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?
- Hello. - Hello.
Have you reached?
Yeah. I reached just now.
Where are you?
Come to G block… first floor.
Come.
- What is this? - I'll tell you.
Welcome, madam. This is the living room.
There's a beautiful balcony here.
Even though it's first floor, it's very airy,
with a lot of natural light.
The kitchen is right over here. Come, let's see.
Who is this for?
This is our house.
Our house?
Come and see.
I thought you called me for a lunch get-together with your friends.
So?
We can still go out and have lunch together.
It's not about that.
Are you really sure about this?
Yes, of course!
But I thought you'd be happy about this.
Will your parents never change their mind?
Has your father broken his silence with you?
We already knew that our parents would not accept our union.
When my grandma passed away,
everyone started talking about your horoscope.
Just messed with my head.
I'm sorry, I…
I should have stood up for you.
It's not about them anymore.
This is our life.
Good or bad…
I want to spend my life with you.
What?
You want to kiss me?
Yeah, but…
- Since this is a public place… - What? Is this a public place?
I got a loan with a lot of difficulty to buy this house!
Is that all?
- Rachel. - Your name?
Rose.
- Okay, you may go in. - Thank you.
Why did you ask me to come here?
Have a seat. I'll tell you.
Rishi sir had asked me to retrieve the deleted messages
from Ekambaram's secret phone, remember?
Ekambaram had sent a few messages from that number to his manager Vasanthi.
He has mentioned paying a huge sum of money to a few news reporters.
I thought as much!
All these Managers and PAs know each and every little shady secret of their bosses.
But this Vasanthi…
she pretended and said she didn't know anything!
Right!
Isn’t that Vasanthi?
You stay here.
I’ll use other means to get the truth out of her.
You asked if I had a boyfriend, right?
I had a girlfriend.
But not anymore.
Ayyanar…
- I am a… - No, no!
Don’t say anything.
I don't want to talk about this.
But you said I can talk to you about anything.
No, no. You don't have to tell me anything…
nor do I have to know anything.
You can't even look at me now, is it?
Are you disgusted by me?
Didn't you say that you were my friend, Ayyanar?
All these years…
I was living in self-hatred.
But you know what?
I am so tired of all this, Ayyanar.
There's no point in hurting myself.
I won't do it anymore.
Why should I hurt myself?
Why should I live in fear?
Why should I hide in the closet?
There's nothing wrong with me.
This is me, Ayyanar.
This is me.
I was raised in a conservative family.
No one talked about such things.
All these are very alien to me.
I know, Ayyanar.
I don't think I can just completely change my mindset overnight.
But I'll surely make an effort… to understand everything.
I meant what I said…
I am your friend.
Robert and Ekambaram didn't have any connections with the poachers.
But we already knew that.
Under the pretext of a road construction contract,
Ekambaram had cut down acres and acres of trees illegally.
Five years ago, hundreds of animals and birds died in that forest area
because they lost their natural habitat.
Sir, not many people know about this.
Because Ekambaram used his money and influence,
to influence the media, forest officials, and politicians.
He covered up the whole thing as if it never happened.
We were asking ourselves why these particular victims were targeted.
This is the answer.
Each one of them…
has done something or the other
to destroy the forest and the wildlife living there.
Who's that?
Who the fuck is there?
Fucker! Why are you creeping up like a ghost?
And what took you so long?
I was going mad with hunger!
I couldn’t go out and hunt for food either.
If you had been a little late, I'd have cut my own leg and eaten it!
- Give that to me. - Here.
The police are still looking for you in the forest.
You think it is easy to dodge them, escape the wild animals, and come here?
Fine. Did you talk to Aadhi?
He said he'll bring a vehicle by the snake curve.
Be careful and reach that place before the sun rises. Got it?
Look here, I did everything you asked for.
Don't expect any more favors from me.
Get lost and don’t ever show your face in this town again.
Understood?
Okay! Fuck off!
Come in, Rishi.
