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 gun.
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 guns?
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 gun 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 gun? - 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 gun and hand it over.
Damn circulars and surrender notices, all for a puny pistol!
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 pistol, 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 pistol 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 gun was issued well in advance, right?
And you're only saying the gun 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 gun 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 gun 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 gun case from this angle?
Well... a gun 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 gun?
You always take his side!
Whether it's a thief or a monkey,
if the gun 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,
2021.
- 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,
- gunfire 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 gunfire 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 shooting 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 bullet impact points, it's clear they didn't use rifles.
- 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 pistol.
Anyway, it's a small gun.
- 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 pistol.
And you already concluded that it is Dad's gun?
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 gunshot 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]
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 pistol.
- 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 gun 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 shoot 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!
- 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 gun 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 bullet injury.
Bullet?
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 bullet,
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 gun 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 gun 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, âThe crazy boy has taken off yet again. â
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!
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 killed by a gunshot.
Apparently, a small gun, possibly a pistol, was used to kill it.
Who said so?
I mean...
The test results say so.
Just because of that,
it can't be assumed that the gun 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?
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 pistol...
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 gun,
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 gun,
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 pistol.
But...
he can confirm only the model description, right?
How can he be sure that it is his gun?
Among all the license holders in Revenue records,
only Appu Pillai has a gun with this spec.
Which is this gun?
Shield EZ series.
- Smith & Wesson? - Yes.
Is it available here?
He had qualified for the National Shooting Meet in the past.
So, he has the privilege to import it.
Like I said before, I feel this could be a fake gun.
It could even be a toy gun.
It could be.
But the issue here is public threat,
either until we recover that gun,
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 gun 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 killed...
on your property.
Evidence from the monkey's remains found in Joy's property
matches the specifications of your pistol.
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 pistol 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 gun 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 gun, 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 gun 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...
gunfire at Kallepathi...
The gun 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 gun 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 pistol somehow.
Only then can you link that gunfire 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... ]
Pistol...
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 gun 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 gun license!
Furthermore, since we're trying to say
that the pistol 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 gun 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,
âHow many times did Chachu fire at the monkey?â
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 gun in the monkey's hands from the photo as his
could be viewed as him taking advantage of the situation.
That way, the gun 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 pistol is missing two bullets.
He must have started this "gun missing" drama
to dodge questions about where the bullets 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...
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...
She did it by mistake.
Do you know what medicine she took?
They are just normal pain killers.
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 pistol is missing two bullets now.
I found out from Sumadathan how one of them went missing.
Second bullet?
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 murder.
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.