Kolai (2023) Movie Script
1
'Will love ever change?'
'Will love ever change?'
'Soft words of love...'
'...do murmur in my ears'
'Tell me today...'
'...and I shall worship you'
'For you are the love of my life'
'At the time of the dusk...'
'...does love turn into lust?'
'I writhed...'
'...in ecstatic agony'
'Come, as you are'
'Come seek me out'
'You have no equal'
'I pursue you'
'For you are my Lord'
MURDER
"This is my last day."
"'No one lives forever', they say."
"But..."
"One can live a life
that's worth dying for."
"I too came into this world..."
"lived a life."
"But before I could make the best use
of it, they killed me."
"Who killed me?"
"Why kill me?"
"And how was I killed?
If you want answers..."
"You must first know who I was."
"I was a professional model."
"A living mannequin."
"Yet another tool to tease you
into buying things.
"But in my heart..."
"I was a singer."
"Six months ago..."
"I won the title at the Voice of India
contest held in Bombay."
"And my name was... Leila."
'Don't you remember me?'
'O, the follies of youth'
'We only had a short time together'
'But my heart, you forgot'
'Don't you remember me?'
'O, the follies of youth'
'Don't you remember me?'
'O, the follies of youth'
'We only had a short time together'
'But my heart, you forgot'
'Along the shores
of the deep blue river...'
'...you stood by at the twilight hour'
'I came along singing a melody'
'We were as one
for few moments of eternity'
'Don't you remember me?'
'O, the follies of youth'
'We only had a short time together'
'But my heart, you forgot'
Just one question, sir.
Tell us anything, sir!
Sir!
Sandhya Mohanraj.
So, it's you, huh?
Heard a lot about you.
Vinayak speaks proudly of you.
Says you were his best student.
Thank you, sir!
What happened here?
We're looking into it.
She has been strangled, sir.
We'll know the exact details
after post-mortem.
What do you suppose the motive was?
Looks like theft, sir.
Who was the last one to see her alive?
Her boyfriend Sathish, sir.
Found out who he is?
Judge Lakshmidevi's grandson.
It's a sensitive case.
Handle it carefully.
One more thing.
I'm getting transferred in two weeks.
This could be my final case.
We need to solve this
before the media sensationalizes it.
I'll do my best, sir.
What if your best isn't good enough?
Well sir, I...
Look here.
You've not cleared the IPS yet.
You may be the best in theory though,
but there are practical difficulties.
I got an idea.
Involve Vinayak.
Just to speed things up.
I understand, sir.
But... considering his current state
of mind, he may not agree.
Make him agree.
He might not cooperate at first,
but he'll come around eventually.
Can't afford to let a mind like that, rust.
He is relentless.
He has solved over 200 cases
in his career.
Some of those were the most baffling ones
for the police department.
There is no such thing
as a 'perfect murder'.
Every murder will certainly have a flaw.
Look for the flaw.
Recognize the passion.
Understand the motive.
And identify the killer.
Any questions?
No, sir.
Good.
Class dismissed.
Ma'am?
The car's ready, ma'am.
Come, Sandhya.
How are you?
I'm fine, sir.
Need to discuss something with you.
Let's walk and talk.
I've been assigned my first case.
This case appears to be a bit complicated.
Wow! You seem to have acquired
a detective's intuition already, huh?
Nothing like that.
It's a high-profile case.
And I'm a little nervous.
If I had your blessings...
All the best.
I mean... if I had your help...
I'm sorry, Sandhya.
I'm out of the game already...
Please don't drag me back in.
I don't have the strength to go through
with it.
Can we discuss something else?
Okay, sir.
It's time for me to go to the hospital.
Anything else?
No, sir.
Come along. I'll drop you.
I asked you to come at 5:30.
It's 6:30 now!
Now do you see why it never worked
between us?
You're selfish, Vinayak!
Sorry, sir.
It's okay.
She's always like that.
I can understand your problem, sir.
Not only as a husband,
even as a father, I've failed.
How can you say that was your fault?
That was a freak accident.
It was random.
No explanation. No reason.
No one to blame.
Reminds me of an elderly couple
that lived next door.
They were childless.
And were quite fond of me.
Used to take me to the beach
every Sunday.
December 26th, 2004.
The day of the tsunami.
That was the last time I saw them.
I was ill... therefore, I couldn't go.
Was it my fortune or misfortune
that I fell ill that day?
Noah effect!
One can only realize the outcome
of a situation in the future.
My Ammu didn't want to go out that day.
She wanted to watch some...
Voice of India finals on TV.
I forced her to go out with me.
Had I not...
this would...
What are the odds, sir!
You always say there's no such thing
as coincidence.
Everything is part of a design.
The victim of my case, Leila,
happens to be the show's title winner.
Also, look at the third photo in this file.
Ammu?
Why the long face?
Say something.
I'm not in the mood to talk.
This may well be the last time
you and I are going out.
Why?
Pretty soon, you'll move out
to attend college.
Where will you find time
to come see me?
And your mom will use that as an excuse
to split us.
You talking about time now, dad?
Cases... cases! You're the one
who has no time for us!
I know what I'm doing is wrong, dear.
But what can I do?
My job's like that.
Sorry, dad.
Didn't mean to hurt you.
Dad!
Chief asked you...
to go see Vinayak!
Seen him yet?
Yes, sir.
But he hasn't responded yet.
With all the available evidence,
we can solve this case ourselves, sir.
You think so?
Yes, sir.
We've gathered the surrounding
CCTV footage and tower dump records.
The girl's been in Madras
only the last two months.
She seems to have no family members.
She's got a manager, apparently.
That's whom we're trying to track down.
You're such a naive little girl!
Let me show you
how to wrap this up quickly.
Come a little closer.
There are plenty of suspects in town.
Loafing around.
Grab one of 'em, work him up, throw him
in the can and wrap this up... simple!
Instead of all your...
It goes against my IPS ethics, sir!
Okay then...
'IPS', huh?
I've said what I have to say.
It's up to you now.
That babydoll Leila?
You think she was a straight shooter?
With her deceptions...
Who knows?
Know what a girl should be like?
She must be modest.
Like you.
Not strut around town.
Who wouldn't be tempted?
Even a person like me can.
Ask him if he would,
if it were his daughter!
Hey!
Mind your tongue!
I'm keeping quiet because of Mr. Tilak.
Or else...
Keeping quiet is what you do best.
Like bribing your way
into the department?
I came to give this back
and say I will not take up the case.
But now, I've changed my mind.
Inform him that I will help you
with this case.
It's my turn, dear.
Inform him that this case must be closed
in a week.
If not, I'll do what I think is right.
Run along now. He's waiting.
Go.
Where's Balram?
He got transferred.
I'll find out where.
What does the post-mortem report say?
Cause of death - asphyxiation.
Suffocation.
She was strangled from behind.
Time of death?
Between 11 PM and midnight.
Her maid Megala is the first one
to find the body.
How did she get in?
Ma'am had given me a key.
I use it to get in
without disturbing her in the mornings.
She had asked me to stay with her.
I had declined.
Who all came by here yesterday
to see ma'am?
No one.
But as I was leaving, Ma'am called me...
Megala?
Be right there, ma'am.
Yes, ma'am?
The... white dress.
Can you please iron that?
Alright.
What's with the pills, ma'am?
Got a headache.
A herbal rub can fix it!
Shall I give you one?
There's no time for that now.
He will be here.
"He"? Who?
Her friend. Mr. Sathish.
I need to see Leila right away!
Please.
Sorry, sir.
The body is sent for post-mortem.
"A piece of the sun
leaps and falls far away."
Can you please give me a few...
"Its molten fire melts
and becomes a deep ocean."
"Rocks forms, winds flow,
and life emerges."
"As the breeze sways, sounds arise."
"It is the fate of history that I am born."
"It is the law of nature..."
"that you are born."
"Though I live
for the sounds in my ears..."
"no music have I heard
that surpasses the beat of your breath."
"Who are you?"
"Who are you?"
'You fall as the drizzle of the giddy dusk'
'Your soft whispers hold me spellbound'
'Without sound,
you and I would never be'
'Without words,
silence would be our tongue'
'The rhythm of heart,
I hear in my soul'
The lilt of light,
blends in my darkness'
'The vibe of life,
is heard in the breath'
'Is the toll of death,
but eternal ecstasy?'
'Who are you?'
Who are you?
Everyone's talking about you.
They say you're the Voice of India.
Who said that?
I don't know who's feeding you this story.
Come.
Let's prove it to the world.
You mind?
I'm working on an album.
You should sing for me.
'The rustle of gently falling leaves
gush at me'
'The lash of waves against the shore
rush at me'
'Without sound,
you and I would never be'
'Without words,
silence would be our tongue'
'The rhythm of heart,
I hear in my soul'
The lilt of light,
blends in my darkness'
'The vibe of life,
is heard in the breath'
'Is the toll of death,
but eternal ecstasy?'
Why were you at her apartment yesterday,
Mr. Sathish?
I took her out to dinner last night.
How's the album coming along, Sathish?
