Papanasam (film)

2015 film by Jeethu Joseph

Papanasam

Theatrical release poster

Directed by| Jeethu Joseph
Screenplay by| Jeethu Joseph
Story by| Jeethu Joseph
Dialogues by| Jeyamohan
Based on| Drishyam
by Jeethu Joseph
Produced by|

* Suresh Balaje
* George Pius
* Rajkumar Sethupathi
* Sripriya

Starring|

* Kamal Haasan
* Gautami
* Nivetha Thomas
* Esther Anil
* Asha Sarath

Cinematography| Sujith Vaassudev
Edited by| Ayoob Khan
Music by| Ghibran

Production
companies

* Wide Angle Creations
* RajKumar Theatres Pvt. Ltd.

Distributed by| Maxlab Entertainments

Release date

* 3 July 2015 (2015-07-03)

Running time

| 2 hr 55 mins
Country| India
Language| Tamil
Box office| est. ₹100 crore[1]

Papanasam (transl. Destruction of Sins) is a 2015 Indian Tamil-language crime thriller film directed by Jeethu Joseph, a remake of his 2013 Malayalam film Drishyam. The film was jointly produced by Suresh Balaje and Rajkumar Sethupathi. It stars Kamal Haasan and Gautami, with Esther Anil, Asha Sarath and Roshan Basheer reprising their roles from the original film. Kalabhavan Mani, Nivetha Thomas and M. S. Bhaskar appear in supporting roles.

The film tells the story of Suyambulingam, a middle-class cable TV operator, and his family. They come under suspicion when Varun Prabhakar, the son of the Inspector General Geetha Prabhakar, goes missing soon after sexually harassing Suyambulingam's elder daughter. The rest of the film reveals how Varun disappeared and what Suyambulingam does to keep his family from going to prison.

The production work of Papanasam was undertaken by Suresh Balaje and George Pious. Music for the film was composed by Ghibran. Cinematography was by Sujith Vaassudev and editing by Ayoob Khan, who also worked on Jeethu's original film. Principal photography commenced on 25 August 2014 and lasted for seven months, with shooting held at Tirunelveli, Nanguneri, Tenkasi, Kuthukalvalasai, and Thodupuzha. The film was released on 3 July 2015 to positive reviews from critics, and grossed over US$16 million worldwide.

## Plot

[edit]

Suyambulingam is an orphan who dropped out of school after the 4th grade. In 2014, He was a businessman running a cable TV service in Papanasam, a small town in the Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu. He owns two buildings in the main part of the village, and a well-built house in a garden of 5 acres. Suyambulingam is married to Rani Suyambulingam, and they have two daughters, 16-year-old Selvi Suyambulingam and 10-year-old Pulli Meena Suyambulingam. His only interest apart from his family is watching movies, and he spends most of his evenings in front of the TV in his small office.

When Selvi goes on an overnight nature camp with her school, she's filmed in the shower by a hidden cellphone. The culprit, Varun Prabhakar, is the son of Inspector General, Geetha Prabhakar. Days later, Varun calls Selvi and blackmails her for sexual favours. He tells her to come to her house's garden shed at midnight. Selvi brings Rani along, and both beg Varun to leave them alone. Varun asks Rani to replace Selvi in the deal. Enraged, Selvi strikes Varun's head, killing him instantly. Terrified, Rani and Selvi bury Varun's body in a compost pit, which Meena witnesses. The next morning, Rani tells Suyambulingam about the incident and he devises a way to save his family from the law. He removes Varun's broken cell phone and places Varun's SIM card in another mobile phone which he throws onto a national permit truck. His disposing of Varun's yellow Maruti Suzuki Zen car is spotted by Constable Perumal, who has a grudge against Suyambulingam. Suyambulingam then takes his family out on a trip to Tenkasi to attend a temple prayer meeting, and they watch a movie in a theatre, stay in a hotel, and eat at a restaurant. Meanwhile, Inspector General Geetha Prabhakar starts an investigation into her missing son.

