(piercing title music)
(solemn music over rain and bus terminal bustle)
(rhythmic music)
(man) Egg dosa!
Sir, here.
(indistinct chatter)
Why have you hung his picture here?
How do you know my master?
(scoffs)
How can I forget him?
He used to work at my watch shop in Oddanchatram.
(distant temple bell chimes)
(footsteps approaching)
(distant man calling)
(pulsating music)
Get this watch serviced.
There's no way this watch has any issues.
Have you worked on this watch before?
This is a VMT Master Reference 1675, 1987 model. It's double time.
It would never have any issues. So, what's the problem?
Get it cleaned. I'll take it when I return.
(swelling, mystical score)
(vehicle rumbling past)
(man) Hey, watch out!
(snack vendor shouting)
(intense music)
(metallic clanking)
(gold bars clanking)
He didn't tell me the watch was at the shop,
or about the gold.
I knew only when that guy returned after a month.
- Here's your watch. - Yeah, good!
How much is it?
Sir, it's ₹1,000.
By any chance, did you see a yellow bag?
I forgot and left it here the other day.
- Yeah. - (gold bars clinking)
Good. Thank you.
Did you open it and look inside?
Yes.
- Did you take anything? - No.
Why?
I know you didn't forget it here.
I knew very well that you'll come back looking for it.
(man) Hey!
What's really inside that bag?
(gold bars clinking)
Hey, what's this?
This bag has been here all along? Huh?
This is something that needs to be reported to the police.
Who will answer them if there's a problem?
How will we know what their problem is?
If the police know about this,
they will make m-me and my family sit in the station.
Do you know that?
You'd put me on the streets for hiring a stranger like you!
You should not work here from now on.
Get out. Get out!
(in Hindi) Will you come to Mumbai?
(mystical music)
(sighs heavily) I scolded him in a sudden fit of rage that day.
He stopped coming to the shop after that day.
I think he went with that Bombay guy.
But I really have to say this, sir.
He was such a fine worker.
I haven't found a worker like him in 15 years.
(distant traffic sounds)
(autorickshaw putters on)
Sir, I thought you would take us to the hotel from the bus.
But where are we going?
- Mudi! - Huh?
- We've come to Kerala. - Mm-hmm.
- We need to start somewhere, right? - Mm-hmm.
That elephant is at a temple in Kadhamancherri.
- Oh! - Only if we know where it was before
- can we start the investigation. - (mobile phone rings)
Is it?
(mobile phone rings)
Tell me, Kaalaiya.
A watch mechanic?
If it was 20 years ago...
that would be 1997.
That's fine.
One of the dancer girls has a tailoring shop, right?
Her name is...
It's Sittu!
Look into that first.
Okay? I'll call you later.
What is it, sir?
Back in '97, Muthu worked as a watch mechanic in Oddanchatram.
- Huh? - After that,
he went with a Hindi guy. - Oh!
We don't know whether that guy was a gold smuggler or a businessman.
Sir, he must be a guy who gives loans against gold.
Like, they'll take your pots, pans, silk sarees and give you money.
(distant percussive music)
Let's leave the bag here, sir.
- Huh? - The bag.
Let the bags be here. We will return in five minutes.
- Huh? - Hmm.
- (man in Malayalam) Hey! - Come on.
Call him.
- (shouts in Malayalam) Brother! - Hey!
Why are you shouting? This is Kerala.
- Do you think this is our village? - Oh.
Go talk to him gently over there.
- The elephant's right there. - Go!
(heavy chain clanking)
(tsks) Go!
(playful score)
Uh...
(low elephant rumble)
(grunts) Come, come.
- Come! - (in Malayalam) Where?
Come here.
- (in Malayalam) What happened? - Sir is calling you. Come.
Sir?
Come on.
Talk to him.
- Hello. - Sir, he's here.
- Hello. - We're the Tamil Nadu Police.
- Is it? - Hmm.
Show him the photo.
Do you know him?
(in Malayalam) Yes.
How do you know him?
(in Malayalam) This elephant, Ganeshan,
was with this Tamilian earlier.
(in Malayalam) Whenever he came to visit him,
- he'd buy food for him. - Hmm.
- He would give me cash and drinks. - (in unison) Oh.
He tells me to take good care of him.
- Oh! - That's why he comes.
Hmm.
When did he last come here?
- Last time... - Hmm.
- This guy came last year. - Hmm.
Where was this elephant before?
I don't know.
The Trust office is over there.
If you ask there, you'll know.
(in Malayalam) All temple donations of the previous years
- are recorded here. - Hmm.
Uh, Ganeshan came here in 2009.
Here are the details of the donor.
Huh?
Hmm?
Sir, the address is written in Malayalam. We can't read it.
If it's in Tamil, it will be good.
Can you please read it?
- He'll write it down. - Okay.
(clears throat) You can write it down.
Hmm.
"Narottamdas Memorial Trust."
"Trust..."
- "Amaravathy..." - "Amaravathy."
