- Brother, please hold this. - Give it.
Hey! Run!
Careful, kids. Slow down or else you'll fall over.
Brats! They never obey the elders.
What are you looking at?
- Isn't it time for the puja? - Brother, what are you doing?
Filling these with grains… to take for the ritual.
Brother, it's almost sunset. Please hurry up!
Here.
Sister, please come here.
Help me with this.
Where's your brother? He didn't turn up for work.
He just returned from the town.
- Fine, get on with the work. - Okay.
Why are you eating so late?
- Are you having ragi ball? - Yes.
Dad has gone out for work.
He'll bring honey while returning. I will feed you honey with a banana.
Eat it, then go out and play. Okay, dear?
This tall and teeming forest Come, behold our kith and kin
The nest where we live harmoniously This is our heavenly abode
Rustling leaves are entrancing
It is an eternal greenery!
The field is enriched with grains
Thanks to Sukka Who nailed it by farming
- Oh, Mother Ratchi. - You are our savior!
Will the false images shown by the heart Break in front of the eyes?
Will time solve this clueless puzzle?
As the depth of eerie silence Echoes all over
Will this wild run after the shadows In the dark, stop?
Will the unresolved legends Unearth the truth
And the apparitions Of the mystery die away?
What is sir doing?
Keep your voice down.
If the elephant panics, we'll all be dead meat.
Look at that. This is why.
When we stay calm and gentle,
see how the elephants become docile and give way.
Watch and learn from him.
- Doctor, come. Let's go. - Okay.
Please hurry up!
Look at this!
Poor thing.
It must be in excruciating pain.
The glass pieces have pierced deeply, sir.
Bastards!
Is this how they dispose of glass bottles?
We must catch them and shove these broken bottles up their asses!
- Get me that bandage. - Here, doctor.
Thank you.
Brother…
tell our team to clean this area tomorrow morning.
Also, we must take strict action on those who enter the reserve forest.
Inshallah! We'll do it.
Where did you see it?
Over here, sir!
Did you record it in the Preliminary Offence Report?
- Not yet, sir. - Damn it!
Don't you know that you must record it in the POR when a tree is cut illegally?
I'm on it, sir.
Check if any other trees have been cut down like this.
Okay, sir.
This is the third illicit felling this week.
Jerks!
We require more guards in this location, sir.
How can we safeguard such a huge forest with just 30 people?
I have already requested the DFO for extra guards.
Got the usual, cliched response.
Sir! Sir!
Please come here!
Sir, please hurry up!
What happened? Did you see a ghost or something?
Even though Sumitra was eighty, she was perfectly healthy.
She'd take care of her own chores and didn't need anyone's help.
Then how did this happen?
That's what I also said.
This wasn't her time to go.
But the moment that girl set foot in this house,
the old lady's fate was sealed.
So sad!
I heard that the girl's horoscope is truly cursed.
He married her without knowing that.
The day he tied the knot and brought her here,
his grandma passed away.
You're leaving already?
Don't we have to serve food to all the guests?
I'm getting late for work. Got to go.
Now listen to me!
Just drop the thought of bringing that girl back into this house.
Better decide if your parents are more important
or that girl who killed your grandmother.
- Tell me. - Are the rituals done over there?
Yeah!
They have sent a new inspector to investigate the Thaenkaadu case.
I know.
They informed me yesterday.
I understand, Ayyanar.
After our senior inspector retired,
I also expected you to get the promotion.
What do they think of themselves?
Do they think that I can't lead this investigation?
Am I not capable enough?
Why send someone from Chennai?
All the stars seem to be aligned against me.
Anyway, hang up. I'll see you at the station.
No. He isn't coming to the station.
He has gone to Thaenkaadu to visit the crime scene.
He has asked us to come there, Ayyanar.
Yes, sir. They are here.
I'll show them the place and call you back. Over.
Okay. Over.
- You can go ahead. - Punitha, are you at the spot?
Tell me, sir. Yes, I'm right here.
- We are on our way. - Okay, sir.
Sir.
- I'm Ayyanar. She's Chitra. - Sir.
It was you two that came from the department that day, right?
Yes, sir.
Tell me your observations.
Sir, this file has all the details.
I've seen the reports.
I have seen all the photos.
When you first visited the crime scene,
what did you see?
Narrate your individual observations.
You start first.
- What is this? Are you testing us? - Ayyanar!
