Papanasam Story

Papanasam is a Tamil drama–thriller film written and directed by Jeethu Joseph and starring Kamal Haasan and Gautami in the lead roles. A remake of the successful 2013 Malayalam film, Drishyam, it also stars Asha Sarath, Kalabhavan Mani and Niveda Thomas in other pivotal roles. Full cast & crew details

Story

Kamal Haasan is an orphan who had dropped out of school after the fourth grade. He has come up in life by tilling his land. Now he is a businessman running a cable TV service in a rural area. He is married to Gautami and they have two daughters, Niveda Thomas a Plus Two student, and Ester Kamal is stingy and does not like to spend money on anything beyond the basic necessities.

His only interest apart from his family is watching films. He spends most of his time in front of the TV in his small office. He is so obsessed with movies that he makes every major decision in life by subconsciously taking an example from some film he has seen.

Toward the middle of the film, Kamal's teenaged daughter gets photographed in the bathroom at a nature camp by a hidden cell phone. The culprit, Roshan Basheer is the son of police inspector general Asha Sarath . Roshan Basheer is accidentally killed by Gautami and her daughter when he comes to blackmail them. They hide his body in a compost pit, which is witnessed by Ester.

Rani tells Kamal about the incident and he devises a way to save his family from the law. He removes the broken cell phone and disposes of Roshan Basheer's car, which is seen by Constable Kalabhavan Mani, who has a grudge against Kamal. Kamal takes them out on a trip to Thodupuzha to pray in a church, watch a movie and eat at a restaurant. Asha Sarath, realising that her son has gone missing starts an investigation.

After a preliminary investigation, Asha Sarath calls Kamal and family for questioning. Kamal had predicted that this would happen and taught his family how to change their alibi at the time of murder. When questioned individually, they replied the same thing and they had also shown the bill of the restaurant,the movie ticket and the bus journeys' tickets as proof of their alibi.

Asha Sarath questions the owners of the establishments they have been to and their statements prove Kamal's alibi. Asha Sarath realises that on the day of the incident, Kamal had taken the tickets and the bill, made acquaintance with the owners and had gone for the trip with his family the next day, thus proving his alibi and making the owners unwittingly tell the lie.

Asha Sarath arrests Kamal and family and Kalabhavan Mani uses brute force to beat the truth out of them. Eventually, Ester gives in and reveals the place where the body is buried. After digging the compost pit,they find the carcass of a calf, indicating that Kamal had moved the body. Ester reports to the media and complains against Kalabhavan Mani. The constable is suspended and Asha Sarath resigns from her post.

Asha Sarath and her husband meet Kamal to ask forgiveness for their rude and violent behavior. But Kamal indirectly tells them that he had got rid of 'the uninvited guest'. Kamal, now in remand, signs a register at the newly constructed local police station. As he leaves, a flashback shows him leaving the incomplete police station with a shovel in hand, indicating that he has hidden Roshan Basheer's body in the foundations of the police station itself.

Casting

Several actresses were considered and approached for the leading female roles, before the team made a final decision. Simran was reported to have signed the film, though she later stated that she was not working in the film. Nadhiya, Sridevi and Abhirami were also considered for roles in the film.

Kamal Haasan's partner Gautami was later confirmed to play Meena's role from the original in June 2014. Kalabhavan Mani would portray Kalabhavan Shajon's role from the original. Niveda Thomas was signed on to play the elder daughter of the lead pair, while child artiste Esther was also added to the cast, reprising her role from the original as well.

Principal photography commenced on 25 August 2014, with first schedule beginning in Tirunelveli where scenes featuring Kamal Haasan and Gautami were initially shot.

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Papanasam Story

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