After a preliminary investigation, Geetha calls Suyambulingam and his family for questioning. Suyambulingam, who had predicted that this would happen, had already taught his family their alibis for the time of the murder. When questioned individually, they give the same replies. Suyambulingam also presents the bill from the restaurant, hotel, as well as the tickets from the bus and the movie, as proof of their alibi. Geetha questions the owners of the establishments they have been to and their statements prove Suyambulingam's alibi. However, Geetha subsequently realises later that Suyambulingam had established his alibi on the owners by going on a trip alone, on the days presented in the receipts, and then once again with his family to the same establishments a few days later. Meanwhile, Suyambulingam tells his brother-in-law, Thangaraj, that if they are ever taken away by the police, he must notify the media and report their unlawful arrests.

Geetha arrests Suyambulingam and his family, and Perumal brutally hits them, including Meena to make the truth come out. Geetha learns from Varun's friend Alex about Selvi's video created by Varun. Eventually, Meena gives in and reveals the place where Varun's body is buried. After digging the compost pit, they find the carcass of a boar, indicating that Suyambulingam had moved the body. Before Geetha and Perumal could react to it, Suyambulingam and Meena go to the media and complain that Perumal brutally tortured them for a crime they didn't commit. Enraged, Perumal tries to hit Suyambulingam but Thangaraj and the villagers save them and trash Perumal. Perumal is suspended from the job, all officers in the Papanasam station are transferred out of the district and Geetha resigns from her post. The district court prohibits the police from investigating Suyambulingam's family without their permission, in any case. Suyambulingam and his family are proven innocent.

Later, Geetha and her husband Prabhakar meet Suyambulingam to ask forgiveness for their rude and violent behaviour. Prabhakar then explains that they both plan to relocate to the US. Before leaving, Prabhakar begs Suyambulingam to reveal what happened to Varun. Filled with guilt, Suyumbulingam cryptically explained that Varun was killed by accident and wishes them well. The scene moves back to the police station at the beginning. As Suyambulingam signs out, the station's new sub-inspector tells him that he will find Varun's body. As Suyambulingam leaves, a flashback is shown of him burying something in the station's construction, implying that he has hidden Varun's body underneath the new police station.

## Cast

[edit]

* Kamal Haasan as Suyambulingam
* Gautami as Rani Suyambulingam
* Nivetha Thomas as Selvi Suyambulingam
* Esther Anil as S. Meena Suyambulingam
* Anant Mahadevan as Prabhakar
* Asha Sarath as IG Geetha Prabhakar IPS
* Roshan Basheer as Varun Prabhakar
* Kalabhavan Mani as Constable Perumal
* Ilavarasu as Head Constable C. Shanmugam
* Delhi Ganesh as Vijayakumar, Rani's Father
* Shanthi Williams as Radhika, Rani's Mother
* Charle as Kannan, Bus Conductor
* Vaiyapuri as Krishnaswamy, Hotel Owner
* M. S. Bhaskar as Sulaiman Bhai, Tea Shop Owner
* Aruldoss as Sub-Inspector R. Suresh Babu
* Sree Raam as Cheramadurai[2]
* Abhishek Vinod as Thangaraj
* Cheran Raj as Sub-Inspector S. Boominathan
* Madhan Gopal as Karuppu
* Kavi Periya Thambi as Mariappan
* Jayamani as Bus Conductor
* Hello Kandasamy as Cinema Operator
* Nellai Siva as Neighbour of Suyambulingam
* Arun Panackal as Alex, Varun's friend

## Production

[edit]

### Development

[edit]

