day, I decided

to meet Pillai

on my way back from the

Range Officer's quarters.

- Mumma!

- I'll show you today!

- Mumma!

- I'll whack you!

Grandpa!

I'll peel your skin off!

Grandpa!

I'll show you who I am!

- Please don't beat me!

- Move this way!

- I will show you...

- Stop it! Please stop it!

If we keep giving him a pass

just because he's a kid,

this brat will burn the

house down in the future!

- Look at the way he stares!

- Hey, hey!

Isn't he just a child?

Yeah, right! Just a child!

He took this g*n out

from my locked box

So, this imp knows

how to steal, right?

And he took the cartridge

that was stored away,

disabled the trigger

lock and fired!

Now, can we really

call him a child?

If any mishap happens with this

g*n, I'm the one who's answerable!

What is this, son?

Let his parents come!

Aren't they here?

Oh! They can leave him here

and go anywhere, right?

Why even have kids if you

can't take care of them?

Let them come back!

Or they could send him

to a boarding school

until his mom's

treatment is complete.

We will look into it.

Calm down now.

If word gets out, this will

be a serious police case.

You are not diabetic, right?

Today is Chachu's birthday.

Do you want dessert, Chachu?

No.

When he behaved like

nothing had happened,

I found it strange at first.

Then I felt that it must be his

way of dealing with such things.

And later, when did you

realize it wasn't like that?

He came to me when he

realized the g*n was missing.

That is what he told me.

He asked me to tell him everything

I remember from that evening.

Then he started

visiting me often.

He also asked me

about past events.

The comrades from the Nilambur

incident and the police case

would all come up

in the discussion.

He went and met some

of them as well.

Every time he comes here,

he asks the same questions,

and I give the same answers.

He listens to them like he's hearing them

for the first time, every single time.

And you've never asked

him anything about it?

I asked him once.

He got angry and stormed out.

If he isn't telling

me something,

it means he doesn't want

me to know about it.

This...

g*nf*re at Kallepathi...

The g*n found in

the monkey's hand...

Does Dad have any

connection to those?

This shows how little knowledge

sons have about their fathers!

You know what I think?

It wasn't during

this election season,

that you noticed

your g*n was missing.

But you didn't inform anyone.

When you didn't inform

anyone, it means...

there is something you

don't want anyone to know.

Right?

Hello?

Ajayan, what is the

current situation?

They're saying that they

just want to talk to him.

What does 'just' talking mean?

There is a limit for

everything, right?

Just like your dad, if you insist

on keeping his illness a secret...

You know his routines, right?

If he encounters a block,

he will panic.

No doubt about it.

How can you detain an

elderly person like this?

It's a department

matter, Ajayan.

I'm also working in the

same department, right?

Don't just settle for this. Check

if there is scope for UAPA as well.

I guess the mighty CBI would come

to investigate a dead monkey!

Ajayan!

You just want to connect that

monkey to Dad's p*stol somehow.

Only then can you link that g*nf*re

case to the Naxal activity, right?

Let me explain! Come!

Hey, it's okay. They just want

to get your dad's statement.

Yeah, right! What statement?

If you behave like this,

it will hurt their ego.

You tell me then.

Who is so hell-bent on forcing

a Naxal connection upon Dad?

Don't react without

knowing the facts.

Why shouldn't I react?

You can react, but not

like however you please.

Chetta, the person sitting inside

isn't normal like you or me.

You're aware of Dad's health

issues to some extent, right?

Can we tell how they will

treat such a person, Chetta?

[Same day? March 19-3-2021... Should

find out Chachu's missing... ]

[Believe what

Sumadathan said...]

[Retr... Re... ]

p*stol...

There is no point in

sitting mute like this.

I'll have to talk to his family.

Okay.

I will take care of it.

Sir.

Can't really call

it a treatment.

A kind of reminiscence therapy.

We must encourage the patient,

to talk or to think.

A casual conversation, like the

ones friends have, would be enough.

That will stimulate

their brain activity.

Socializing skills,

self-esteem, attention,

and confidence.

It can help boost everything.

Also, it's a way to know if

his condition is getting worse.

Has it been a long time

since you began this therapy?

It's been going

on for some time.

Once every two months, right?

Yes.

Does Appu Pillai know...

that your visits are actually

therapy sessions, Doctor?

No. I haven't told him.

If he finds out, we can't say how

far he'd be willing to cooperate.

Even I go there disguised

as an old friend,

obviously, with his

help and consent.

We act like we don't

know anything either.

I tried hinting it to

Dad a couple of times.

But every time, he got upset.