Almost done.
I really like your voice.
But...
Sounds like a voice I might know.
So that's why you seem to record
whatever I say?
Maybe.
You're a weirdo!
Excuse me.
So... what's next?
Dessert.
(Hindi) Oh... c'mon now!
You know I don't do desserts,
right?
And I meant, what are you working on next.
After we finish this.
What in the world is in there?
Is this how you propose to a girl?
What time did you leave?
Around 11... 11:15.
But your car is still out there?
Yeah.
How did you get home last night?
My car had a small problem.
That's why I parked it there
and took a cab instead.
You notice anything unusual
or suspicious at Leila's?
When I was waiting for the cab outside,
Leila gave out a scream.
Leila?
What's up?
Is everything alright?
It's nothing, Sathish.
Don't worry.
I just got spooked by a shadow.
That's all.
I'm alright now.
You get going.
We'll catch up tomorrow.
I said 'ok', and left...
Maybe I shouldn't have, huh?
You think...
She might have had someone else
in her life...?
Excuse me?
I know how you feel.
This isn't an easy question.
But an important one nonetheless.
Do you suspect anyone?
The only one I know
among Leila's friends, is Arjun.
Arjun?
Yeah.
Arjun Vasudev.
He's a fashion photographer.
In fact, Arjun was the one
who introduced Leila as a model to Madras.
Thanks, Mr. Sathish.
Interview ends at: 12:05 PM.
At least, can I visit her apartment?
Sorry, sir.
It's a crime scene now.
You can't go in without
the forensic department's clearance.
What's going on here?
An inquiry about a girl's murder,
Your Honor.
Just the usual drill.
Why wasn't I informed about it?
We tried calling you,
but your phone was switched off.
If you're planning to come here again,
make sure you have the proper paperwork.
Yes, Your Honor.
We then questioned Marimuthu,
the security guard who reported the crime.
My name is Marimuthu, ma'am.
Must have been around 7 AM.
I heard Megala scream.
I ran down to check on her,
and found Ms. Leila dead.
That's when I called the police
to inform them.
When did you last see your ma'am?
Around 10-10:30 PM.
You know when he left?
Must've been around 11.
My car won't start.
Someone from the garage will show up
tomorrow. Hand him this key.
Sure, sir. Will do.
Leila!
What's up?
Is everything alright?
Are you okay?
Open the door!
It's nothing, Sathish.
Don't worry.
Just open the door, please, Leila.
I just got spooked by a shadow.
That's all.
I'm alright now.
You sure?
Sir, your taxi's here.
Of course!
You get going!
We'll catch up tomorrow.
Okay.
Take care.
Bye.
But there was something off
about her voice, ma'am.
I went back to check
if everything was okay.
(H) Where the hell are you, punk?
That's when I heard a male voice.
What?
Yes, ma'am!
It sounded like Hindi.
What are you saying, man?
Do you know who he was?
No, ma'am. When I came to work,
her door was locked.
Maybe he must've gone in
on Marudhu's shift.
If you hadn't see him go in,
you must've seen him come out?
He never came out, ma'am!
How's that even possible?
Did he vanish?
That's been my confusion.
What about the side door?
Could he have come in through that?
That's an emergency exit!
That can only open from the inside.
Besides, the alarm goes off
when it is opened.
Good morning, sir.
Are you Marudhu?
Yes, sir.
On the day of the murder,
what were your duty hours?
9 AM to 9 PM, sir.
Here's an entry that says 'Manager'
at 8:30. Who is he?
I don't know his name, sir.
But he drops by on and off
to see Ms. Leila.
He looks like a former Hindi movie villain.
Short and lean.
He has a goatee.
I've already told madam all that.
That's okay.
Tell them to me again.
He asked if Ms. Leila was here.
And what'd you say for that?
No, sir.
She asked you to say that?
She has really gone out, sir.
What's up, Marudhu?
Loyalty, huh?
You are a security guard to this apartment.
But, I am her security guard.
"This is Babloo."
"When I was a model in Bombay,
he ran around calling himself my manager."
"I didn't care much about it."
"Because in the orphanage where I grew up,
his mom took good care of me."
If I go knock on her door,
I say she'll open it.
You say she won't?
Go ahead.
Who's stopping you?
Alright then!
Buddy came back as fast as he went in.
Is there just one CCTV camera here?
Yes, sir. That too from when
the building was constructed.
They just left it at that.
Have you enquired who he is?
Still in progress, sir.
He's from out of town. The CCTV image
isn't clear. The cyber unit is cleaning it.
(sarcastic) For two days?
Sir?
Perhaps Megala might know who he is.
Go call Megala over.
Yes, sir.
Half an hour after Megala left...
Sathish picked up Leila
and took her to the restaurant.
The Hindi guy who came at 8:30 PM
rang the doorbell and left.
At 10:30 PM, during Marimuthu's shift...
Sathish and Leila
returned from the restaurant.
At 11 PM, when Sathish was waiting
for his taxi...
Leila saw something
and screamed out in fear.
When asked,
she said it was nothing.
But Marimuthu claims someone was inside.
We don't know how he came in and left.
To sum it up,
Leila died inside a locked apartment.
Interesting.
What's your theory?
Looks like a theft, sir.
But...
The thief had come to steal
something specific.
Only the contents in the locker
are missing.
Or else rummaging through all this...
why should he leave
the cupboard alone untouched?
He has put in effort to pry this open.
This here cannot be pried open.
It can only be opened with a key.
And... it was opened by someone else.
I don't get it, sir.
This has two sets of fingerprints.
The second person who touched it...
is a professional thief.
There's no sign of any forced entry.
No matter how forcefully
you push that lamp...
it couldn't have fallen that far.
Yeah.
This is a setup.
The killer's attempt
to steer the case in the wrong direction.
Despite ransacking the house, you know why
he left the wardrobe undisturbed?
Because that door was locked
and the key was on the inside.
No, sir.
The door was open.
Only the key was on the inside.
When the killer was here,
it was locked.
How is that possible?
During the time of the murder, Marimuthu
claimed someone else was here, right?
Wrong.
There were two people here.
"Two people?"
One... the murderer.
And the other... the witness.
The killer also tried opening the wardrobe.
But since it was locked,
he had to let it go.
What?
You don't get it?
The killer didn't know there was a witness.
Because...
He was hiding inside the wardrobe.
The fingerprints on the locker... run it
through the National Criminal Database.
Right away, sir!
He must be the thief we're looking for.
You mean the one who witnessed
the murder.
Right.
He will have his own agenda.
He will be sticking around close.
But we don't know
how he entered the house.
I have an idea.
I'll tell you, when the time comes.
Sir?
Are you Megala?
While you were working here yesterday,
was there anyone else in this house?
No, sir.
Just ma'am.
Perhaps someone could've been hiding,
right?
Not possible.
I cleaned the entire house.
And checked everything before I left.
Did you check inside that wardrobe?
I did, sir. I pulled out a dress
from inside and ironed it.
Is the key always on the inside?
No.
Think hard and tell me.
Which side was it on yesterday?
The outside, sir.
My dress got tangled on it
and ripped too.
Does a guy with a goatee, light-skinned
and short come by here?
You mean Babloo?
He comes by sometimes.
He was even here like ten days ago.
Get lost!
Cutie!
Who's got a dog here?
That's the kid, Vinodh.
He is very fond of ma'am.
He's mentally challenged.
He lives in the flat, right across.
Have you questioned him yet?
No, sir.
Not sure if he'd be a reliable witness.
Please wait out.
I'll call you if I need anything.
Yes, sir.
Let's go and say 'hi' to Arjun Vasudev.
"When it comes to Arjun,
he's pretty short-tempered."
"He was my good friend."
Hips straight!
I'm sorry!
Back straight! Start!
And walk!
Oh God, you're such a mess!
Cut the sound!
"I met him in Bombay
during my first modelling assignment."
Don't be afraid of him.
Hey sweetheart.
Everything's screwed up here!
He's showing off to impress his girlfriend.
So what?
They're happy, right?
"Couple months back, he recommended me
as a model for a major jewelry brand."
"He asked me to fly down to Madras
right away."
"I initially refused."
"But what happened
two days later..."
"made me change my mind."
Excuse me.
Yes?
Is Arjun here?
And you are?
Walk in!
Is that how you pose?
What's your problem, man?
You are my problem.
Whatever...
As if you're Miss World!
You need to be put in your place!
Go jump off a cliff, man!
Alright, guys.
Let's get on with it.
Arjun?
The police are here.
What kinda guy is Arjun?
He's a creep!
What makes you say that?
Here. He did this.
She's at a hospital now.
Who is she?
Promilla.
Why didn't you go to the police?
Promilla refused to file a complaint.
No one here has the guts
to stand up to him.
He's the best in the industry.
Practically untouchable.
Regardless, three days back,
Leila...
Let's do it differently this time, sir.
Instead of the usual models,
let's go with someone real.
You got a sustainable fashion brand.
With the age group et al, I think...
Sorry, guys.
I have some questions
about his marriage.