Have a seat.
How are you feeling?
I'm doing good.
But my dad is making a big fuss over nothing.
The swelling in your eye seems to have reduced.
Yeah. I'm glad that I can finally see with both my eyes now.
I'm sorry.
That's okay.
Enough, Dad.
If you keep bending like this, you'll strain your back.
Oh, shut up!
I know what I'm doing, okay?
I am fine, Dad.
Don't trouble yourself unnecessarily for my sake.
You can go back home.
Yes, I'll go back.
But you must also come with me.
Dad, I have to stay in Thaenkaadu.
There are a lot of issues here.
I can’t drop everything and leave from here.
We'll discuss this later.
I have a lot of chores in the kitchen.
Please stay and have lunch with us. Okay?
Sure. Thanks.
How are you doing, Rishi?
No one has asked me that in a long time.
I've always been…
quite sure of a lot of things in my life.
I believed that everything that seemed mysterious on the surface
always had a rational explanation.
But nowadays,
I'm not so sure.
This case has taken a toll on you.
- Sathya here. - Hello.
Ma'am.
We came to know that someone close to Sekar
had arranged for his escape from the forest.
He is Sekar's relative.
When we went to his house and questioned him,
he admitted that he arranged for a driver and a vehicle to take Sekar to Mysore.
We brought him along to show us the pick-up spot, but…
we found him like this.
Tell us what happened.
What's there to say?
Sekar was my elder sister's son.
I had no other option but to help him.
That's not what I asked.
I don't know how he died.
I need to talk to him in private.
- Hope that's okay, ma'am. - Sure.
My sister died right after giving birth to this guy.
Her husband was a drunkard. Useless fellow!
When the boy was just a year old, that man abandoned him,
and ran away with a prostitute.
So, were you the one who raised him?
Where was Sekar hiding all this while?
What happened to him?
I'm just trying to find out who did this to him.
He was hiding inside a cave, half a kilometer from here.
A cave?
How big is this cave?
I think it's several miles long.
Several miles?
That's what I've heard.
I don't think anyone has fully explored it yet.
You really want to do this now Rishi?
There's an old map at the station.
It's better to come back later after checking the map.
Sekar may have been killed here.
We need to check if we can find something
before the crime scene gets compromised.
The rainwater has already started seeping inside.
Yes. This whole area might get flooded very soon.
Okay.
We'll proceed.
But remember, we should stick together.
Otherwise, we could easily get lost.
Okay?
Hey! What's wrong with you?
I've never gone inside a cave before.
The sightseeing can wait. Just come in!
No, I think I might have claustrophobia.
You wait here then.
We'll come back and update you.
No, sir. No, sir.
I'll come, sir. Let's go.
Careful!
- Are you sure? - I'm fine, sir. Let's go.
Chitra.
Just breathe.
Okay?
Careful!
Watch your step.
There!
This is the crime scene.
Sir.
There's a different set of footprints here.
Sir!
There's something inside.
Wait! Don't get too close!
There could be bats!
I can't see anything, sir.
Just stay put. They'll go away.
Hey, Chitra!
Are you okay?
Come, get up.
What’s this white dust?
Here, hold this.
Careful.
We need to check out where this sound is coming from.
Which path do we take?
We'll split up and explore both tunnels.
Sir.
Splitting up is always a risk.
We've seen that many times.
Let's pick one tunnel and check it out together.
I agree!
Then we'll be circling the place all day.
You and Ayyanar take this tunnel.
Chitra and I will go in the right.
We'll cover more areas that way.
Chitra, are you coming?
Sir! Coming, sir.
Sir, the path ends here.
I don't think anybody would've come this far.
Let's head back.
- Sir… - Yes?
Sir!
Why are there so many insects inside this?
Sir?
Where are you?
I'm right here.
Follow my voice.
I think the insects build nests and live here.
Ayyanar, let's get out of here.
Chitra!
Chitra! Don't be scared!
It's just a statue.