- "Kochi." - "Cochin."
- "68..." - "68..."
- "20..." - "20..."
- "01." - "01."
- Okay, sir. - Mm-hmm.
- Thank you. - Okay.
Let's go.
(temple bell chiming)
(metallic clanking of elephant chains)
"Narottamdas." It seems like a Gujarati name.
Oh, no! So, do we need to go to Gujarat now?
There's no need for that.
- Draft an official letter. - Hmm.
- Let's start the investigation... - So long, Ganesan!
- ...from Cochin. - Okay, sir. Okay.
(sound of police radio)
(in Malayalam) Sir, he doesn't listen to anyone.
(in Malayalam) Did he hit you?
He doesn't hit me, but he sleeps with that whore.
When I asked, he said he'd kill me and dump my body in the lake.
Sister, we have limitations in taking cases like this.
Go file a complaint in the Family Court.
He's not afraid of the law, sir.
- Sir! - Hmm.
Two officers from Tamil Nadu Police are here.
Tell them to come here and take care of her matter.
She has a complaint.
- Okay. - Tell them to come inside.
- Okay. Come. - Sir, please come question him!
- You go with him. - Come, come.
What's the problem?
Sir, please come with me and question him!
- (constable) Sit down here. - Sir.
- Wait there. - This is how a station should be.
Handling husband-wife fights,
helping eloped lovers get married.
It'll be energetic only if we do all this. What do you think?
- No! - No?
- All right. - Sir.
- Come. Let's go. - You can go inside.
(loudly clears nose)
- Sir. - Have a seat.
Actually, we've got intimation.
Hmm...
(distant telephone ringing)
- (man) Sir! - Call Vinayan.
He's questioning the meth vendors' neighbours upstairs, sir.
Tell him to come quickly after finishing that.
(constable) Okay, sir.
The charitable trust you mentioned is in Amaravathy.
(in Tamil) There's someone called Vinayan.
He speaks good Tamil.
- He's from Amaravathy. - That's great, sir.
- Actually, what is this case about? - (intense music builds)
Actually, we got a head, sir.
- Without the body. - Oh.
These cases are really tough.
(footsteps approaching)
Sir, the owner of the sand lorry is here.
- Hmm. Tell him to come in. - Okay, sir.
- Tea or coffee, sir? - Anything is fine.
- Bring two teas. - Sir!
- Tell Vinayan to come quickly. - Okay, sir.
We may need to stay in Kochi a bit longer.
What are you saying, sir?
I only brought two sets of clothes.
We got the head and we came here looking for the elephant.
Hmm.
- We come across a Gujarati here. - Yeah.
The case is getting interesting.
I'm not interested, sir.
Sir, this station seems very busy.
Let's check in to a hotel nearby
and call Vinayan, sir.
Please listen to me, sir.
Oh.
- Thank you. - Vinayan sir can't come today.
Come to the orphanage tomorrow around 10 a.m.
He will come there.
Orphanage?
Yeah, the orphanage. If you ask anyone here for Amaravathy orphanage,
they'll know. All the auto drivers will also know.
Oh, okay.
Sir, can I get Vinayan's number?
- His number... - Hold this, sir.
Huh... Tell me.
9846...
...33.
- Okay. - Thank you, sir.
(distant traffic sounds)
(whimsical music)
Sir.
We've come here for an investigation.
If we stay in this huge bungalow, can we claim the bill?
Huh?
- Keep all the bills safe. - Hmm.
- I'll claim the expenses from the SP's office. - Okay, sir.
I'm buying four cows for my house with this bill.
- What did you say? - Huh?
Nothing.
Make the bill only for what we actually spend.
- Okay, sir. - If you write anything extra,
- I'll thrash you! - Okay, sir.
Have you already started?
I'm sorry, sir.
You keep changing suddenly. I really don't understand.
(cow mooing)
(water splashing)
(goats bleating)
Hey, granny.
Why are you doing this work?
Why can't you ask your daughter-in-law to do it?
If we ask her to scoop the dung,
she'll poison the food and kill us all in a heartbeat.
(playful music)
(in a hushed tone) Granny.
(in a low voice) Why are you whispering?
(angry, heavy thud of a tumbler)
Did she hear everything?
(crickets chirping)
(goat bleating)
(cow bell ringing)
Hey, stop!
What?
I need to ask you something.
I'm just coming in.
Hold on a bit, Mother. I'll take a bath and come.
What did you tell Kutty Karuppu?
What did you hear?
Tell me what you told him.
You're the one who's asking me. What did you hear?
Did you tell him you'd give him a pregnant goat?
Did he tell you?
You said it.
It's just one goat, right? What's the big deal?
If we give a pregnant goat from our house,
it'll bring us bad luck.
Oh, God!
Hey, Lalitha!
Lalitha!
Hey, why have you slept so early?
What?
Do I look like someone who would poison the food?
Who said what? Did my mother say anything?
Yes! She was talking to Kutty Karuppu.
Tell me clearly what the matter is.