You're getting married, Arjun?
Of course!
His fiance
is a prominent politico's daughter.
What are you doing here?
I saw Promilla.
She's on life support now.
What do you have to say to her?
You threatening me?
I'm just going to warn your fiance.
Leave her out of this, Leila.
Call off the wedding.
Don't tell me how to deal with my affairs.
I haven't even started, Arjun.
Sorry for the interruption, guys.
Sorry to keep you guys waiting.
That's okay.
Arjun Vasudev's interrogation.
What happened to your arm?
I tripped and fell.
Shall we talk about Leila?
It's quite shocking.
She was a good friend.
The talk is, three days back you both had
a quarrel regarding a girl named Promilla.
That was a small argument.
That's all.
If your fiance comes to know about
all this, you've got a lot to lose, right?
What are you getting at?
Motive, Mr. Arjun Vasudev.
Enough to murder.
Given the fact that you have
a violent history...
You're right.
It looks that way, but I had nothing to do
with Leila's murder.
In fact, Promilla is a drug addict.
She tarnished my name
in the industry.
So I had to take control.
What are you doing?
Just one more hit.
No!
Please!
I said 'No'!
Hey!
What the hell?
Think you're a big shot just because
you're marrying a politico's daughter, huh?
Buzz off!
Stop talking crazy! Why drag her here?
Stop!
Get off me!
Who the hell do you think you are?
I'll do what I want!
Go marry her!
Stop, Promilla!
Just leave me alone, Arjun!
I didn't hit her.
It was an accident.
And FYI,
my fiance already knows about this.
Where were you
on the night of Leila's murder, Arjun?
Right here.
In the studio.
I was prepping for a modelling assignment.
I went home only at dawn.
Then...
Who is this?
For an hour and a half,
you weren't in your building.
CCTV camera 18 on this street corner...
has faithfully recorded you leaving here
at 11 PM and returning at 12 AM.
Well... I had to take a smoke break.
Leila has texted you at 10:53.
Shall I read it to you?
Alright!
Alright!
She wanted to see me right away
on an important matter.
She texted me to come through
the side door which was open.
I thought she had called me
to make peace.
But when I got there,
the side door was locked.
Why not take the front door?
Because she specified 'side door',
I didn't think much of it then.
I tried calling her.
I heard a man's voice.
But the call records say 'cancelled call'.
I wouldn't know about that, ma'am.
What I heard was a man's voice.
How could he have a heard a voice
if there was no answer?
He thinks he's outwitted us.
That's our biggest advantage.
He must gotten into Leila's house too.
But how is that possible?
The side door triggers the alarm!
Disabling the alarm is no big deal.
If something obstructs the bell
and the hammer, it won't ring.
But Leila wouldn't have done that.
Someone else must've opened it for him.
Then... is he the second man
we're looking for?
No.
Arjun is our third man.
Can you explain this clearly?
I'm already confused about this case.
The case is starting to get interesting
now, Sandhya. I'm beginning to like it.
Thank you, Arjun.
Any new information, let me know.
And keep me informed
if you're leaving town.
Sure.
Interview ends: 11:50 AM.
Vinodh?
The cops are here to see you, dear.
Can you please come out?
"The way I met Vinodh
was an interesting incident."
Hey Roundie!
Stop!
What's wrong with you?
Sorry, sir!
Are you crazy?
That's what everyone calls me.
"We realize the worth of a thing..."
"only after we lose it."
"Vinodh was like that."
"I realized Vinodh was a special child."
"Hanging out with him
is part of my most cherished memories."
"I truly miss him."
Do you know who this is?
Answer her.
Leila.
Leila was my best friend.
Best friends share many secrets, right?
Did she tell you any of hers?
You'll tell me, won't you?
What happened?
You like me...
or you like him?
Who... Sathish?
Yes.
The two of us are working on an album.
That's all.
You are my only friend, always.
Promise?
Promise.
He is somewhat... moody.
Hey, Sathish.
Working late, huh?
Hey.
I have to show you something.
Sathish?
Yamini...
Are you okay?
Yamini...
Sathish!
Yamini...
Sathish!
What was the girl's name?
Yamini.
Yamini.
Yamini.
Yamini?
Did she say anything else?
Whatever it may be,
don't hesitate to tell me.
It may help find Leila's killer.
I know who killed Leila.
Can you identify the killer?
He seems to be quite the whiz!
They're called 'savants'.
Some people tend to be
incredibly proficient in certain skills.
Trace all of his activities
for the past week immediately.
Where he stayed.
Who he met.
Taxi receipts.
Entry and exit records.
Make sure to collate them all
chronologically.
"This man is the reason why I decided
to move out of Bombay to Madras."
Sit.
Please don't bother.
Good show.
Thanks.
That truly means a lot to me.
Aditya Kowshik.
Hi.
I'm a model agent... here, in Bombay.
Are you interested in modelling?
No, not really.
I've come to Bombay
to become a singer.
Besides, I don't like being a model.
Not so fast, Ms. Leila.
The visibility you get from modelling, can
boost up your singing career to its peak.
Both can complement each other.
Here's my card.
Just tell me that you'll cooperate.
I'll make you a big star.
Take care.
Have you seen the Bombay skyline?
Beautiful, ain't it?
But don't be deceived by it.
It's a jungle.
Now the law of the jungle
is as old as the sky.
The wolf that keeps it...
may prosper.
But the wolf that breaks it...
must die.
Thought you're just a pretty thing.
You're smart too.
Pretty soon,
you're going to be circling the globe.
Get ready.
Learn to be selfish.
Your body is my asset.
Even if you put on 50 grams
in weight...
I won't hesitate to throw you out.
Welcome to BMA.
Thank you, ma'am.
"Slowly... I saw my life transform
right before my very eyes."
"I was consumed by the pain
of being trapped in a phony life."
"One day, a specific incident
brought this all to a grinding halt."
"I got an opportunity to go beyond India
on to the international stage."
Ma'am... Trust me.
Leila is the best.
Yeah!
Hundred per cent.
Yes, ma'am.
Contract...
(H) The contract, ma'am?
It has been signed.
Alright.
Bye!
So...
Leila... it's time to celebrate.
No. Not for me.
Thanks.
I read somewhere one glass of champagne
doesn't ruin one's figure. Trust me.
Adi, I don't drink.
Okay?
Okay.
A little Coke, maybe?
I got this. Thanks.
Not with water.
They say toasting with water
brings forth death.
We don't want that now, do we?
Relax.
Now drink up.
I promised to make you a big star.
That's about to come true.
I called you here to celebrate that.
What stands between you and the world
is a signature.
And what stands between
the signature and you is a...
He granted you the wish.
Now the strange question is...
what will he get out of it?
The poor little man!
I'll be gentle.
I promise.
May I use your bathroom for a bit?
Of course.
Right there.
Adi!
You are such a lucky fellow, man!
Ekta, Karishma, Vidya, Bimble...
"Bimble?"
Now what kind of a name is that?
Sounds like 'bimbo'!
Names should be like...
Leila, Leila, Leila, Leila!
Man!
Leila!
(H) 'How pretty you seem'
(H) 'You look beautiful'
(H) 'Your soul is mine...'
Who is that now?
God!
Not you, darling!
Leila!
I'm going to show you the world, baby!
He who broke the law of the jungle,
must...?
Die.
You got it.
Right. All this while,
you danced to the tune that others played.
But now,
do what your mind tells you to do.
Learn to be selfish.
Leila!
Are you okay, babes?
Are you coming out
or should I come in?
There you are, pretty woman!
What happened?
Adi...
I don't want to do this anymore.
What?
What about the contract?
You know what?
Just shove it up!
"I knew our paths would cross once again."
"Perhaps if I hadn't gone
to that hotel room..."
"I may still be alive."
Good afternoon, sir.
Come in, Balram.
How are you?
I'm fine, sir.
C'mon.
Have a look at this case.
Who is this Yamini?
Go and find her.
Yes, sir.
Shouldn't all cops
have a moustache, dad?
Why do you shave, then?
Oh that?
Dad's not shaving his moustache.
Just a beard trim.
How come you're using foam, then?
Hey!
When will I grow a moustache?
Well, my dear...
If you are a good girl,
you'll grow one in two years. Okay?
Now go... get in bed with your mom.
Okay!
But dad, you only look good
with a beard on.
I looked everywhere, sir.
There's no case file with this number.
How could that be?
I don't know, sir.
If you want,
you can check the jail records.
There's usually a copy there
as well.
Hello?
I know you killed Leila.
If you want a way out...
bring cash over.
I'll tell you where.
Do we have a deal?
Hello?
I'm going to Bombay
to meet Aditya.
If it's an official trip,
we'll need to get clearance.
But as a civilian,
I can go anywhere in India.
Just inform the local police there,
and I'll handle the rest.
You lied to me about
getting Leila's signature on the agreement.
I know you well!
What is inside must remain inside!
You're such a disgrace
to this industry!
I don't care what you gonna do
or how you gonna do it.
But Leila's signature
must be on that agreement.
Or else, I'll make it my full time job
to ruin your life.