Chitra, calm down.
They are coming!
Chitra, relax. Calm down.
They are going to kill us!
Chitra!
Sir!
Chitra!
Sir!
Sir…
Rishi!
Sir, are you okay?
Yeah.
Hey, Chitra!
That cave…
it still gives me nightmares.
I was posted as a DFO in Thaenkaadu back then.
It was around that time,
that the tribal relocation scheme was introduced.
But the indigenous tribe called the Kaanagar,
who have been living in the forest for hundreds of years
refused to leave their homeland.
We promised to give them money, jobs, and land…
but they were stubborn and didn't accept the offers.
Pressure was mounting on us from the higher officials.
Because of the repeated visits, intimidation,
and compulsion to vacate the forest,
they became more and more frustrated and angry.
They started protesting.
This is our motherland! We will not go from here!
This is our forest! We will not go from here!
But things were not in their favor.
One night, they performed some kind of an occult ritual and…
they all committed mass suicide.
Mass suicide?
Yes. We were shocked too!
Why didn't anyone stop this?
No one expected such a thing to happen.
When the tribal people did not show up for work
at the tea plantations and farms,
the contractors got concerned.
There were no signs of any Kaanagar people in the forest either.
And that raised a suspicion.
When we went to their settlement,
we saw that their huts were deserted.
When we searched,
we saw smoke coming out of the cave.
The entrance of the cavern was sealed from the inside with a large rock.
It took almost 10 to 15 forestry workers to move the rock and get inside.
But by then, they were dead and all we found were burnt carcasses.
Why are their remains still there?
Why weren't they removed back then?
No one was willing to touch the bodies at first.
The workers were too scared.
We kept sending different people into the cave.
Those who went in claimed that…
the tribals were coming back as undead zombies.
Since the air and the dust inside the cave were becoming toxic,
we thought they were hallucinating.
The plan to remove their corpses was postponed.
After that, it never happened.
- Velu! Can't you see it's raining? - Sir?
Tie the cow inside the shed.
Okay, sir.
When the Kaanagar Tribe was asked to vacate the forest,
a lot of protests happened against it.
You too joined the protest and fought on their behalf.
Why did you support them?
Was it a political stunt?
You must first know something about the Kaanagar Tribe.
They were a very noble and kind-hearted clan.
They loved the forest and lived in unison
with all the living beings inside the forest.
They planted saplings and took care of them like their own children.
They hunted only for food, never for sport.
They even treated injured wild animals,
took care of them, and released them back into the wild.
They considered it their duty to protect the animals and conserve the forest.
But do you know what happened to them?
Just because they didn't agree to move out of the forest,
many of them were falsely arrested for poaching,
smuggling, and other illegal activities in the forest.
How could I stay silent after witnessing all that?
But for that…
all of them got together,
without even sparing the children,
and threw themselves into the fire.
That's such a horrible thing to do!
You still don't get it, do you?
There was a plan to launch a huge mining project at Thaenkaadu.
That's why they were asked to vacate the forest.
Underneath this forest, there is coal ore worth hundreds of crores!
If it was allowed then,
they would have mowed down and destroyed this entire forest.
It is not surprising that the Kaanagar Tribe opposed this.
The issue blew up and some civil society groups protested against it.
They requested that the government should declare
Thaenkaadu as an Ecologically Sensitive Area.
I supported them along with other tribal activists.
But it was all in vain.
Then suddenly the mass suicide happened.
After that, the issue became really huge,
and the mining project was dropped.
So, in order to stop the mining project and save the forest,
they all sacrificed their lives. Is that what you’re saying?
That's what we believe.
The shift has been allotted. Come on, guys.
Let's go!
- Welcome, madam. - Hello.
- Hello, madam. - Here's the permit file.
That mass suicide incident and the Vanaratchi murders happening now…
are definitely connected.
But we need to find out how.
Chitra?
Are you still thinking about what happened in the cave?
The white dust you inhaled,
was toxic.
