Hey!
Why do you use a typewriter?
You don't use laptops?
My thought process kicks in only when I hear its rhythm.
I'm an old-timer.
Once you leave, you'll forget me, won't you?
Is it even possible to forget Velonie?
Everyone says that.
Hey.
I mean it.
It doesn't seem like a sure answer.
Okay.
What's the first thing you'll do when you get there?
I'll send what you asked for, right away.
RUMOR: THE FABLE OF VELONIE
Hey, Gulu!
Why aren't you in love?
The rest of us are hanging out as couples!
Why are you still single?
Who says I'm not in love?
You don't know what you're saying!
Check this out.
This is my girl!
Hey! Who is this? She's gorgeous!
You idiot! Don't you know?
It's Velonie!
Who is Velonie?
A girl's murder became quite sensational in Kanyakumari.
Sir is showing her picture.
Yes, I remember.
Hey!
Why do you claim her as your lover?
I saw her photo.
I fell in love with her.
-What? -What do I do with him?
All he needs is….
Just a push into the water,
he can totally unite with her!
Hold up….
Did they find her killer?
-I don't know. -Then what?
-I don't know. -Not that our cops do not know.
But they just suck!
The killer will be in plain sight.
But only after several months will they claim to have found him.
As far as that girl's murder case goes, there can only be three reasons.
Crime of passion.
Gain. Or revenge.
He sounds like Sherlock Holmes!
If you ask me, the girl was not killed for gain or revenge.
It definitely must be a crime of passion.
You're starting to sound like Sherlock Holmes, Gulu!
-Nailed it! -Sure did!
Hey, I get to know all this from the news.
The girl had a fiance.
But she was in love with someone else.
The fiance may have done it, right?
The girl's FB account even had her lover's photos.
The cops have blocked the account.
All that's old news.
On the day she was killed, she went off to a lonely place with another guy.
They're on the lookout for him.
That's all fake, man!
I read about it in Fourth Column!
-Your girl really gets around? -Hey!
Even if you deny it, that's who she is!
-Hey! Why gang up with this guy? -It hurts!
I'm sorry!
It's okay.
-Good morning, sir. -Vivek, thank you.
Thank you very much for coming.
-That's not a problem. -Thank you.
Early stages of Parkinson's.
Are you getting treated?
My son returns from the US next month.
He wants me to get treated there.
Anyway, I'll come to the point.
You know I never approach anyone for favors.
In fact, I felt terrible having to call you over for an obligation.
You're always so formal, sir.
Let me know what you need, and I'll definitely help.
No, Vivek.
Even when in service,
I never used my position to influence someone.
The boy's father is a very good man.
He's a good friend.
He pleaded with me, falling at my feet.
Which boy, sir?
You're handling the Velonie case, right?
-Yes, sir. -The boy's name is Tony.
He is no way involved in this.
He fled out of fear seeing the name in the newspaper.
His father is terrified too.
In fact, both of them are here.
Lawrence!
The boy definitely has nothing to do with the incident.
They are afraid they will lose respect with all the police inquiries.
You tell us what to do.
-May I speak with Tony in private? -Oh, sure.
Were you and Velonie in love?
No, sir.
Then why does everyone say so?
I told them so, sir.
Why?
To merely show off, sir.
Many boys at the church were after Velonie.
But she spoke to me first.
So, they concluded that I won her over.
I just kept it up.
Why did she speak only to you?
She loves music, sir.
I'm part of the church choir.
I play the guitar well.
She asked if I could teach her.
She asked me to come home when no one was around.
So I assumed she was interested in me.
Did you ask her if she was?
Well, I….
No, sir.
Listen up.
If you don't hide anything from me, you'll be fine.
That was lovely!
I mean….
It was really, really lovely!
Then…. don't just say by words.
I hate you, Tony!
Hey, Velonie! It's not that big of a deal!
-Velonie, one second. -Go away!
Velonie….
Tony! Stop it, Tony!
I said stop it, Tony!
Assuming that she loved me too….
I tried to kiss her once.
She slapped me hard.
Did she say anything about Vignesh?
No, sir.
If I asked about him….
she'd tell me not to bring him up in our conversation.
I never probed further.
Did she speak about anyone else?
No, sir.
Thank you, sir.
-Mr. Velraj? -Yes, sir?
Can I get that forensic report by the end of the day?
They didn't inform you?
The Tirunelveli lab turned down the sample as it wasn't good.
I've sent it to Chennai.
It will take two days.