Understood?
Yes, ma'am.
Get lost!
(H) A policeman is here to see you,
sir.
(H) Seat him in the conference room.
I'll come.
Go on.
Three days ago,
Leila was found murdered.
We know you were in Madras
at the time.
At the time of her death...
We know you left through the back door
of her apartment.
How do you respond to this?
What do you want me to say?
You seem to know everything.
Ok then... can I arrest you?
Is this enough to arrest me?
It's enough to take you to the station
for a formal interrogation.
Or if you cooperate,
you'll save a trip.
Your call.
What do you want to know?
Your version.
Start with the backstory.
How do you know Leila?
Since when?
How long have you known her?
Et cetera, et cetera.
I met Leila six months ago
at the Voice of India competition.
The minute I saw her,
I knew she was special.
I wished to introduce her as a model.
Leila accepted my offer.
That was when she caught the gaze
of an international brand.
In the shortest time...
That too, in Bombay...
no one has experienced
this level of success.
But success can also be a curse.
She was lost in the maze of stardom.
Five year contract!
Enormous amount of money!
Worldwide fame!
I invited her to my hotel room
to discuss the contract.
This calls for a celebration.
And that with some champagne!
Not for me. Thanks.
Some orange juice?
I got this.
Good for you!
Thanks.
I'm sorry, Adi...
It's just that it's
all overwhelming for me.
I don't know what to say.
So then... don't say anything.
Just enjoy the moment!
But you'll have to sign the contract.
Otherwise, I'll be in trouble.
Okay.
May I use your bathroom?
Of course.
It's all yours.
Hey!
You're good to sign?
The contract.
Adi...
I thought about it and...
I don't think I'm cut out for this.
But thanks anyway.
That was the last time I last saw her, sir.
Then what about your trip to Madras
and meeting this guy?
It's true that I went to Madras
and also true that I met Babloo.
I asked for his help
to meet Leila.
For over two months,
when I had no clue where she was...
he was the one who let me know
that she was in Madras.
What's the connection
between him and Leila?
I don't know.
But once or twice,
I've seen Babloo and Leila together.
Babloo was the one who asked me
to come to Leila's house.
He told me to take the side door
and ensure no one saw me come in.
He said he'd leave the main door open.
But when I went in,
Leila was already dead.
Why didn't you inform the cops
right away?
Obviously I was scared!
Like I didn't have enough problems already.
I wasn't in the right frame of mind
to think of anything.
I therefore left.
Thank you for your cooperation.
If required,
you may have to fly down to Madras.
Don't leave town without informing us.
This is the guy we're going to look for...
Babloo.
He must be somewhere within
this five kilometre radius.
Let's go find him.
You slit the throat of the only goose
that laid the golden eggs, pal!
Bring me ten million rupees
to the place I tell you.
Or else,
you'll find yourself in a clink.
Understood?
(H) Who is this?
(H) Your dad.
Hello?
Why didn't you inform the cops
right away?
Obviously I was scared!
Like I didn't have enough problems already.
If required,
you may have to fly down...
What is inside must remain inside!
You're such a disgrace to this industry!
Don't leave town without informing us.
You slit the throat of the only goose
that laid the golden eggs, pal!
Just shove it up!
Or else, I'll make it my full time job
to ruin your life.
You have no other option,
do you?
You have nowhere to run.
Except from yourself.
Now go on!
Do it!
Hello?
Please, dad!
My favorite singer is performing!
I'll come tomorrow!
Let's not go today! Please!
If we leave now,
we'll be back in half an hour.
Hey...
Don't go...
You come to my birthday party, dad.
I'll ask mom.
Please understand, dad!
Seeing me will upset your mom.
Ammu!
The party will be ruined.
Don't go, Ammu!
Is it necessary?
Don't go, Ammu!
Ammu!
Don't go with him!
Don't go, Ammu!
Come with dad one last time.
Listen to me, Ammu!
You're very selfish, dad!
Hey! Don't take her!
Ammu!
Don't go with him, Ammu!
Don't go, Ammu!
Don't go, Ammu!
Don't go with him, Ammu!
Don't go!
Stop, Ammu!
Don't go with him, Ammu!
Don't go!
Vinayak?
Vinayak.
We've stabilized her, for now.
But she's still critical.
I don't know how much longer
Ammu can bear this.
Every time this happens,
she goes through a lot of pain.
Don't take this the wrong way.
I'm not saying this as a doctor,
but as a well-wisher.
Vinayak...
It's time to let her go.
I can't go through with it, doctor.
I'm dying inside every day
for killing Ammu once already.
I can't repeat the mistake again.
Please understand.
But you're only thinking of yourself.
Think about what Ammu is going through.
I'll go talk to her.
I know you can't hear me.
The buzz of this machine...
is the only thing that kept me going
all these days.
Only now I understand...
what you are going through for me.
I had been afraid of you leaving me.
It's enough of holding onto your life
for my sake.
Just go.
Forgive me, Ammu.
Forgive me.
Dad!
Don't let go, dad!
All along, I've been thinking that
I was the one holding you.
But...
Dad!
Don't let go, dad!
Hold on tight, dad!
Don't let go!
It's only now that I realize
it's you who's been holding me.
Do what you think is right.
Whatever you decide...
daddy will always be with you.
'Is it a fleeting bubble?'
'Is it a prolonged dream?'
'Is life nothing but a golden drizzle
in a blazing forge?'
'Why must we part?'
'What is the end?'
'Are we but mud dolls
made only to melt in the sea?'
'Without a sound, with no one to love,
mute is my heart'
'Are you my heart's only lullaby?'
'No message to bear...
No company to keep...'
'Are you a sighing breeze
held inside a cage?'
'Amid the unrelenting storm...'
'...I hid you in an unchanging yesterday'
'I suffered, my dearest'
'In an illusory direction...'
'Amid a raging cyclone...'
'I roamed in vain...
I was smothered in pain, my precious'
I'm sorry, sir.
I know this is not going to be easy.
But she has gone to a better place now.
The guy your man interrogated
has committed suicide.
How do you respond to this?
Proud like a hotshot film cop,
aren't you?
Pride strides before a fall.
Listen up.
Just do what I say.
Close this case
and move on to another one.
Understood?
Now, go!
Hotshot cop, she says!
Buzz off!
Now this one's a real hotshot!
Hey!
They have me surrounded.
I'll be arrested in five minutes.
Head to the R3 police station now.
Bring Sendhil Nathan
from the Human Rights Commission too.
How many guests in the lodge?
What's wrong, sir?
Get the register!
(H) Up!
(H) One minute.
(H) Hurry up!
(H) Get up!
Shall we go?
Make it fast.
Hello?
Can you come to Vellore Prison
right away, sir?
What is it about?
Twelve years ago, a girl named Yamini
was murdered in Erode.
And the case was handled
by none other than Judge Lakshmidevi.
Two years back, my son had come to you
regarding a case.
You sorted it out.
I can never forget that gesture, sir.
It may be called a records room,
but nobody uses it!
We too usually store a set of copies
in here.
Just don't know where it is...
Please check if this is it, son.
In all my years of service,
I've only seen three cases of suicide.
He's one of them!
He had killed his own daughter, sir.
"FOREVER YOUNG HEART"
"WITHIN DOES LITTLE"
"RESIDES DECEIT FEARS"
What is this?
Something he scribbled before he died.
Can I take a picture?
Sure, sir!
How is Yamini's murder case
connected to Leila's murder?
I'm a bit confused too.
What?
Is Leila dead?
Stop the charade.
How are you two connected?
Because you're asking,
I'll tell you.
Leila was my wife.
What are you blabbering now?
They say you were her manager.
You know it, right?
They why do you ask?
Listen up!
If you got yourself a five spot
for bank robbery...
imagine, for murder,
it'd be a lifer.
Mind you!
Okay...
What do you want to know?
Who is this?
Leila's agent.
He asked me for a meeting with Leila.
It's regarding this,
I'd gone to Leila's house that day.
But her house was locked.
If you didn't go in,
how were your fingerprints found in there?
I didn't say
I've never been to Leila's house, ma'am.
I didn't go in on the day you mention.
That's all.
Ma'am?
The DGP asked to see you
in his cabin.
What's up, ma'am?
Has Dhanapalan arrived?
Sendhil Nathan must be with him too!
Shall I order for some tea?
I'll have them water it down for you,
like they serve in prison.
If you'd like, I'll order mutton biryani,
like they serve at star hotels?
Have you forgotten what your wit
got you in prison?
Do you still pee standing up or...
What's this, sire?
Trying desperately to wiggle your way in?
If you're unfit to find the real killer,
is this what you do?
Bring in an innocent man
and threaten him into confessing?
Not at all.
It's more of a friendly warning.
I know you didn't commit the murder.
You neither have the brains nor the brawn
to pull it off.
You can only think like a vile fox.
But you saw who murdered her.
How was it inside that cupboard?
All alone in the darkness?
Unable to scream...
Unable to whimper...
Unable to intervene too.
Good thing you locked the door.