After the commercial and critical success of the 2013 Malayalam film Drishyam directed by Jeethu Joseph and starring Mohanlal, several regional producers approached the makers for remake rights. A Tamil version was planned to be jointly produced by Suresh Balaje, George Pius of Wide Angle Creations, Rajkumar Sethupathi and Sripriya Rajkumar of Raj Kumar Theatre. The team subsequently signed on Kamal Haasan in late January 2014, to enact the leading role after successful negotiations, with Jeethu Joseph choosing to direct the Tamil version himself.[3][4] Jeethu said that Rajinikanth was initially approached to do the lead role and although he was interested to take up the role, he had doubts regarding a few scenes and how they would appeal to his fans.[5] The pair then chose to alter the storyline to feature a Hindu family from Papanasam instead of Christian Keralite's, to make it familiar with Tamil audiences.[5] Jeethu further said that the Tamil version had been made "more emotional" since Kamal Haasan felt that Tamil audiences like to be "emotionally piqued".[6] In August 2014, the film was reported to be titled Papanasam.[7] Pranav Mohanlal joined the team as an assistant director during the film's first schedule.[8] Jeyamohan was selected to write the dialogues for the film.[9] Noted writer/ director Sukawho is known for his characteristic Tirunelveli based short story series called 'Moongil Moochu' that was published in Ananda Vikatan trained Kamal Hassan to speak in Tirunelveli accent.[10][11]

### Casting

[edit]

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.[12][13] Nadhiya,[14] Sridevi,[15] and Abhirami were also considered for roles in the film.[16] Joseph confirmed that Sridevi was not part of the project and that the team would make the official announcements as soon as the cast and crew were finalized.[17] Kamal Haasan's partner Gautami was later confirmed to play Meena's role from the original in June 2014, marking her comeback to acting after a sixteen-year sabbatical.[18][19] Asha Sarath was chosen to reprise her role as a police officer from the original version,[20] while Kalabhavan Mani would portray Kalabhavan Shajon's role from the original.[21][22] Niveda Thomas was signed on to play the elder daughter of the lead pair,[23] while child artiste Esther Anil was also added to the cast, reprising her role from the original as well.[24] Anant Mahadevan was selected to play the role of Siddique from the Malayalam version.[25] Roshan Basheer was also selected to reprise his role as Varun from the original.[26]

### Filming

[edit]

Jeethu Joseph confirmed that shooting for the film would commence from the second half of 2014.[27] The film kick-started with a formal pooja on 16 July 2014.[28][29] Principal photography commenced on 25 August 2014.[30][31] with first schedule beginning in Tirunelveli where scenes featuring Kamal Haasan and Gautami were initially shot.[32] Shooting took place in Nanguneri and Tenkasi, kuthukalvalasai, Mekkarai, a town in the Tirunelveli district.[33] Shooting also took place in Thodupuzha in the house originally used in the Malayalam version. The house underwent minor changes to look like a Tamil household.[34] Working stills from the film were released on 11 September 2014.[35] The shooting of the film was completed on 26 March 2015.[36]

### Alleged plagiarism

[edit]

Sathish Paul, a Malayalam filmmaker-scriptwriter filed a petition with the Ernakulam District Court asking to stop the Tamil remake of Drishyam, alleging that the original film was a copy of his story published as a book in May 2013 called Oru Mazhakalathu. Benoy Kadavan, Sathish's advocate, informed that his client was told by Jeethu that Drishyam was going to be a family drama, and not a thriller. But when the movie was released, he noted that it was an exact copy and that a notice was sent to Jeethu Joseph and both the Malayalam and the Tamil production houses asking for equal shares in the profits of the film.[37] Jeethu clarified that his story might have had some similarities with the Japanese film, Suspect X (2008), but cited that it was not a copy of any other story and was willing to move to the high court to prove it.[38]

In mid-March 2015, it was proved at the High Court that the allegation was false, with a verdict being passed confirming the film's originality.[39][40]

## Soundtrack

[edit]

Main article: Papanasam (soundtrack)

The film's soundtrack is composed by Ghibran, continuing his association with Kamal Haasan after Uttama Villain (2015).[41] As similar to the original counterpart, Papanasam features two songs which were written by lyricist Na. Muthukumar.[42] The official tracklist was released on 10 June 2015,[43] which features six instrumental tracks from the score,[44] performed by Sofia Session Orchestra and two karaoke tracks of the songs.[45] The album was launched on 13 June 2015,[46] at the Suryan FM 93.5 radio station in Chennai, with the presence of the film's cast and crew.[47][48]

## Release

[edit]

### Theatrical

[edit]