-Okay, sir. -Okay.
Tell me, Mr. Vivek.
They say the forensic report will take a couple of days, sir.
Tony doesn't seem suspect either.
If you tell me who tipped you off about Ottapparai….
it will help the investigation to move forward.
Who is he, sir?
Go and check who that is!
What's up, Sunny?
It's the doctor, brother!
Did it hit, doctor?
Yes, it did. It couldn't have gone far.
Go and check, Sunny.
Is that a military gun, doctor?
Yes.
An AR-15.
When did you buy it?
It's been a few years.
I didn't have a permit for it, so I never brought it out.
What kind of bullets do they take? 5.56 or 0.224?
The 5.56 isn't very powerful.
I modified it.
450 bush master.
Did you see that it fell in a single shot?
With a shot like that, they can’t run far.
I always use the bolt gun.
Nothing else is comfortable.
You're a strong man. That's how you will feel.
The grip suits me fine.
Besides, the sling is front hanging. See?
You can wear it like this.
You can shoot the animals as soon as you spot them.
You've gotten old. So this suits you.
When we spot something, a country rifle is all we need.
We bolt it and fire!
True that. But who shot it now?
Bolt gun users like only bolt guns.
Lever guns users like only lever guns.
An AR-15 user only likes AR-15s. That's all!
Any work going on at the bungalow, doctor?
Oh yeah.
I'm building a bathroom. Some tiny repairs left, as well.
I don't know if the workers loitered here.
The cops came by that day.
Really? Why?
Some girl was murdered.
They found some cloth here.
Don't know who tipped them off.
We weren't around. Mom spoke to them.
Just a minute.
Hello?
Yes, doctor. SI Ramar speaking.
SI Vivek wants to meet you. Shall I bring him over?
Today?
Whenever you wish. I'll tag along. Just a quick chat.
Come tomorrow. Not today.
Alright, doctor. See you tomorrow.
Doctor?
Should I chop it or will this do?
-You've come with the family? -Yes.
-Are the kids fine? -Everyone's fine!
-Did you have your food? -Yes.
What a surprise!
-Are you at the wrong address? -Not at all! I got an invite.
Appears the minister is into the Hollywood film The Godfather.
So, he's invited me.
Why? What about the film?
"Keep your friends close but your enemies closer. "
What's this, man?
Only your newspaper isn't printed in yellow.
But everything there seems like lewd yellow press!
All look yellow to the jaundiced eye!
The Velonie murder case?
It doesn't even seem like news.
It reads like a novel!
What the hell is all this?
I want my news to go everywhere.
Good girls go to heaven. Bad girls go everywhere.
It keeps you hooked, doesn't it?
You have a comeback for everything, don't you?
Hey! Look there!
Sethuraman?
Are you even allowed desserts?
Or are you putting a show in public of not being diabetic?
Oh, no! Would you believe me if I told you I am not that old?
Never mind.
It seems like you're running a newspaper just to trouble me.
Your articles are like that.
You seem to think too much about yourself.
You're only a tiny part of our publication.
Why though?
You only just invited me. Let's keep talking.
When did you see that cloth in Ottapparai?
On Saturday.
-Mr. Ramar? -Yes?
When did we go to the site where the body was found?
Friday.
May I know why you went there?
I have a small estate in that area.
I'd sometimes go there for hunting.
This will remain between us, right?
You can trust me as much as you trust Mr. Ramar.
What do you think of the lady and her boys?
I don't know them all that well.
The eldest one is Santosh.
The middle one is Sanjeev.
The youngest is Sunny.
Santosh knows the forest very well.
Sanjeev went to college, but dropped out.
Sunny is in college.
But you can always see him in Ottapparai.
There are a couple of murder cases against them all, with the forest department.
They haven't been caught yet.
Their mother said that some guy brought Velonie over to Ottapparai.
Did the guy do something to her?
Or did someone else chase him away and kill the girl?
If it was the former who killed her, he would've left the body there.
If the body was found someplace else….
that would be evidence of the latter's involvement, right?
How about that?
If you suspect those three guys….
why not interrogate them?
We should.
We've sent the blood sample for analysis.
If the results are in our favor, we'll question them.
Instead of waiting around for that….
think it'd be smart to take them in for questioning.
-Mr. Ramar? -Yes?
-Bring them in. -Alright.
-Sir? -Hello, Kalyana Raman!
-Sorry to keep you waiting. -It's okay.
What a surprise!