Killer tried opening it,
but couldn't.
Ever wonder what would've become
of you, had he opened the door?
Sire, no matter how you ask me...
I had nothing to do with the murder.
My lawyer is here.
He'll deal with the rest.
Alright then.
Hopefully, we'll meet sometime.
I highly doubt that.
Give me that, sir.
I'll sign it myself.
Bloody do it, sir!
You could've beaten the truth out of him.
There is another way to find the truth.
I've asked two of our men
in plainclothes to watch him.
He'll definitely contact the killer.
I got this from his computer.
If we recover the data from it,
we'll know who he's in touch with.
Check it thoroughly.
Got it?
Ensure the boxes are properly tagged.
No mistakes.
Yes, sir.
Make sure you are thorough.
Check if that's tagged.
Right.
Okay, sir.
This must be the engagement ring
Sathish gave Leila.
How could Babloo have entered
through a locked door?
Think hard.
Why did Babloo ring Leila's doorbell?
That was a lovely surprise.
Thank you.
Do you like it?
I like it a lot!
What's wrong?
Are you okay?
It's nothing. I'm cool.
So... do you want to come in?
Sure.
Going by Babloo's phone records...
he had contacted both Arjun and Adi.
Which means both of them were here
that night, correct?
So, Babloo must know
who committed the murder.
Right.
Check out what you can see
through the keyhole.
The wall blocks the view.
Right.
He couldn't have seen the murder too.
Babloo phoned Arjun first.
Only then, Aditya.
That implies he saw them in that order.
This is known in psychology as
'Serial order memory recall'.
Sathish and Leila returned home.
A little while later, Sathish left.
After Sathish left...
Arjun got here.
Let's assume Arjun killed Leila.
What are you doing here, Arjun?
Shut your mouth!
I've seen many like you!
How dare you threaten me?
You'll never change!
I'm going to call the police!
How?
How are you going to call the police?
Unexpectedly, Adi came in.
"The person you are calling
is currently..."
(H) Where the hell are you, punk?
Now, the only place for Arjun to hide,
is behind this wall.
Let's assume Arjun didn't kill her.
But Adi did.
Leila?
Arjun?
Listen to me.
Just please give me a minute.
How did you get in here, Arjun?
I thought about what you said.
And you're absolutely right.
What I did was wrong.
Just give me another chance.
To clear things with Promilla.
Please?
Just get in there.
I'll check.
Leila...
How did you get in here?
Leila... Just... calm down...
Leave.
I just want to talk to you for a minute.
I said get out.
Please listen to what I have to say.
I've realized my mistake.
Forgive me.
But if you don't sign this contract,
my life... my career... it'll all be over.
(H) Please listen...
You should've thought all of that
before you made the mistake.
Now leave!
Leila please...
Don't touch me!
Get lost!
I'm humbly requesting you,
and yet, you remain so arrogant!
Wouldn't Arjun have heard the murder?
He may have.
Or it may have been a quiet murder.
It's just a theory, that's all.
Leila!
Leila!
What if Vinodh was the killer?
Who?
You mean, the boy?
Why?
Isn't that possible?
I think he's perfectly capable.
Jealousy is a common motive, right?
Besides being an adolescent,
he might think he's invincible.
But if he was here, Babloo would've
most certainly contacted him.
But if he was home...
he would've seen Arjun and Babloo
walk out, right?
Before the kid got here, Babloo
swindled this place, took everything...
and got out through the side door.
But how could he have locked the side door
from the outside?
Ingeniously.
Come.
I'll show you.
I noticed an ice cube missing
from the fridge, the other day.
He wedged it in the alarm
to keep it from ringing.
The ice cube had melted
without leaving a trace.
My God!
The thought of someone going this far
to hide a crime.
It's human nature.
So, Arjun is our killer then?
Looks like it.
But there's one thing
that's bothering me, though.
What is it?
Yamini.
Who is this Yamini?
My groundwork on her, reveals
that she was murdered 12 years back.
But something about that
I still find hard to believe.
I feel this and Yamini's case
are somehow connected.
What?
How?
I don't know yet.
He's on his way. He'll be at the
street corner in five seconds.
I see him.
This is Mr. Vinayak.
He's helping us with the case.
Hello, sir.
The killer...
Someone has seen him, they say.
Any leads?
Nothing as of yet.
But we're getting close.
What brings you here, Mr. Sathish?
Because Leila has no relatives...
I'd like your permission
to cremate the body.
I'll see what I can do.
Anything else?
Can I also have your permission
to get into Leila's apartment?
What for?
To remember her by...
as a memory...
she'd given me a guitar stick...
I mean... a guitar pick.
I left it there.
I want it back.
Besides, my mind keeps going back
to that place.
It'd do me good if I got a few minutes.
Sorry.
Not now.
But you'll get your chance very soon.
Okay. Thank you.
That's all.
Excuse me...
Do you know anyone named Yamini?
No.
I don't know anyone by that name.
Right.
What was that all about?
I simply asked him
to get a reaction.
He didn't appear to react in any way.
He's not the reactive kind.
He'll respond.
We'll get an answer soon.
What?
Have you brought the money
I asked you for?
Yes, tell me.
Sathish tried to enter Leila's apartment,
sir.
Think it must have been
for the guitar pick.
He certainly didn't go there
for the guitar pick.
He's after something else.
Leila...
What happened here?
What happened that night, Leila?
What am I missing here?
"FEARS LITTLE HEART"
"YOUNG DOES DECEIT"
"FOREVER RESIDES WITHIN"
To remember her by...
as a memory...
she'd given me a guitar stick...
I mean... a guitar pick.
I left it there.
I want it back.
Sir?
Click a shot of this.
Nice and clear!
Just go and check it.
Yes, ma'am.
Sir?
See this?
The killer left us a treat!
Hey!
Will he make it?
Not likely, sir.
Heard that?
Go.
Do what needs to be done.
Get going.
Get going!
Okay, sir.
What a sorry excuse of a mustache!
Blockhead!
Don't just stand there!
Pick him up!
Simply standing idle
with a damn corpse around!
What are you staring at?
Beat it!
Yes, sir.
Go!
Is the case closed?
Yes, sir.
Where's the culprit?
Committed suicide.
What are you saying?
With the confession
he left on the mirror...
we have closed this case.
Alright.
Arrange a press meet tomorrow.
Sure thing.
"Press meet", he says!
Doofus!
Hey! Have them organize a press meet
tomorrow morning.
Yes, sir.
Get the Jeep ready!
It's quite evident that every picture
hanging here...
must have an interesting story to tell.
But I came here to give you this.
Was this what you were looking for?
Or...
Was it this?
I've been in this game for a long time,
Sathish.
And I know what a lie sounds like.
Every man sub-consciously reveals
what's truly on his mind, through actions.
It's called 'Freudian Slip'.
Parapraxis.
You slipped when you said 'guitar stick',
instead of 'guitar pick'.
At 11 PM on the night of the murder,
while you were waiting for your cab...
you heard Leila scream.
You and Marimuthu
rushed over and knocked at her door.
But Leila didn't open it.
Because...
she was murdered.
Then how could she have spoken?
You used Leila's previously recorded
voice-clips and expertly cut them together.
"It's nothing, Sat... Oh...
It's nothing, Sathish... Don't worry..."
"I just got spooked by a shadow.
That's all."
"You get going.
We'll catch up tomorrow."
Though it wasn't perfect, the only one
you had to convince was Marimuthu.
He too was convinced
by Leila's recorded voice.
You got your alibi.
An eye witness.
This killing was planned
well ahead of time.
Premeditated murder.
12 minutes and 42 seconds after the
song was over, Leila's voice was heard.
Leila?
Is everything alright?
It's nothing, Sathish.
Just open the door, please, Leila.
Oh...
I just got spooked by a shadow.
That's all.
I'm alright now. Don't worry.
Are you sure?
Of course!
You get going.
Let's catch up tomorrow.
Okay.
Take care.
Bye.
Bye.
By then, you had killed Leila...
Ransacked the house...
Sent a message to Arjun
from her phone...
and went out to wait for a taxi.
But...
Something happened there
that you didn't expect.
From Leila's phone...
you'd texted Arjun
that you'd leave the backdoor open...
and asked him to come in through it.
But you noticed that the door
was already open.
You had your doubt.
What if the murder you committed...
was seen by someone
who was inside?
To clear that up,
you came to the police station.
Once you found out
Babloo had witnessed the murder...
you tracked him down
and killed him.
Now you needed a fall guy.
A scapegoat.
You were fully aware
that Leila and Arjun had a falling out.
So you conveniently pinned both murders
on him.
Who are you?
Do you know how we're connected?
I represent to you all the sins
you never had the courage to commit.
What?
"Por que no los dos?", my friend?
Why not both?
You drugged and murdered him too.
Case closed.
Only one thing in this case
doesn't have an obvious connect-Yamini.
How is Yamini connected
to Leila's murder?
Did Leila find out that you killed Yamini?
Killing someone...
is the most exhilarating feeling
in the world, Mr. Vinayak.