Then he starts to panic.

If he panics,

he may lose hold of reality.

For remembering things,

Dad has his own set of

habits and routines.

The longer he's held here,

the more those routines

are being broken, Sir.

This is a copy of Dad's certificate from

the Termination Medical Examination.

If the situation here

continues to drag on,

we will have to file

these papers in court.

This is enough to show that my dad's

not in any condition to deal with this.

If possible, we would prefer

to avoid such a scene.

Dad wouldn't want the world

to know about his condition

and the past events

from his army service.

Excuse me.

Ah!

Any progress?

This will come back and

screw us in a big way!

- Huh?

- Not just the Police,

Revenue, Forest - all

will have a hard time.

What happened?

Weren't you the Station

House Officer here

when Appu Pillai's g*n

license verification was done?

Yes.

How long ago was that?

Around eight years ago.

Appu Pillai was

terminated from the Army

because he was

mentally unstable,

16 years ago!

We will be answerable for this!

The court will only ask

how we allowed someone mentally

unstable to pass the verification

and be granted a g*n license!

Furthermore, since

we're trying to say

that the p*stol found in the

monkey's hand belongs to him,

it is bonus-risk for us.

It's a public threat issue.

They will release

Dad right away.

Oh!

As per the medical

certificate we provided,

Dad was not eligible for a g*n license

during the time of verification.

So, if his memory

problem gets revealed...

They all suck!

So, they've got more at stake

in hiding it than we do, right?

Yes.

Good God!

[School student missing]

Come, Dad.

Huh!

Who is it?

Who entered my room?

I'm asking you, who

entered my room?

- Take your hands off me!

- Dad...

Who entered my room?

Huh!

Who entered my room?

- Come, Dad.

- All of you, get out of my room!

You...

It's you. I know it!

Get out! Get out, I say!

You must call the carpenter.

I will call him.

You will forget.

Call him right away.

I will call him, Dad.

You should call him now itself!

My room isn't for random

people to rummage through.

Dad...

You lie down, Dad.

He relies the most on...

the notes he's written

and stored safely, right??

He must have panicked seeing

them scattered everywhere.

Would someone who writes

everything down to remember

really try to burn

all of it themselves?

Those might be things he

prefers not to remember.

Don't we sometimes delete

WhatsApp messages

that we don't like?

It's like an escape

from the actual reality.

Appu Pillai's condition

is a headache for others.

But for him,

it's a blessing.

What all does he remember...

What all has he forgotten...

He's the only one who knows!

Check out what's written here.

Do you remember what

Sumadathan mentioned today?

The question Dad asked

him repeatedly was,

How many times did Chachu

fire at the monkey?

That was just once.

Did you enter Dad's room today?

Err...

You started playing Sherlock Holmes

from the day you arrived here!

You too want to portray

my dad as a culprit.

For that, you keep coming up

with findings and theories.

If you haven't had enough, go ahead

and do a postmortem on him too!

I found this from Dad's room.

Identifying the g*n in the monkey's

hands from the photo as his

could be viewed as him taking

advantage of the situation.

That way, the g*n missing

case will have a conclusion.

But why should he deliberately hide

it and then lie that it's missing?

I haven't come here on

a vacation, Ajayetta.

I'm not really sure how

you feel about it either.

But I believe I belong here.

The people here and their

problems belong to me as well.

That includes Chachu too.

I've never seen

him. That's true.

If you ask me, I have no apparent

connection with him either.

But he's someone who should

have been here with you, right?

Though I've only been here a

short while, even I have felt...

that he should be here.

At least, we need to know

what happened to him.

Sorry.

When I saw Dad in such a

condition all of a sudden...

Your doubts...

What do you want me to ask him?

It's my father

we're talking about!

I'm not asking you to

view anyone as a villain.

But at least for some time,

think about it only

as Chachu's father.

In a way, Dad's current condition

is rather convenient for him, right?

He's the only one who knows what

he remembers or has forgotten.

He can pretend however

he likes, right?

He could claim not to know

things he actually does,

and act like he's forgotten

things he's hiding.

No one would ever find

out or ask him about it.

As written here,

Dad's p*stol is

missing two b*ll*ts.

He must have started

this "g*n missing" drama

to dodge questions about

where the b*ll*ts went.

He must be burning these papers

to cover something up, right?

I'm just asking if they hold the

answer to what happened to Chachu.

Enough!

Even Dad has got the

same questions as you.

He's also trying to figure

out what happened to Chachu.

But...

Without knowing where

to begin or whom to ask,

he keeps going to

Chachu's school,

and places where

Chachu had been to...