Had you told me you were coming, I'd have arrived early!
That's okay.
Have I told you we are bringing out the eight edition for "The Red Earth"?
No, you haven't.
It's really huge, sir.
With Kindle and Ebooks around….
it is a big deal that your printed book is still in huge demand.
-Alright. I need a small favour. -Tell me, sir.
Few days ago, there was news of the murder of a girl named Velonie in Kanyakumari.
Remember?
Yes, sir.
Can you check with your legal team….
and let me know how the investigation proceeds?
Definitely, sir.
Is the girl related to you?
I'm not an Anglo-Indian.
It's just that….
I know you're well acquainted with high ranking police officers.
Alright, well….
please keep me updated about the investigation, whenever you can.
Sure, sir!
Some guy brings a girl to Ottapparai….
and you question me about it?
How would I know?
Some guy might have brought some girl to Ottapparai.
But the girl died, right?
That too, at your place.
"At my place"?
Then where's the body?
That's what I'm asking you!
Why wasn't the body at your place?
Had someone else killed her, shouldn't the body be at your place?
Why was it lying somewhere else?
"Somewhere else"?
What does that mean?
Only you can answer that!
Your mother claims to have seen them there!
What did you do to that girl?
You're crossing your damn limits, SI! I mean it!
The body wasn't there.
No evidence of murder either.
Just because you wear that uniform and make random charges….
you expect me to cower and confess?
You don't know who I am!
There'll be a lot of trouble!
What is it, sir?
I forgot, sir.
Sir!
Is your phone on silent mode?
Velraj had called.
Yes, sir. The forensic report--
What happened?
It is not even human blood. It's animal blood.
-Are you sure? -If you want, you can check with Velraj.
-Sir! -Hey, Vivek!
Are you questioning Santosh from Ottapparai?
Yes, sir. I told you we found the girl's dress sample and some blood, right?
It was at his place, sir.
The higher-ups are pressuring me to release him.
Has the blood sample report come in from Chennai?
It just came in.
It's animal blood.
Then, on what grounds are you holding him?
-The pressure is heavy. Let him go. -Yes, sir.
Hey! You can go!
Look at him glaring!
What is it?
Did you get a call to let me go?
Get lost.
Bastard.
Give me 500 rupees, Jones.
I don't have any money, brother.
I'm not asking for your money! Get me some from in there!
There's nothing in there either.
Hey! You didn't even look! Check again!
I swear there's nothing!
Only three rooms are occupied.
Ma'am has asked me not to take in any new guests.
Things are a bit slow.
-No point talking to you. -It's the truth, brother!
-Move aside! -Listen to me!
Don't break it! Please don't!
It's for the water cans. There's no other money.
It's alright. I got it.
Yes, Kalyana Raman.
Good time to talk, sir?
Just a minute.
Go ahead, Kalyana Raman.
You had asked about the Velonie case, right?
There's been no progress for the past two months.
They did not do much.
I just received some new information.
One year ago, the girl had eloped with someone.
They just learnt of an FIR that had been filed then.
They're tracing the FIR now.
A Sub-Inspector is collecting the details of who she eloped with and why.
Vivek is the sub-inspector handling this case.
Shall I give you his number?
That won't be necessary. This is enough for now.
If you find out anything else, please call me.
As soon as you called, I located the file number.
We stored all the files in one room because the walls are getting painted.
Digging through them is difficult.
We'll take care of that.
The file is definitely in there.
I remember having filed the FIR.
There's a "Women Missing Cases" box in there. It must be in it.
Let me know if you can't find it.
I maintain some records at home too. I can check in there.
Here's the file number.
In there, sir.
Okay, we'll take care.
-Thank you, sir. -Thank you.
Alex!
Go on.
Did you notice this?
These days, a cell phone is not just a necessity, but an identity too.
If only the girl had a phone, we'd have been saved a lot of trouble.
-We'd have got her entire history-- -Brother!
Here's the "Women Missing" box.
Apuchi!
Not this.
No, brother.
That's the one, brother!
Shall we tell Daddy that Apuchi stood up on his own?
Shall we tell Daddy to come home soon?
I'll call back later!
Chapter six.
That night, Velonie's bed did not have the pleasure of her company.
At dawn….
her fans waiting for her to grace them….
were left bitterly disappointed.
Unaware of her disappearing act, her mother, Ms. Angel,
entered her room with tea, as usual.
Velo?
Velonie!
Are you up there, child?
Velonie! Are you up there?
Velonie!