That feeling...
cannot be described in words.
One must experience it to understand.
I'll hide, brother!
Try to find me!
One, Two, Three, Four, Five...
Ninety Six, Ninety Seven, Ninety Eight,
Ninety Nine...
Brother!
Hundred!
It's really dark in here, brother!
I'm really scared!
Nothing can satisfy the soul
but the senses.
Just as nothing can satisfy the senses
but the soul.
Please, brother...
Save me!
Save me!
I was about to open the chest.
But...
I had the urge to see
how long she could last in there.
She began to scream.
Her crying made me euphoric.
That was when I understood.
It wasn't about Yamini.
It was all and all about me.
For how long can I hold off
opening the chest?
Brother...
Please, brother...
Come quickly...
'Without sound...'
'...you and I would never be'
Brother! Please help!
Brother!
'Without words...'
Brother!
'...silence would be our tongue'
'The rhythm of heart,
I hear it in my soul'
'The lilt of light...'
12 hours and 42 minutes later...
she quit breathing.
'The vibe of life,
is heard in the breath'
I was born blind.
For the first two years
of my life...
I had no eyesight.
I only saw the world around me
with my ears.
I've never seen my parents.
I was told they died
in a plane accident.
I lived in loneliness.
That was when...
Yamini came into my life.
'When the music of your stirrings play,
the punch of its potion holds me afloat'
'To trail you as a shadow, I fade away'
'Does life dance on an edge
and diffuse away in a blink?'
'Without sound...'
'...you and I would never be'
Please, brother...
Yamini was my whole world.
Even now...
If I close my eyes...
Yamini's voice keeps ringing in my ears.
Leila tried to snatch it all away.
What's going on, Sathish?
Sathish?
Who is Yamini?
She began to ask questions.
Is she your lover?
The more questions she asked,
more of Yamini's voice began to fade.
Yamini didn't like that.
Will you answer me or...
I don't want her between us.
Kill her.
If I ensured Leila was no more...
Yamini will forever remain in me,
won't she?
That's why.
Yamini is mine!
And I will not surrender her for anyone!
You are one sick...
Aren't we all?
Sir! Sir!
Please wait!
Please! One at a time!
One of you at a time, please.
Looks like you will clobber us
with those mics!
How can you be sure
Arjun committed this murder?
Based on the evidence we have, we can
conclude beyond any reasonable doubt...
that Arjun is the killer.
Not only that, unable to bear the guilt...
he confessed to the crime
and committed suicide.
Is this one piece of evidence enough
to prove he did it?
Please wait, guys! We'll share with you
all the details after this press meet.
This press meet is over.
Thank you.
The details you require will be provided.
We have questions!
Please understand.
No more questions!
"Hold on!
He said we're done, right?"
"Get going."
What's going on, Sandhya?
The case seems to have been solved, sir.
Using Arjun's confession on the mirror
as evidence, they've closed the case.
But you know Arjun didn't do it.
But there's no proof
that Sathish did it either.
Listen to the third track in here.
Skip it forward to 12 minutes 42 seconds,
and listen.
Hereon in, this case is yours.
"It's nothing, Sathish.
Don't worry."
"Oh...
I just got spooked by a shadow."
"That's all.
I'm alright now."
"Of course!"
"You get going.
Let's catch up tomorrow."
Ma'am?
I need to meet him.
Please wait. He has company.
Alright.
Yes, sir.
Ma'am, he asked you in.
Not even half a day has passed
since my press report.
And you're asking me
to retract everything I said.
Is it fair?
It's been five long years
and I'm just getting a promotion.
Don't screw that up for me, Sandhya.
No, sir.
There is enough evidence in this.
If you could listen to it just once...
Don't you get it?
How many times must I repeat myself?
What will that accomplish?
Dump it in the trash,
close the case...
and take up another.
Understood?
Hey!
Sir?
The file, sir.
First, get me some smokes!
Okay, sir!
Blockhead!
Excuse me.
I have the evidence
that proves you killed Leila.
Come to the alley near the park.
Alone.
Let's talk.
Dad?
"No matter how much we win in life..."
"we will definitely lose to death."
"Justice is blind, they say."
"But when it comes to this world..."
"She never closes her eyes."
"What goes around..."
"always has a knack of coming around."
"Thank you, Vinayak."
'Such endless desires'
'Such numerous dreams'
'Such countless secrets'
'You left them behind entire'
'As dust, the body vanishes'
'All that remains are questions'
'Many a compromise accepted'
'Many an agony disguised'
'Many a misdeed concealed'
'You left them behind entire'
'So many questions that mystify'
'You are not here to clarify'
'Emotions many cloud the heart'
'You are not here to solace impart'
'In this battle with time...'
'...your memories wither away'
'In this unreal world...'
'...your footprints merely fade away'
'Is this anguish
borne out of our separation?'
'Is abiding comfort mere illusion?'
'On your hard and trodden trail...'
'...my heart yearns to follow'
'When death seeks me out...'
'...your image remains etched
in my eyes'
'So many questions that mystify...'
'...you are not here to clarify'
'Emotions many cloud the heart'
'You are not here to solace impart'
'You are not here for me'
'You are not here for me'
'Will love ever change?'
'Will love ever change?'
'Soft words of love...'
'...do murmur in my ears'
'Tell me today...'
'...and I shall worship you'
'For you are the love of my life'
'At the time of the dusk...'
'...does love turn into lust?'
'I writhed...'
'...in ecstatic agony'
'Come, as you are'
'Come seek me out'
'You have no equal'
'I pursue you'
'For you are my Lord'
MURDER
"This is my last day."
"'No one lives forever', they say."
"But..."
"One can live a life
that's worth dying for."
"I too came into this world..."
"lived a life."
"But before I could make the best use
of it, they killed me."
"Who killed me?"
"Why kill me?"
"And how was I killed?
If you want answers..."
"You must first know who I was."
"I was a professional model."
"A living mannequin."
"Yet another tool to tease you
into buying things.
"But in my heart..."
"I was a singer."
"Six months ago..."
"I won the title at the Voice of India
contest held in Bombay."
"And my name was... Leila."
'Don't you remember me?'
'O, the follies of youth'
'We only had a short time together'
'But my heart, you forgot'
'Don't you remember me?'
'O, the follies of youth'
'Don't you remember me?'
'O, the follies of youth'
'We only had a short time together'
'But my heart, you forgot'
'Along the shores
of the deep blue river...'
'...you stood by at the twilight hour'
'I came along singing a melody'
'We were as one
for few moments of eternity'
'Don't you remember me?'
'O, the follies of youth'
'We only had a short time together'
'But my heart, you forgot'
Just one question, sir.
Tell us anything, sir!
Sir!
Sandhya Mohanraj.
So, it's you, huh?
Heard a lot about you.
Vinayak speaks proudly of you.
Says you were his best student.
Thank you, sir!
What happened here?
We're looking into it.
She has been strangled, sir.
We'll know the exact details
after post-mortem.
What do you suppose the motive was?
Looks like theft, sir.
Who was the last one to see her alive?
Her boyfriend Sathish, sir.
Found out who he is?
Judge Lakshmidevi's grandson.
It's a sensitive case.
Handle it carefully.
One more thing.
I'm getting transferred in two weeks.
This could be my final case.
We need to solve this
before the media sensationalizes it.
I'll do my best, sir.
What if your best isn't good enough?
Well sir, I...
Look here.
You've not cleared the IPS yet.
You may be the best in theory though,
but there are practical difficulties.
I got an idea.
Involve Vinayak.
Just to speed things up.
I understand, sir.
But... considering his current state
of mind, he may not agree.
Make him agree.
He might not cooperate at first,
but he'll come around eventually.
Can't afford to let a mind like that, rust.
He is relentless.
He has solved over 200 cases
in his career.
Some of those were the most baffling ones
for the police department.
There is no such thing
as a 'perfect murder'.
Every murder will certainly have a flaw.
Look for the flaw.
Recognize the passion.
Understand the motive.
And identify the killer.
Any questions?
No, sir.
Good.
Class dismissed.
Ma'am?
The car's ready, ma'am.
Come, Sandhya.
How are you?
I'm fine, sir.
Need to discuss something with you.
Let's walk and talk.
I've been assigned my first case.
This case appears to be a bit complicated.
Wow! You seem to have acquired
a detective's intuition already, huh?
Nothing like that.
It's a high-profile case.
And I'm a little nervous.
If I had your blessings...
All the best.
I mean... if I had your help...
I'm sorry, Sandhya.
I'm out of the game already...
Please don't drag me back in.
I don't have the strength to go through
with it.
Can we discuss something else?
Okay, sir.
It's time for me to go to the hospital.
Anything else?
No, sir.
Come along. I'll drop you.
I asked you to come at 5:30.
It's 6:30 now!
Now do you see why it never worked
between us?
You're selfish, Vinayak!
Sorry, sir.
It's okay.
She's always like that.
I can understand your problem, sir.
Not only as a husband,
even as a father, I've failed.
How can you say that was your fault?
That was a freak accident.
It was random.
No explanation. No reason.