Kamal Haasan planned to release the film, after completing the release plans of Uttama Villain.[49] But the delay in the latter's release, followed by the plagiarism allegation, against Jeethu Joseph, the director of the original,[50] pushed its makers to release the film during the occasion of Eid-Ul-Fitr (17 July 2015).[51] The first look and the theatrical trailer was unveiled on 13 May 2015.[52][53] On mid-June 2015, it was announced that the film will be released theatrically on 3 July 2015.[54]

### Home Media

[edit]

The satellite rights of the film were sold to Sun TV.[55]

## Reception

[edit]

### Critical response

[edit]

The film received highly positive reviews. On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 100% of 9 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 7.3/10.[56]

Hindustan Times gave the film 4 out of 5 and stated "A must watch for those fans of Kamal who have been waiting to see him as an actor -- not just a star driven to stunts".[57] Deccan Chronicle gave 4 stars as well and wrote, "Riffing a sophisticated mix of the human condition and a simplistic storyline, Papanasam is a movie that engages your senses while managing to dispel any misgivings on a timely basis...director Jeethu Joseph has recreated the original magic of Drishyam but with a more localized flavor to boot".[58] Filmibeat rated the film 4.5 out of 5 and concluded "Papanasam is a winning script and retaining Jeethu Joseph has helped immensely. But when a performer called Kamal Haasan takes up such a project, magic on screen is rest assured."[59]

Sify wrote "the Tamil version is even tighter (than Drishyam) and there is absolutely no room for error in the writing. Flawless is the word", going on to call the film "excellent".[60] Writing for Rediff, Sukanya Verma, while calling the film a "worthy remake of Drishyam, stated, "I still like Drishyam better but Papanasam is a laudable runner up even if somewhat self-aware".[61] Baradwaj Rangan of the Hindu wrote "A faithful remake, a solid thriller "[62]

### Box office

[edit]