Ma'am!
-There's no water in the pipes. -Really?
See if the boy is there.
Oh, right.
Jones is not in today.
I forgot to turn on the motor.
Hold on. I'll turn it on.
Just a minute. I need help to turn on the motor.
Can you come?
That switch must be turned on and that lever be pulled up.
It's a bit tight.
What is this lever for?
Well water goes to the sump.
Turn it the other way, it goes to the tank.
It's rusted and in bad shape.
Have it replaced.
It comes in plastic.
If you get that, you can turn it yourself. It will be easy.
Do you know plumbing?
If you wish, I can do it myself.
Thank you.
Velo?
Velonie?
Don't worry.
She might be visiting an acquaintance or a friend.
Let's search a bit before going to the police station. Alright?
She wouldn't have gone like that.
I know her well.
She will never go anywhere without telling me. Especially at this time.
-Okay. -I am really scared.
Alright. Don't panic. We'll go to the police station.
A person must be missing for at least 48 hours, before you report it.
You show up saying you woke up and found her missing!
She must've gone somewhere. She'll be back.
If not, come back tomorrow.
She was home in bed last night. She's not home since morning.
How can I take it easy?
She never goes anywhere without telling me.
How can I wait blindly thinking she will return tomorrow?
What if she doesn't?
What if something happens?
If the girl is missing from home, she probably left on her own!
You think someone broke in and abducted her?
I'm telling you she is not that sort of girl, sir!
You go on repeating yourself!
We can't take your case now. Come back tomorrow.
Sir!
A 17-year-old girl is missing!
Eloped or kidnapped, the state is responsible.
Don't think we don't know the law.
If you don't take it up, we'll have to go to the SP's office.
What if something happens to her before you take up the case tomorrow?
Please do your duty, sir.
-What's the girl's name? -Velonie.
-Age? -17. About to turn 18.
-Is she a student? -Yes.
-What are you to her? -Her mother.
You?
She's my aunt.
I'll send this to all the stations.
-I'll send a constable with you. -Okay.
Look around for her.
Give him her photo that we can circulate to the other stations.
-Chakravarthy! -Sir?
We need to check the room, brother.
What's wrong, Jones?
Ms. Ruby's daughter is missing since morning.
That's why the police have come.
-Come in, sir. -Step aside.
Have some tea.
Drink up.
Hope you didn't mind me telling the SI that you're my aunt?
It carries some weight if I am family. That's why I said it.
I was too strict with her.
It makes me wonder if she might have run away because of that.
Don't tell the police that. Else, they won't search properly.
Only if we say she is in danger, will they get serious.
Drink some tea!
Just the two of us.
No man in the family.
It's very tough to take care of her, to take care of me.
If you're not strong and….
strict with others….
they take advantage of you.
Velonie doesn't get that!
Her stupid mind….
Sorry. I'm troubling you also.
That's not a problem.
I have no work right now.
So, no problem.
Do you have a photo of the girl?
Give it to me. I'll take it out.
Mom….
What the hell?
They closed the FIR without details of where the girl ran off to and why.
I don't understand.
Going by this, I think what my friend said is true.
What did he say?
He said that staying in the mansion for three days is enough to impress Velonie.
Which friend?
Albert, brother. You've met him too.
He said that?
No. He said a friend of a friend told him that.
Your friend told you something a friend of his friend told him?
Yes, brother.
What is it, brother?
Hey!
When word spreads from one person to another….
it tends to be embellished based on the whims of each person.
A truth doesn't spread as fast as a lie does.
When a girl is involved, we have to watch what we say.
In this case….
apart from me being a cop, there's something else bothering me.
What is it, brother?
In my first year at college, there was a girl named Diana.
Quite a stylish girl.
She liked me a lot.
Skirt just above her knees. Sleeveless blouse.
Teenagers, right?
Seeing her like that, would stir me up.
She was that pretty.
After we fell in love….
what had once seemed charming, started to look faulty.
I got angry with her revealing dresses.
I started doubting her.
That was when, like you just said….
she was seen inappropriately with someone….
So said a friend, whose friend's friend told him that.
Diana cried, pleading with me to trust her.
In spite of that, I walked away.
Five years later, I saw her again.
As a dead body.
What happened?
Her husband killed her.
I handled that case too. And solved it.
But here's what I learned through it all.
Diana did indeed love me.
She was honest when she asked me to trust her.
If I hadn't listened to my friend, Diana wouldn't have died.
She would have been in Anandhi's place.