No one to blame.
Reminds me of an elderly couple
that lived next door.
They were childless.
And were quite fond of me.
Used to take me to the beach
every Sunday.
December 26th, 2004.
The day of the tsunami.
That was the last time I saw them.
I was ill... therefore, I couldn't go.
Was it my fortune or misfortune
that I fell ill that day?
Noah effect!
One can only realize the outcome
of a situation in the future.
My Ammu didn't want to go out that day.
She wanted to watch some...
Voice of India finals on TV.
I forced her to go out with me.
Had I not...
this would...
What are the odds, sir!
You always say there's no such thing
as coincidence.
Everything is part of a design.
The victim of my case, Leila,
happens to be the show's title winner.
Also, look at the third photo in this file.
Ammu?
Why the long face?
Say something.
I'm not in the mood to talk.
This may well be the last time
you and I are going out.
Why?
Pretty soon, you'll move out
to attend college.
Where will you find time
to come see me?
And your mom will use that as an excuse
to split us.
You talking about time now, dad?
Cases... cases! You're the one
who has no time for us!
I know what I'm doing is wrong, dear.
But what can I do?
My job's like that.
Sorry, dad.
Didn't mean to hurt you.
Dad!
Chief asked you...
to go see Vinayak!
Seen him yet?
Yes, sir.
But he hasn't responded yet.
With all the available evidence,
we can solve this case ourselves, sir.
You think so?
Yes, sir.
We've gathered the surrounding
CCTV footage and tower dump records.
The girl's been in Madras
only the last two months.
She seems to have no family members.
She's got a manager, apparently.
That's whom we're trying to track down.
You're such a naive little girl!
Let me show you
how to wrap this up quickly.
Come a little closer.
There are plenty of suspects in town.
Loafing around.
Grab one of 'em, work him up, throw him
in the can and wrap this up... simple!
Instead of all your...
It goes against my IPS ethics, sir!
Okay then...
'IPS', huh?
I've said what I have to say.
It's up to you now.
That babydoll Leila?
You think she was a straight shooter?
With her deceptions...
Who knows?
Know what a girl should be like?
She must be modest.
Like you.
Not strut around town.
Who wouldn't be tempted?
Even a person like me can.
Ask him if he would,
if it were his daughter!
Hey!
Mind your tongue!
I'm keeping quiet because of Mr. Tilak.
Or else...
Keeping quiet is what you do best.
Like bribing your way
into the department?
I came to give this back
and say I will not take up the case.
But now, I've changed my mind.
Inform him that I will help you
with this case.
It's my turn, dear.
Inform him that this case must be closed
in a week.
If not, I'll do what I think is right.
Run along now. He's waiting.
Go.
Where's Balram?
He got transferred.
I'll find out where.
What does the post-mortem report say?
Cause of death - asphyxiation.
Suffocation.
She was strangled from behind.
Time of death?
Between 11 PM and midnight.
Her maid Megala is the first one
to find the body.
How did she get in?
Ma'am had given me a key.
I use it to get in
without disturbing her in the mornings.
She had asked me to stay with her.
I had declined.
Who all came by here yesterday
to see ma'am?
No one.
But as I was leaving, Ma'am called me...
Megala?
Be right there, ma'am.
Yes, ma'am?
The... white dress.
Can you please iron that?
Alright.
What's with the pills, ma'am?
Got a headache.
A herbal rub can fix it!
Shall I give you one?
There's no time for that now.
He will be here.
"He"? Who?
Her friend. Mr. Sathish.
I need to see Leila right away!
Please.
Sorry, sir.
The body is sent for post-mortem.
"A piece of the sun
leaps and falls far away."
Can you please give me a few...
"Its molten fire melts
and becomes a deep ocean."
"Rocks forms, winds flow,
and life emerges."
"As the breeze sways, sounds arise."
"It is the fate of history that I am born."
"It is the law of nature..."
"that you are born."
"Though I live
for the sounds in my ears..."
"no music have I heard
that surpasses the beat of your breath."
"Who are you?"
"Who are you?"
'You fall as the drizzle of the giddy dusk'
'Your soft whispers hold me spellbound'
'Without sound,
you and I would never be'
'Without words,
silence would be our tongue'
'The rhythm of heart,
I hear in my soul'
The lilt of light,
blends in my darkness'
'The vibe of life,
is heard in the breath'
'Is the toll of death,
but eternal ecstasy?'
'Who are you?'
Who are you?
Everyone's talking about you.
They say you're the Voice of India.
Who said that?
I don't know who's feeding you this story.
Come.
Let's prove it to the world.
You mind?
I'm working on an album.
You should sing for me.
'The rustle of gently falling leaves
gush at me'
'The lash of waves against the shore
rush at me'
'Without sound,
you and I would never be'
'Without words,
silence would be our tongue'
'The rhythm of heart,
I hear in my soul'
The lilt of light,
blends in my darkness'
'The vibe of life,
is heard in the breath'
'Is the toll of death,
but eternal ecstasy?'
Why were you at her apartment yesterday,
Mr. Sathish?
I took her out to dinner last night.
How's the album coming along, Sathish?
Almost done.
I really like your voice.
But...
Sounds like a voice I might know.
So that's why you seem to record
whatever I say?
Maybe.
You're a weirdo!
Excuse me.
So... what's next?
Dessert.
(Hindi) Oh... c'mon now!
You know I don't do desserts,
right?
And I meant, what are you working on next.
After we finish this.
What in the world is in there?
Is this how you propose to a girl?
What time did you leave?
Around 11... 11:15.
But your car is still out there?
Yeah.
How did you get home last night?
My car had a small problem.
That's why I parked it there
and took a cab instead.
You notice anything unusual
or suspicious at Leila's?
When I was waiting for the cab outside,
Leila gave out a scream.
Leila?
What's up?
Is everything alright?
It's nothing, Sathish.
Don't worry.
I just got spooked by a shadow.
That's all.
I'm alright now.
You get going.
We'll catch up tomorrow.
I said 'ok', and left...
Maybe I shouldn't have, huh?
You think...
She might have had someone else
in her life...?
Excuse me?
I know how you feel.
This isn't an easy question.
But an important one nonetheless.
Do you suspect anyone?
The only one I know
among Leila's friends, is Arjun.
Arjun?
Yeah.
Arjun Vasudev.
He's a fashion photographer.
In fact, Arjun was the one
who introduced Leila as a model to Madras.
Thanks, Mr. Sathish.
Interview ends at: 12:05 PM.
At least, can I visit her apartment?
Sorry, sir.
It's a crime scene now.
You can't go in without
the forensic department's clearance.
What's going on here?
An inquiry about a girl's murder,
Your Honor.
Just the usual drill.
Why wasn't I informed about it?
We tried calling you,
but your phone was switched off.
If you're planning to come here again,
make sure you have the proper paperwork.
Yes, Your Honor.
We then questioned Marimuthu,
the security guard who reported the crime.
My name is Marimuthu, ma'am.
Must have been around 7 AM.
I heard Megala scream.
I ran down to check on her,
and found Ms. Leila dead.
That's when I called the police
to inform them.
When did you last see your ma'am?
Around 10-10:30 PM.
You know when he left?
Must've been around 11.
My car won't start.
Someone from the garage will show up
tomorrow. Hand him this key.
Sure, sir. Will do.
Leila!
What's up?
Is everything alright?
Are you okay?
Open the door!
It's nothing, Sathish.
Don't worry.
Just open the door, please, Leila.
I just got spooked by a shadow.
That's all.
I'm alright now.
You sure?
Sir, your taxi's here.
Of course!
You get going!
We'll catch up tomorrow.
Okay.
Take care.
Bye.
But there was something off
about her voice, ma'am.
I went back to check
if everything was okay.
(H) Where the hell are you, punk?
That's when I heard a male voice.
What?
Yes, ma'am!
It sounded like Hindi.
What are you saying, man?
Do you know who he was?
No, ma'am. When I came to work,
her door was locked.
Maybe he must've gone in
on Marudhu's shift.
If you hadn't see him go in,
you must've seen him come out?
He never came out, ma'am!
How's that even possible?
Did he vanish?
That's been my confusion.
What about the side door?
Could he have come in through that?
That's an emergency exit!
That can only open from the inside.
Besides, the alarm goes off
when it is opened.
Good morning, sir.
Are you Marudhu?
Yes, sir.
On the day of the murder,
what were your duty hours?
9 AM to 9 PM, sir.
Here's an entry that says 'Manager'
at 8:30. Who is he?
I don't know his name, sir.
But he drops by on and off
to see Ms. Leila.
He looks like a former Hindi movie villain.
Short and lean.
He has a goatee.
I've already told madam all that.
That's okay.
Tell them to me again.
He asked if Ms. Leila was here.
And what'd you say for that?
No, sir.
She asked you to say that?
She has really gone out, sir.
What's up, Marudhu?
Loyalty, huh?
You are a security guard to this apartment.
But, I am her security guard.
"This is Babloo."
"When I was a model in Bombay,
he ran around calling himself my manager."