If she asked me to scoop the cow dung,
she said I would poison the food.
Only your family members have the habit of poisoning the food!
Not my family!
My family members?
Yes! How did your uncle die?
Your relatives joined in and poisoned the curry, right?
That's how he died!
Who told you this?
Uh...
Your mother told me!
(scoffs)
(muttering) What is this?
It looks like towels are hanging from its ears!
Hmm?
Its ears are huge!
Hey, this looks different. What kind of goat is this?
Its name is Jamnapari.
- It'll go to shows. - Huh?
Jamnapari?
Look at this!
Madam.
Have you seen this guy?
Where is this guy now?
Do you know him?
Yes, he's the dung dealer dude!
He's a good guy.
Sometimes he'd come to the village to do business.
To do business? What kind of person is he?
He talks well and gets along with everyone.
(Muthu through mic) Good news to all of you!
We collect goat dung
from the International Goat Dung Welfare Association!
You can get things worth your dung.
You can exchange it for shiny silk sarees.
You can exchange it for vessels.
Toothbrush, dish cleaners, laundry brushes...
I have everything. Come one, come all!
If men are interested,
they can exchange it for alcohol too!
Come one, come all!
This is a golden opportunity!
The International Goat Dung Association welcomes you!
Come one, come all! We have shiny silk sarees.
(cheerful music)
The International Goat Dung Association welcomes you!
Come one, come all!
Take a look at brand new silk sarees, vessels and everything!
Hurry up, hurry up!
Son, how much will you pay us for a sack?
I can't pay as much as you want.
₹500 for a sack! Fixed rate!
Son, what will you do with it?
We pack it up and sell it to rich people.
What will they do with it?
- In their terrace gardens... - Yeah?
- ...they've got plants, right? - Hmm.
So, they'd put the dung on them.
Okay.
(woman) Is that so?
(scoffs) You talk so much! Are you married?
(playful music)
(loud thud) Got a bride?
- I can look for one. I know a girl. - Huh?
What should I say when the bride's family asks where you work?
- Say I'm into the dung business. - Huh?
Why? What will I do with a girl who knows nothing about dung?
- You'll never find anyone! - Let me marry an old woman here!
Go and get your dung! Why are you yakking?
Go! Do you want it or not?
(pulsating music)
(music swells)
- What do you want? - An idli vessel.
Okay. Wait, I'll be right back.
- Look. Something else is there! - I need a pot.
- A pot? - Yes, to make rice.
Go, I'll give you.
- A basket? - Hmm.
(distant chatter)
Here, granny.
- Yours! Wait, I'll give it to you. - For me?
You wanted an idli vessel, right? Here it is.
- Yes, idli vessel. - Take it and go.
- A water container. - Okay, here you go.
Wait, wait. I'll come.
Here.
Here you go.
(crowd chattering)
Take this.
Next?
(crowd chatter continues)
Here.
Brother, give me one more bottle.
For the dung you gave, even a single bottle is too much.
- Go away. - Give me one for free, brother.
Are you going to vote for me or what?
Why should I give you a free drink?
Go! Go.
Go away!
(woman) That drunkard...
He followed the dung dude to steal a bottle of liquor from him.
That's when he came to know.
He purchased the dung from us for money.
He threw it out on the outskirts of our village.
We were completely clueless.
(goats bleating)
(music swells)
(in Malayalam) Hey, Laiju.
Do you remember your old manager Muthu?
- Yeah? - He died.
They are officers from the Tamil Nadu Police
who're here to investigate the case.
Come, sir. Uh... Let's sit in the office.
(rhythmic emotional music)
(kids playing)
(metal door opening)
Are all these details right?
- Yes, sir. - (Sidharthan) Hmm.
Sir, I was here then.
Mr. Muthu was the manager.
- Oh! - Here, sir.
Sir, this is me.
This is Muthu.
Who's this guy?
That's Sivettan.
He started this orphanage and trust
in memory of his father, Narottamdas Desai.
Oh!
Can we see him?
No, sir. He left here a long time ago.
He left here in 2009.
After that, his friends Benny and Jessy
have been running this trust and orphanage.
Benny?
Benny Vattakkudy.
He's the Chalakudy MLA.
(in unison) Oh!
Jessy?
She's the principal of Little Flower College.
She's the one who's looking after the trust and orphanage.
Is she taking care of this place?
- Yes, sir. - Oh.
- Okay. I'll call if I need anything. - Okay, sir.
Thank you.
Thank you. Hmm.
(solemn music)
In 2006, a huge bomb blast happened here.
It was reported at our station.
A gang suddenly attacked.
The bomb went off, and some people died right there.
Those people got life sentences and are in jail now.
(Sidharthan) Do you have the case details?
(Vinayan) I'll get them for you.
You can get them from the station.
(rhythmic kids' song playing)
- (thunderous explosion) - (crowd screaming in terror)
Take him. Go, go!
(thumping)
Hey!
Muthu!
(music escalates)
(Closed Captions by Planetcast Media)