And...

to know...

if it's because of

something from his past,

he's been digging into that too.

[Boy wasn't found from

Coimbatore either]

What he's been asking and

trying to understand from others

is actually about himself.

Even he is suspecting himself.

Trying to figure out if

he made any mistakes,

if he's forgotten

those mistakes,

or if he's the reason behind

Chachu's disappearance.

He's been making all these notes

as part of his investigation.

And he's burning them,

to cover it up,

not from us,

but to make himself forget.

But...

once he forgets what he's done,

he starts the investigation

all over again.

Again and again...

Every single time...

As if he's doing it

for the first time...

Every time he comes here,

he asks the same questions,

and I give the same answers.

He listens to them like he's hearing them

for the first time, every single time.

Those might be things he

prefers not to remember,

like an escape from

the actual reality.

I'll whack you!

Grandpa...

So, would he have

solved it already?

When did Chachu

actually go missing?

You had told me that it was on the day

you took Praveena Chechi to the hospital.

It was Chachu's birthday.

That was on March 19th.

I'll be right back.

If I fill the form now, I can go

to the site directly tomorrow.

Leave the phone to charge.

But as per the news

and police records,

the complaint about

him going missing...

was filed a day later,

on the night of 20th.

Is there anything you

haven't told me yet?

Pravi...

Chachu...

Cha...

Chachu...

Chachu..

My son...

Chachu...

Chachu...

Chachu...

Chachu...

My son!

What...

What happened?

Huh?

He... He...

He...

was hiding it...

from me.

He didn't give it to me.

I was trying to grab

it back from him,

Ajayetta!!

He...

Don't act so stubborn.

Let go of it!

He was throwing tantrums...

He didn't give it to me.

- Give it to me.

- No, I want it!

I...

I unknowingly...

I...

I want my son!

I want my son back, Ajayetta!

Dad...

If this is about seeing a

doctor, don't start again.

I've made it clear

several times.

I'm perfectly alright.

I can take care of myself.

Pravi... Pravi...

Pravi...

Please wait outside.

What happened to her?

It's a painkiller

overdose, Doctor.

Taking one or two more tablets than

necessary is called an overdose,

not feasting on them like rice.

Ma'am...

I'm going to report this

to the police anyway.

It's clear that it's

a suicide attempt.

Doctor...

Doctor...

She did it by mistake.

Do you know what

medicine she took?

They are just

normal pain K*llers.

I need to see the prescription.

I have the prescription with me.

She is undergoing Chemotherapy.

At which hospital is she

undergoing Chemotherapy?

VMC Hospital.

Shouldn't you be handling

such patients more carefully?

Doctor...

You need to bring

Praveena's medical records,

including the

chemo certificates.

Hello, Ajayetta.

Yes, Prashobh.

Where's Pravi?

She isn't answering my calls.

- Hey...

- Hello?

Are you outside, Ajayetta?

Yes, I am.

I'm driving.

Oh, okay. It's alright then.

Just tell her that I called.

I'll call her tomorrow.

Okay, Chetta. Bye.

Okay.

I didn't see you at

all the entire day.

You should ask Maniyan to come.

The branch of the mango tree is

pressing against the roof tiles.

I just wanted to know if something

happened to him because of me.

You shouldn't lie about

things that can't be fixed.

The two of you went to the Medical

College Hospital on March 19th.

The details of the chemo session

are on record at the hospital.

My p*stol is missing

two b*ll*ts now.

I found out from Sumadathan

how one of them went missing.

Second b*llet?

I don't know whose hands it

happened by, between the two of you,

and I'm not going to ask either.

Even if it was an accident,

they will still

charge it as m*rder.

She doesn't have the strength

to endure another tragedy,

and I can't go on living,

seeing you as the culprit.

Truths that do no

good for anyone...

Let them be reduced

to ashes, like this.

I know...

my illness is beyond recovery.

But now, I feel

truly happy about it.

It's a kind of

freedom, isn't it?

The freedom to live only

in the reality we choose.

There's a question that has

haunted me since that night...

"Where is Chachu now?"

But I don't think I can

ever ask that to Dad.

Even if I ask him,

would he remember the answer?

I don't know.

In case he doesn't remember,

wouldn't it just serve

as a painful reminder?

As Dad said;

Truths that do no

good for anyone...

I've found myself with a few people who

are deeply concerned about each other.

It's not morality,

but concern that

keeps them together.

Today, I'm one of them too.

This journey is to Nagpur.

Both Ajayettan and I know...

it's not Chachu

we're going to see.

That's just how some things are.

We have to keep up the

act until the very end.