Mayilpeelikkavu (transl. Peacock-feather shrine) is a 1998 Indian Malayalam-language mystery thriller film directed by the Anil-Babu duo and starring Kunchacko Boban and Jomol. This film is about reincarnation and revenge.[1][2] The movie has many similarities with the 1991 American movie Dead Again. It was one of the first Indian movies to have an internet website.

Mayilpeelikkavu
Directed byAnil-Babu
Written bySab John
Produced byDinesh Panicker
Starring
Edited byMohan P. C.
Music byBerny-Ignatius
Mohan Sithara (BGM)
Production
company
Rohith Films
Release date
  • 5 September 1998 (1998-09-05)
Running time
165 minutes
CountryIndia
LanguageMalayalam

Plot

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Many years ago, a teenage girl, Kuttimani was brutally murdered, in an orthodox rich Kerala family. Her lover, Krishnanunni was arrested and hung to death. Years later, Manu, who had an uncanny resemblance to Krishnanunni starts having nightmares about the latter. In Kuttimani's ancestral home, which in the present is supposedly plagued by misfortune and evil spirits, rituals are being held under the guidance of Vallyathan to prevent further mishaps. For ensuring the success of the rituals, Vallyathan requests the presence of all the family. Along with everyone came Gayathri who coincidentally looked very similar to Kuttimani. Once she reaches her ancestors' house, Gayathri too started getting nightmares about Kuttimani. Manu, being an acquaintance of Gayathri's family will have a few encounters with her and later both of them will fall in love with each other. Bad omens start occurring in the house, with Vallyathan being the victim most of the time and he forbids Gayathri from meeting Manu anymore. Vallyathan narrates the tragedy of Kuttimani and cautions Gayathri that she too will face similar consequences if she continues seeing Manu. This scares her and she tries to break up with Manu, but the latter continues to persevere.

Later on, with the help of a relative, Manu meets an old acquaintance of Kuttimani and Krishnanunni and would come to know the truth about the tragedy. Manu now aware of the grave situation rushes to Gayathri only to find her about to be killed by Vallyathan. It is revealed that Kuttimani was killed by Vallyathan himself who, at that time was infatuated by her and couldn't bear her relationship with Krishnanunni. Krishnanunni, being from a poorer household was framed by Vallyathan and his family. With the arrival of Manu and Gayathri,both of them being doppelgangers of Krishnanunni and Kuttimani respectively, Vallyathan sensed he might be in danger and tried to prevent them from reuniting. At the end, Vallyathan gets killed in the scuffle, and the couple lives happily ever after.

Cast

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Soundtrack

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The film's soundtrack contains nine songs, all composed by Berny Ignatius, with lyrics by S. Ramesan Nair. The song "Onnanam Kunninmel" was shot in Thiruvananthapuram.[3]

# Title Singer(s)
1 "Akale" K. J. Yesudas
2 "Anjukannanalla [Athalapithala]" K. S. Chitra
3 "Mayilaay Parannuvaa" S. Janaki
4 "Mayilaay Parannuvaa [D]" K. J. Yesudas, K. S. Chitra
5 "Onnaanaam Kunninmel (D)" K. J. Yesudas, K. S. Chitra
6 "Onnaanaam Kunninmel (F)" K. S. Chitra
7 "Onnaanaam Kunninmel (M)" K. J. Yesudas
8 "Paathiraappoo Choodi" K. J. Yesudas
9 "Paathiraappoo Choodi" K. S. Chitra

See also

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References

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  1. ^ S., Saran (2021). Arts and Humanities. PENCIL. ISBN 978-93-5458-044-4. Mayilpeelikkavu is a movie which narrates the story of a rebirth of a couple of lovers and the kaavu recurs as a rendezvous suggesting the inevitable role of nature in human relationships.
  2. ^ Dhusiya, Mithuraaj (13 September 2017). Indian Horror Cinema: (En)gendering the Monstrous. Routledge India. ISBN 978-1-351-38648-7. Lover and beloved brutally murdered, return to reincarnate to take revenge on their killer.
  3. ^ "Location Diaries: Jomol and the joy of winning awards". Cinema Express. 20 June 2017. Archived from the original on 25 September 2021.
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