The film grossed over ₹100 crore worldwide.[1]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b "'Vikram': Kamal Haasan's last five movies' box office stats". The Times of India.
2. ^ "Sree Raam thrilled to act with Kamal Haasan". Deccan Chronicle. Retrieved 7 July 2015.
3. ^ Kamal Haasan to don Mohanlal's role in Drishyam remake?. The New Indian Express. 30 January 2014. Retrieved 27 August 2014.
4. ^ Kamal Haasan to do Drishyam's Tamil version. Sify. 31 January 2014. Retrieved 27 August 2014.
5. ^ a b Kurian, Shiba (1 February 2014). Kamal Haasan to act in Drishyam's Tamil remake. The Times of India. Retrieved 27 August 2014.
6. ^ IANS (29 June 2015). "Papanasam more emotional than Drishyam: Jeethu Joseph". The Hindu. Retrieved 9 July 2015.
7. ^ Nicy V. P. (11 August 2014). 'Drishyam' Tamil Remake Starring Kamal Haasan Titled 'Papanasam'?. International Business Times. Retrieved 27 August 2014.
8. ^ "Mohanlal's son Pranav turns Assistand [sic] Director in 'Papanasam'". Deccan Chronicle. 2 September 2014. Archived from the original on 27 November 2014. Retrieved 2 September 2014.
9. ^ An experienced addition to Kamal Haasan's 'Drishyam'. Behindwoods. 3 March 2014. Retrieved 2 September 2014.
10. ^ Kamal Haasan trains in Tirunelveli accent for ‘Papanasam’. Indian Express. 6 September 2014. Retrieved 8 December 2014.
11. ^ Kamal Haasan trains in Tirunelveli accent for 'Papanasam'. IANS. 6 September 2014. Retrieved 6 September 2014.
12. ^ Simran in Drishyam remake?. The Times of India. 25 February 2014. Retrieved 27 August 2014.
13. ^ Simran denies Drishyam remake. The Times of India. 6 March 2014. Retrieved 27 August 2014.
14. ^ Nadhiya pair up with Kamal for the first time?. Indiaglitz. 13 February 2014. Retrieved 27 August 2014.
15. ^ Will Kamal Haasan and Sridevi agree to reunite?. The Times of India. 22 July 2014. Retrieved 27 August 2014.
16. ^ Sridevi is okay with Vijay, but with Kamal Haasan?. Behindwoods. 25 July 2014. Retrieved 27 August 2014.
17. ^ Sridevi not part of Tamil-remake of Drishyam. The Times of India. 29 July 2014. Retrieved 27 August 2014.
18. ^ Kamal, Gauthami reuniting in Drishyam's remake. Sify. 18 June 2014. Retrieved 27 August 2014.
19. ^ C. Pillai, Radhika (18 August 2014). Gauthami will make a comeback to films with Drishyam's Tamil remake. The Times of India. Retrieved 27 August 2014.
20. ^ Menon, Akhila (23 July 2014). Asha Sarath To Share Screen Space With Kamal Hassan. Oneindia Entertainment. Retrieved 27 August 2014.
21. ^ Drishyam Tamil Remake titled 'Papanasam'?. Sify. 11 August 2014. Retrieved 27 August 2014.
22. ^ C. Pillai, Radhika (12 August 2014). Kalabhavan Mani will reprise Shajon's role in Drishyam's Tamil remake. The Times of India. Retrieved 27 August 2014.
23. ^ M. Suganth (17 August 2014). Vijay's sister is Kamal Haasan's daughter. The Times of India. Retrieved 27 August 2014.
24. ^ C. Pillai, Radhika (17 August 2014). Esther Anil in 'Drishyam' remake!. The Times of India. Retrieved 27 August 2014.
25. ^ Drishyam remake-Cast updates. Sify. 20 August 2014. Retrieved 27 August 2014.
26. ^ C. Pillai, Radhika (27 August 2014).I never felt bored of playing same character again: Roshan Basheer. The Times of India. Retrieved 30 August 2014.
27. ^ Kamal Haasan to shoot 'Drishyam' Tamil remake from mid-2014. Business Standard. 4 February 2014. Retrieved 29 August 2014.
28. ^ Kamal Haasan to start shooting for Drishyam remake. The Times of India. 23 June 2014. Retrieved 27 August 2014.
29. ^ Nicy V. P. (23 August 2014). Kerala Court Halts 'Drishyam' Tamil Remake Starring Kamal Haasan over Copyright Issue. International Business Times. Retrieved 27 August 2014.
30. ^ Kamal Haasan's Drishyam to roll out from August. The Hindu. 19 July 2014. Retrieved 27 August 2014.
31. ^ Kamal's 'Papanasam' starts rolling. Indiaglitz. 26 August 2014. Retrieved 27 August 2014.
32. ^ Kamal starts shooting for 'Papanasam'. Sify. 25 August 2014. Retrieved 27 August 2014.
33. ^ பாபநாசம் படப்பிடிப்பில் சமூக சேவகருடன் கமலஹாசன் சந்திப்பு. Maalai Malar. 12 September 2014. Retrieved 12 September 2014.
34. ^ Kamal haasan joins papanasam team in Kerala.