I saw your eyes.
They are coming!
Your pupils were dilated.
You were just hallucinating.
Sir, I too assumed that at first.
But I never even knew that those tribal people existed.
Then how did I see apparitions of them?
Why are you silent?
You won’t believe what I have to say.
It's okay. Tell me anyway.
I was reading about various mass suicides from all over the world.
Heaven's Gate,
Jonestown,
the Solar temple…
and the one that happened in Delhi, the Burari case.
All of them happened in a cult set-up.
Behind all these mass suicides,
there was some sort of religious or spiritual reason.
The Kaanagar deaths is also a ritualistic suicide.
Yes, they conducted some ritual in front of the Vanaratchi's statue.
It is mentioned in the report.
It was not just a ritual…
but a conjuring.
They all sacrificed their lives…
to bring Vanaratchi's spirit into this world.
As the sound of Thondaga Parai beats the earth
Open your eyes Oh, Queen of the Forest!
Bedecked with the golden Oleander, like a flame in the dark
To consume the demons in the fire Thou shall arrive
To slay all the negative forces
Possess with rage Oh, Queen of the Forest
Come and take the ceremonial bath
Using the blood of Demons like sandalwood!
Come!
I will come like a mysterious Wind which spins web
I'll protect the forest This is Vanaratchi’s Thaenkaadu!
As the sound of Thondaga Parai beats the earth
I will have a thundering entrance!
Bedecked with the golden oleander Like a flame in the dark
I will consume the demons in the fire
To slay all the negative forces
I will come as your protector!
With my reddened fiery eyes
I will drench in your blood
I will come like a mysterious Wind which spins web
And your life will leave you With a last breath!
Sacrifice the body of the demon!
Arrest his two open eyes
Stop the life out of his heartbeat
Bless the forest always!
Come…
Coming… Vanaratchi
Happy birthday to you!
Happy birthday to Kathy sister
Happy birthday to you!
Hey!
Don't be in such a rush!
Sister, he does this during all our birthdays.
Cut the cake yourself.
Happy birthday.
Thank you.
Sorry, I didn’t get you anything.
Short notice!
That's okay. I don't want anything.
I'd be happy if you made a donation to the orphanage.
Sure. Definitely.
So,
where did you disappear off to?
Haven't seen you for a few days.
Since Sathya sir was with you…
they told me to attend to the fence repair work
that was happening near the highway.
Oh no!
What happened?
- Sorry, Uncle. - Are you okay?
It's okay. No worries.
- What is this? - It popped on its own, sister.
Oh! Look at that, he took his eye out.
It's not my real eye…
it's a prosthetic.
What's that?
It's just a shell to cover my injured eye.
Just like contact lenses.
Why do you wear it?
So that you don't get scared looking at my eye.
It’s not scary at all. It’s actually super cool, Uncle.
I'm so sorry.
I shouldn't have allowed them to buy confetti.
It's alright.
They're just kids.
They should be having fun.
One second.
Does it hurt?
Nowadays, it doesn't hurt.
- Thank you, sister. I'll come another day. - Welcome.
It's our pleasure, God bless you.
- Thank you. - Okay.
Mary and Anthony, please come and clean this place.
Okay, sister.
That's Mother Leana.
The founder of this orphanage.
She is so loving and caring to all the children here.
We too are very fond of her.
She’s like our own mother.
If she was here,
I'd have definitely introduced you to her.
But…
she is really unwell and has been admitted to a hospital.
I'm sorry to hear that.
I didn't want to cry on my birthday.
Shall we leave?
I like you.
I think you too feel the same way about me.
I don't know if that's true…
or if I'm just foolishly imagining things.
I've never felt this way about anyone like this before.
This is all very new to me.
I'm sorry.
Just forget I said anything.
I got carried away by my emotions and blabbered.
I too feel the same way about you.
Ever since Viji died…
I kinda died on the inside too.
I never thought that I could love someone else.
But…
No!
Don't be scared.
Careful!