I want you to understand something about me.
There's a certain way that I conduct an investigation.
My methods may be unconventional…
and you may not like the way I work.
But I don't care about that.
When I'm on a case, my only aim will be to solve it.
But…
if you think working with me won't suit you,
then you can just walk away from here right now.
No hard feelings.
Chitra and I entered the crime scene from here.
The forensic team was already here.
The photographer was standing exactly where you are and clicking photos.
Like an insect enveloped in a giant spider's web,
Robert's body was hanging on the tree.
They said that the cocoon must have been spun by
thousands of webspinner insects in the forest
but no insects were found on his corpse or on the cocoon.
Usually, insects build a cocoon for reproduction and habitation.
But, I couldn't understand
why the insects built this cocoon and then just left.
While observing Robert's corpse,
it didn't seem like he climbed the tree by himself.
His arms and legs looked like they were arranged in that position.
So someone put him here, out in the open…
because they wanted his corpse to be seen.
Which is why I suspected that this could have been a murder.
- Now you tell me. - Sir…
we found Robert's camera and backpack a few feet from here.
The money and expensive gadgets in his bag were not stolen.
So his attackers weren't after his money.
I noticed a lot of yellow oleander flowers around the tree.
Strangely there were no oleander shrubs around.
The forest guards said that…
there are no oleander shrubs in a three-kilometer radius.
So, someone had put the flowers here, on purpose.
Oleander flowers are toxic. They are poisonous.
Ingesting them could cause cardiac arrest.
Which is the cause of death.
This cannot be a coincidence, sir.
Sorry, we are late.
- We had an urgent meeting. - No problem.
We are done here.
Sathya, Range Officer.
Meet Irfan, Forester.
I'm Rishi. Rishi Nandhan.
- Punitha, you got the keys? - Yes, sir.
- Please come. - Come.
You won't get a signal here.
Why are you staring at him like that?
How can he treat us so badly?
Did he think that I would get scared of him and run away?
- Keep quiet! He might hear you. - Let him hear!
He thinks that he can intimidate us and we'll obey him like slaves!
Such politics won't work with me.
I've seen enough in my experience.
I have earned this job because of my own hard work.
- Not on recommendation like others. - Ayyanar, please. Calm down.
You're gonna get me in trouble too.
How long did Robert stay here?
He had been staying here for two months, sir.
Did he have any visitors?
Not that we know of.
How did he go into the forest all alone?
As per your rules, isn't it mandatory for a forest guard to accompany him?
During the day if tourists, trekkers, or visitors enter the forest,
they will always be accompanied by guards.
Post 6:00 p.m. nobody has permission to enter the forest.
But the localites keep entering the forest without permission.
Robert knew very well that night photography was prohibited.
Still, he went there.
Even if he did,
the guards must have stopped him.
Didn't the patrolling guards see him?
At least they must have heard noises.
There were no guards posted in that area on that night.
This year, because of the budget crisis, currently we are understaffed.
Our priority is to safeguard the endangered animals.
So, we have been ordered to focus on a few important parts of the forest.
Still,
I want to question all the guards posted in the nearby areas.
Sure, I'll arrange for that.
We'll leave now. Let us know if you need anything else.
Thank you.
See you, sir.
I want the list of every person in this village, who has interacted with Robert.
You might have already carried out the door-to-door inquiries.
But…
do it again.
Somebody definitely knows something.
Either they are hiding things from us,
or they are afraid to talk to the cops.
Push them! Get the information.
Yes, sir.
God! I'm starving.
We haven't had our lunch yet.
Yeah, I'm also very hungry.
After talking to him, we shall order something from here itself.
Bhai, we are cops. Remember us?
We are here to ask about Robert.
Again? I already told you everything I knew.
That's okay. You may have forgotten to tell us something last time.
But this time you might remember it.
- Tell us. - How often did Robert eat here?
He'd come every day.
He'd come late in the morning, around 10:00 to 10:30 a.m.
He'd take his lunch with him. He'd come around 8:00 to 8:30 p.m. for dinner.
Had any conversations with him?
Not much.
I'd greet him. He'd nod…
and ask about that day's menu. That's all.
What about these waiters?
They treated him well since he tipped them generously.
Did he come here the day he died? I mean…
on October 5th.
No, he didn't.
- How are you so sure? - I remember telling you this.
I had fixed a doctor's appointment for my wife on that day.
But I couldn't go with her.