35. ^ Papanasam Movie Stills. Onlykollywood. 11 September 2014. Retrieved 12 September 2014.
36. ^ "Kamal wraps up Papanasam shooting". The Times of India. 15 January 2017. Retrieved 20 December 2020.
37. ^ Prakash, Asha (23 July 2014). Drishyam's Tamil remake stalled by Kerala court. The Times of India. Retrieved 27 August 2014.
38. ^ Prakash, Asha (24 August 2014). "Drishyam's court drama: We will counter all arguments, says Jeethu". The Times of India. Retrieved 27 August 2014.
39. ^ "High Court Says Drishyam Is Not Copied". CineSpider. Retrieved 7 July 2015.
40. ^ "Court rejects plea of Drishyam being copied". indiaglitz.com. Archived from the original on 26 July 2015. Retrieved 7 July 2015.
41. ^ V.P, Nicy (10 June 2015). "'Papanasam': Track List of Kamal Starrer Released [Song List]". International Business Times. Retrieved 20 December 2020.
42. ^ Kamal Haasan kick starts Drishyam remake. The Times of India. 19 July 2014. Retrieved 27 August 2014.
43. ^ Upadhyaya, Prakash (11 June 2015). "'Papanasam' Audio to Hit Stores on 13 June". International Business Times. Retrieved 20 December 2020.
44. ^ Nath, Parshathy J. (12 July 2015). "Sounds of silence". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 20 December 2020.
45. ^ "Papanasam Tracklist". The Times of India. 13 January 2017. Retrieved 20 December 2020.
46. ^ "Papanasam audio on June 22". The Times of India. Retrieved 7 July 2015.
47. ^ "Kamal's 'Papanasam' audio launch". Sify. Archived from the original on 23 June 2015. Retrieved 7 July 2015.
48. ^ "'Papanasam' Music Review Round Up: Ghibran Does Magic for Kamal Haasan Again [AUDIO]". International Business Times, India Edition. 23 June 2015. Retrieved 7 July 2015.
49. ^ "I am always targeted: Kamal Haasan". The Times of India. 28 March 2015. Retrieved 20 December 2020.
50. ^ "Decks cleared for Kamal Haasan's Papanasam". The Times of India. 16 January 2017. Retrieved 20 December 2020.
51. ^ "Papanasam to hit screens in July?". The Times of India. 16 January 2017. Retrieved 20 December 2020.
52. ^ "First look poster of Kamal Haasan's 'Papanasam'". The Times of India. 16 January 2017. Retrieved 20 December 2020.
53. ^ "Kamal Haasan's 'Papanasam' trailer". The Times of India. 16 January 2017. Retrieved 20 December 2020.
54. ^ "Tamil remake of 'Drishyam' to release four weeks before the Hindi one". The Times of India. 27 June 2015. Retrieved 20 December 2020.
55. ^ "SunTV | Papanasam Pongal Special Movie On 15-01-16 @6pm | Promo - Dailymotion Video". Dailymotion. 31 January 2016.
56. ^ "Papanasam". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media.
57. ^ "Papanasam review: Kamal Haasan's back as we once knew him". Hindustantimes. 3 May 2015. Archived from the original on 10 July 2015. Retrieved 3 May 2015.
58. ^ "Movie review 'Papanasam': A fulfilling experience and a must watch film". Deccan Chronicle. Retrieved 7 July 2015.
59. ^ "Papanasam Movie Review-A World-Class Actor's Date With An Extra-Ordinary Script". filmibeat. 3 May 2015. Archived from the original on 4 July 2015. Retrieved 3 May 2015.
60. ^ "Review : Papanasam". Sify. Archived from the original on 12 July 2015. Retrieved 7 July 2015.
61. ^ "Review: Papanasam is a worthy remake of Drishyam!". Rediff. 3 July 2015. Retrieved 7 July 2015.
62. ^ Rangan, Baradwaj (3 July 2015). "Papanasam: A faithful remake, a solid thriller". The Hindu - via www.thehindu.com.

## External links

[edit]

* Papanasam at Rotten Tomatoes
* Papanasam at IMDb

* v
* t
* e

Films directed by Jeethu Joseph

* Detective (2007)
* Mummy & Me (2010)
* My Boss (2012)
* Memories (2013)
* Drishyam (2013)
* Papanasam (2015)
* Life of Josutty (2015)
* Oozham (2016)
* Aadhi (2018)
* Mr. & Ms. Rowdy (2019)
* Thambi (2019)
* The Body (2019)
* Drishyam 2 (2021)
* Drushyam 2 (2021)
* 12th Man (2022)
* Kooman (2022)
* Neru (2023)
* Nunakuzhi (2024)
* Ram (upcoming)

* v
* t
* e

Drishyam

Remakes|

* Drishya (2014)
* Drushyam (2014)
* Papanasam (2015)
* Drishyam (2015)
* Dharmayuddhaya (2017)
* Sheep Without a Shepherd (2019)

Sequels|

* Drishyam 2 (2021)
* Drushyam 2 (2021)
* Drishya 2 (2021)
* Drishyam 2 (2022)

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