I don't know if Velonie is a good girl or a bad girl.
But looking at her photo….
brings back memories from the past.
Haven't you slept yet?
Why are you sitting here like a ghost?
Apuchi!
I thought you were asleep and helped myself.
If you heard me, why didn't you come?
Why the long face?
It's nothing.
It's all over your face!
What is it?
I called you.
You snapped at me and hung up!
You didn't know why I called.
You didn't even bother to call back!
I was busy at work. I forgot.
Why start nagging as soon as I get back?
Am I nagging you?
Was I not sitting quietly?
You're the one who asked what was wrong.
Now that I am answering, you feel that I am nagging.
Alright. I'm sorry.
Why did you call?
I said I was sorry, didn't I? Why did you call?
Apuchi stood up by himself today.
I called to tell you that!
My phone doesn't record videos well.
I thought of at least sharing with you over the phone, but you rudely hung up.
It's my sad fate.
I don't even have a good phone.
Anandhi.
Don't believe the rumors you hear about me.
I swear!
You are the only one I love.
Thanks for coming, sir.
They are Velonie's classmates.
We are all upset over what happened to one of our students.
It is further painful how they defame her in the newspapers.
Reading it has caused the students a lot of distress, sir.
Sir?
We may not be aware of Velonie's personal life.
But they write so much that maligns her character.
None of it is true, sir!
We feel this not just because she's our classmate.
She's dead.
She can't come back to defend herself.
Does that give one the freedom to write like this, sir?
I understand you.
We usually filter the information we share with the press.
Particularly in Velonie's case, we did not speak to the press much.
Even then, this case has been sensationalized from the start, hasn't it?
So, the press have been reckless.
-What to do? -We don't blame you, sir!
But we ask what we can do to help Velonie.
Try this.
-All the students together…. -Okay.
submit a signed request on the college letterhead.
I'll give it to the SP, and have him release it to the press.
It'll be a note of dissent to those under the wrong impression of her, right?
Thank you, sir.
I need an important piece of information too.
May I know who among you was close to Velonie?
Rosalynn, sir.
Do you like Velonie a lot?
Yes, sir.
Do you wish to help her?
Definitely, sir.
Who do you think would've done this?
I don't know, sir.
How much in love were Tony and Velonie?
They're not lovers at all, sir.
What then?
She wasn't in love with him at all.
Anytime I asked about him, she'd call him an idiot.
So, Velonie willingly agreed to marry Vignesh?
No, sir. She despises that guy!
Why?
I don't know, sir.
Whenever his name was brought up, she'd change the topic.
Whenever I asked about him, she'd look terrified.
Yes, brother?
You collected Vignesh's call records? -Yes.
Bring them to the station.
On my way, brother.
Did you look at the call records?
Around the time of the murder….
three calls had been made from Vignesh's phone at the lodge, to the same number.
Yes, brother.
Call the number.
Here.
Hello?
This is Vignesh's friend.
Vignesh?
Who is Vignesh?
-Are you Malayali? -Yes.
This is the Angel Lodge at Eraniel in Kanyakumari, right?
Do you know a guy named Vignesh who stays there?
Vignesh? I'm not aware of anyone by that name.
-Which lodge? -Angel Lodge.
No, I'm not aware.
What's this now?
Three calls were made from Vignesh's phone to a guy in Kerala.
The Kerala guy doesn't know who Vignesh is.
It's confusing.
It's the Kerala guy.
Hello?
You meant the Vignesh who stays at Angel Lodge in Eraniel, right?
Yes.
I don't know him, but he's a friend of my friend.
Who's your friend?
Do you have a contact number?
-Yes. Note it down. -Okay.
-Thank you. -Alright.
I'm going to Aunt June's house.
Pick me up at 7:00 p. m.
Don't show up before 7:00 p. m.
Tell me, Vivek.
We have to question Vignesh again for the Velonie case, sir.
Why? What happened?
We just learned something.
Vignesh's phone is the only evidence….
that he was in the lodge at the time of the murder.
But we just learned that his phone was with his friend at the time.
We don't know if Vignesh was with him, or if he had gone out.
So, we need to question--
Go on, then. Question him.
Thank you, sir.
I sent Amalraj as soon as I got your call.
I've been here for an hour. No one has left.
Alright.
Like I told you, Vignesh went out on his bike.
We shouldn't have come in a hurry, sir.
We should have caught him off guard.
But, we are here now.
What if he knows we're here and doesn't return?