I got an earful from her which I won't forget in this life.
Which is why I remember it so well.
Why couldn't you take her?
It was a busy day in the hotel.
Also, one of the waiters left early.
It was hard to manage the crowd,
and so I stayed back.
Wait, you didn't tell us this when we came to inquire last time.
- Who was that waiter who left early? - Well, that was Abdul.
Ayyanar!
Sir?
Bring that guy in the grey T-shirt.
Hey!
Stop!
Chitra!
I don't know how he died.
I have attended his table a few times, at the hotel. That's all.
Then why did you run?
Because I don't trust the police.
You'll frame an innocent person
to close the case in a hurry.
I know what you guys are planning.
You'll torture and force me to confess to a crime that I didn't commit.
Am I right?
This is Robert.
And by his side, his wife and kids.
His daughter is 11 and his son is 6.
Why are you showing me this?
Because I owe them an answer.
It is my duty to bring out the truth and ensure that they get justice.
I am not here to frame an innocent person and close the case file.
Now, tell me.
Your hotel owner said that on October 5th, you left early at 8:00 p.m.
Your co-worker Salim said that…
you took a parcel of food for someone, that night.
- Who was it for? - I didn't take any parcel.
He is… he's lying!
Why would Salim lie?
How would I know?
Why don't you catch him and ask?
Where did you go after leaving the hotel at 8:00 p.m.?
To my home.
What time did you reach home?
I didn't notice the time.
Do you live alone?
No. I live with my parents and my grandma.
Why do you ask?
I have to ask them what time you reached home that night.
Sir…
Please, sir.
Please don't involve my family in this.
If my parents find out that I'm being investigated…
for a murder, they'd get really scared.
Please, sir.
Then out with the truth.
Wasn't the food parcel for Robert?
Tell me what happened.
Okay, I'll tell you, sir.
But you won't believe it.
First, tell me.
Robert sir was very generous in tipping us.
So we waiters fought over who'd attend him.
I became his favorite among all the waiters there.
One day he said that he wanted to click photos
of an owl that only shows up at night.
He asked if I could accompany him to the forest.
So I went with him.
He started venturing deep into the forest, in pursuit of that owl.
I got scared.
I tried my best to stop him.
Warned him that it's dangerous to go deep into the forest.
But he refused to listen to me.
Suddenly, we heard a strange sound.
We couldn't figure out if it was a bird or some animal.
He followed the sound and went further into the woods.
We got separated after a point.
I heard that strange sound again.
When I looked up,
I saw the Vanaratchi, sir!
Sorry. What did you say?
Vanaratchi.
The forest spirit.
The one draped in a red sari and has horns on her head.
It was her! I swear, I saw her!
She had a grotesque face.
She was sitting on top of a tree and staring at me.
I ran for my life and didn't turn back.
I assumed he also ran away.
Poor guy. She killed him.
Kathy, are you coming down?
They have assigned us patrol duty in Arikkalpaalam.
Coming.
Sir, Kathy and I are leaving the watch tower. Over.
Update once you finish your rounds. Over.
Okay, sir. Over.
Kathy…
hold on a moment.
What happened?
Do you have stomach cramps?
This early? I thought our dates were in sync.
Yes, but this time, it's a week early.
Do you have any extra napkins?
- Please give me one. - Wait.
Since we left in a hurry this afternoon, I forgot to take them.
Here you go.
Wait here. I'll change and come.
Hey.
Don't forget the water bottle.
- Here. - Thanks.
Watch your step.
Are you done?
Come on, give me some time.
I'm trying not to get any stains on my pants.
Or else, when we return to the office tomorrow,
I will be embarrassed in front of all the men.
What's there to be embarrassed about?
Just wash your pants if it gets stained.
We cannot do any work if we worry about such things.
Hold this.
Let me know if it's too painful.
We'll sit here for some time and then go.
It's okay. We can go.
- Let's go. - Okay.
Careful! Someone has set up a trap over here.
Oh, Selvi!
Hold on. It's okay. Wait…
Sorry! Sorry! Sorry!
We need something heavy to hold down the spring.
I'll be back. Wait.
Kathy!
Did you find something?
- Control room. - Yes, control room.
This is Beat Officer Kathryn speaking.
My fellow guard Selvi has been injured.
We are two kilometers north of the watch tower.
- Send medical assistance soon. - Okay, copy.
Selvi?
Kathy!