ORU PENNUM RANDAANUM

ORU PENNUM RANDAANUM - A Climate For Crime

The 1940s, in the Princely State of Travancore in South India.

The Second World War being fought in Europe had cast its shadow on British India. Daily necessities like food, clothing, kerosene and petrol were scarce. Unemployment grew while hoarding of grains became routine. Set against such times, the four stories in this film relate to crimes committed by the deprived as well as the privileged landed gentry.

The Thief

In school, Kunjunni is nicknamed ‘Son of a Thief.’ One night his father Neelantan arrives home after one of his jail stints. Kunjunni excitedly breaks the news of his father’s return to his friend Kurien who scornfully asserts that in no time Neelantan will go back to jail. A fight ensues between the two boys.

Later Neelantan meets Kurien’s father, Mathai, and enjoins him not to pass on the prejudices of the parents to the children. Mathai takes offence: with help from his son, he prepares a mass petition to the police chief requesting that Neelantan be kept under preventive custody to safeguard the villagers’ property. Neelantan is duly locked up. Kunjunni makes his mother promise that once he’s released, she will persuade his father to reform and take up a decent profession. Two years pass. One day Kunjunni brings home the news that Kurien’s house has been burgled. Seeing the full meal laid out, and the new clothes bought for him, he realises his father has resumed stealing. He is heartbroken. The Police

An upright Inspector is posted to the local police station. He finds numerous complaints of corruption pending against the Head Constable and his aide.

The Inspector has special instructions from above to probe the ‘unsolved’ case of a theft in a rich merchant’s shop. It is suspected that Head Constable Pillai has already traced the culprit and shared the loot with him. He and his cunning colleague Mathu are given one week’s time to solve the case or face the consequences.

Mathu suggests they re-arrest the culprit. Pillai wavers because they have already taken their share. The two discuss the dilemma in the local bar. Mathu jumps out of his seat in excitement when he spots a customer in soiled clothes open a paper packet full of currency notes. Before the poor rickshaw puller realises what is happening, the two take away all his cash and frame him as the accused. If he appeals, he will have to engage a lawyer and produce witnesses, a process that will exhaust his savings - so he is told. If he admits to the crime, he will be jailed for ten days at the most. What choice does the poor man have?

Two Men and a Woman

Krishnankutty, a university student, is fascinated by a servant girl in the lodge where he is put up. What starts as a casual affair turns serious with her showing symptoms of pregnancy. Being entirely dependent on the head of his joint family for his education - and under obligation to marry his daughter - Krishnankutty has two options: either terminate the pregnancy or take his life.

A distraught Krishnankutty seeks help from his friend and confidante, a lawyer. In a remote part of an islet, they locate a notorious quack to conduct an abortion. The meeting with the drunken quack stirs feelings of both pity and loathing in the young man.

Eventually it turns out that the girl is not pregnant. Krishnankutty however makes bold to take the most difficult decision of his life.

One Woman, Two Men

The men of the village are attracted like fireflies to Panki, a woman of great beauty and grace. Smitten by her charm Rama Kurup, a man past middle age, forsakes everything to marry her. He guards her jealously. One night his fears are proven right when he finds her with a paramour.

A scuffle ensues and Kurup stabs his younger adversary. He goes into hiding while the paramour recovers in a hospital. A case is registered for attempted murder and a warrant issued for his arrest. After a while a battered and humiliated Kurup returns home on bail. He is overwhelmed as Panki seems to be her old self, tending him with love and care.

As the case is fought in the court of law, Panki is urged by both men to depose in their favour. But she is non-committal. The verdict absolves both of the initial crime but they are sentenced to three years’ rigorous imprisonment for inciting their followers to murder and mayhem. In prison the two men put an end to the enmity that has ruined their lives. On their release they decide to confront Panki together...