"I didn't care much about it."
"Because in the orphanage where I grew up,
his mom took good care of me."
If I go knock on her door,
I say she'll open it.
You say she won't?
Go ahead.
Who's stopping you?
Alright then!
Buddy came back as fast as he went in.
Is there just one CCTV camera here?
Yes, sir. That too from when
the building was constructed.
They just left it at that.
Have you enquired who he is?
Still in progress, sir.
He's from out of town. The CCTV image
isn't clear. The cyber unit is cleaning it.
(sarcastic) For two days?
Sir?
Perhaps Megala might know who he is.
Go call Megala over.
Yes, sir.
Half an hour after Megala left...
Sathish picked up Leila
and took her to the restaurant.
The Hindi guy who came at 8:30 PM
rang the doorbell and left.
At 10:30 PM, during Marimuthu's shift...
Sathish and Leila
returned from the restaurant.
At 11 PM, when Sathish was waiting
for his taxi...
Leila saw something
and screamed out in fear.
When asked,
she said it was nothing.
But Marimuthu claims someone was inside.
We don't know how he came in and left.
To sum it up,
Leila died inside a locked apartment.
Interesting.
What's your theory?
Looks like a theft, sir.
But...
The thief had come to steal
something specific.
Only the contents in the locker
are missing.
Or else rummaging through all this...
why should he leave
the cupboard alone untouched?
He has put in effort to pry this open.
This here cannot be pried open.
It can only be opened with a key.
And... it was opened by someone else.
I don't get it, sir.
This has two sets of fingerprints.
The second person who touched it...
is a professional thief.
There's no sign of any forced entry.
No matter how forcefully
you push that lamp...
it couldn't have fallen that far.
Yeah.
This is a setup.
The killer's attempt
to steer the case in the wrong direction.
Despite ransacking the house, you know why
he left the wardrobe undisturbed?
Because that door was locked
and the key was on the inside.
No, sir.
The door was open.
Only the key was on the inside.
When the killer was here,
it was locked.
How is that possible?
During the time of the murder, Marimuthu
claimed someone else was here, right?
Wrong.
There were two people here.
"Two people?"
One... the murderer.
And the other... the witness.
The killer also tried opening the wardrobe.
But since it was locked,
he had to let it go.
What?
You don't get it?
The killer didn't know there was a witness.
Because...
He was hiding inside the wardrobe.
The fingerprints on the locker... run it
through the National Criminal Database.
Right away, sir!
He must be the thief we're looking for.
You mean the one who witnessed
the murder.
Right.
He will have his own agenda.
He will be sticking around close.
But we don't know
how he entered the house.
I have an idea.
I'll tell you, when the time comes.
Sir?
Are you Megala?
While you were working here yesterday,
was there anyone else in this house?
No, sir.
Just ma'am.
Perhaps someone could've been hiding,
right?
Not possible.
I cleaned the entire house.
And checked everything before I left.
Did you check inside that wardrobe?
I did, sir. I pulled out a dress
from inside and ironed it.
Is the key always on the inside?
No.
Think hard and tell me.
Which side was it on yesterday?
The outside, sir.
My dress got tangled on it
and ripped too.
Does a guy with a goatee, light-skinned
and short come by here?
You mean Babloo?
He comes by sometimes.
He was even here like ten days ago.
Get lost!
Cutie!
Who's got a dog here?
That's the kid, Vinodh.
He is very fond of ma'am.
He's mentally challenged.
He lives in the flat, right across.
Have you questioned him yet?
No, sir.
Not sure if he'd be a reliable witness.
Please wait out.
I'll call you if I need anything.
Yes, sir.
Let's go and say 'hi' to Arjun Vasudev.
"When it comes to Arjun,
he's pretty short-tempered."
"He was my good friend."
Hips straight!
I'm sorry!
Back straight! Start!
And walk!
Oh God, you're such a mess!
Cut the sound!
"I met him in Bombay
during my first modelling assignment."
Don't be afraid of him.
Hey sweetheart.
Everything's screwed up here!
He's showing off to impress his girlfriend.
So what?
They're happy, right?
"Couple months back, he recommended me
as a model for a major jewelry brand."
"He asked me to fly down to Madras
right away."
"I initially refused."
"But what happened
two days later..."
"made me change my mind."
Excuse me.
Yes?
Is Arjun here?
And you are?
Walk in!
Is that how you pose?
What's your problem, man?
You are my problem.
Whatever...
As if you're Miss World!
You need to be put in your place!
Go jump off a cliff, man!
Alright, guys.
Let's get on with it.
Arjun?
The police are here.
What kinda guy is Arjun?
He's a creep!
What makes you say that?
Here. He did this.
She's at a hospital now.
Who is she?
Promilla.
Why didn't you go to the police?
Promilla refused to file a complaint.
No one here has the guts
to stand up to him.
He's the best in the industry.
Practically untouchable.
Regardless, three days back,
Leila...
Let's do it differently this time, sir.
Instead of the usual models,
let's go with someone real.
You got a sustainable fashion brand.
With the age group et al, I think...
Sorry, guys.
I have some questions
about his marriage.
You're getting married, Arjun?
Of course!
His fiance
is a prominent politico's daughter.
What are you doing here?
I saw Promilla.
She's on life support now.
What do you have to say to her?
You threatening me?
I'm just going to warn your fiance.
Leave her out of this, Leila.
Call off the wedding.
Don't tell me how to deal with my affairs.
I haven't even started, Arjun.
Sorry for the interruption, guys.
Sorry to keep you guys waiting.
That's okay.
Arjun Vasudev's interrogation.
What happened to your arm?
I tripped and fell.
Shall we talk about Leila?
It's quite shocking.
She was a good friend.
The talk is, three days back you both had
a quarrel regarding a girl named Promilla.
That was a small argument.
That's all.
If your fiance comes to know about
all this, you've got a lot to lose, right?
What are you getting at?
Motive, Mr. Arjun Vasudev.
Enough to murder.
Given the fact that you have
a violent history...
You're right.
It looks that way, but I had nothing to do
with Leila's murder.
In fact, Promilla is a drug addict.
She tarnished my name
in the industry.
So I had to take control.
What are you doing?
Just one more hit.
No!
Please!
I said 'No'!
Hey!
What the hell?
Think you're a big shot just because
you're marrying a politico's daughter, huh?
Buzz off!
Stop talking crazy! Why drag her here?
Stop!
Get off me!
Who the hell do you think you are?
I'll do what I want!
Go marry her!
Stop, Promilla!
Just leave me alone, Arjun!
I didn't hit her.
It was an accident.
And FYI,
my fiance already knows about this.
Where were you
on the night of Leila's murder, Arjun?
Right here.
In the studio.
I was prepping for a modelling assignment.
I went home only at dawn.
Then...
Who is this?
For an hour and a half,
you weren't in your building.
CCTV camera 18 on this street corner...
has faithfully recorded you leaving here
at 11 PM and returning at 12 AM.
Well... I had to take a smoke break.
Leila has texted you at 10:53.
Shall I read it to you?
Alright!
Alright!
She wanted to see me right away
on an important matter.
She texted me to come through
the side door which was open.
I thought she had called me
to make peace.
But when I got there,
the side door was locked.
Why not take the front door?
Because she specified 'side door',
I didn't think much of it then.
I tried calling her.
I heard a man's voice.
But the call records say 'cancelled call'.
I wouldn't know about that, ma'am.
What I heard was a man's voice.
How could he have a heard a voice
if there was no answer?
He thinks he's outwitted us.
That's our biggest advantage.
He must gotten into Leila's house too.
But how is that possible?
The side door triggers the alarm!
Disabling the alarm is no big deal.
If something obstructs the bell
and the hammer, it won't ring.
But Leila wouldn't have done that.
Someone else must've opened it for him.
Then... is he the second man
we're looking for?
No.
Arjun is our third man.
Can you explain this clearly?
I'm already confused about this case.
The case is starting to get interesting
now, Sandhya. I'm beginning to like it.
Thank you, Arjun.
Any new information, let me know.
And keep me informed
if you're leaving town.
Sure.
Interview ends: 11:50 AM.
Vinodh?
The cops are here to see you, dear.
Can you please come out?
"The way I met Vinodh
was an interesting incident."
Hey Roundie!
Stop!
What's wrong with you?
Sorry, sir!
Are you crazy?
That's what everyone calls me.
"We realize the worth of a thing..."
"only after we lose it."
"Vinodh was like that."
"I realized Vinodh was a special child."
"Hanging out with him
is part of my most cherished memories."
"I truly miss him."
Do you know who this is?
Answer her.
Leila.
Leila was my best friend.
Best friends share many secrets, right?
Did she tell you any of hers?
You'll tell me, won't you?
What happened?
You like me...
or you like him?
Who... Sathish?
Yes.
The two of us are working on an album.
That's all.
You are my only friend, always.
Promise?
Promise.
He is somewhat... moody.
Hey, Sathish.
Working late, huh?
Hey.
I have to show you something.
Sathish?
Yamini...
Are you okay?
Yamini...
Sathish!
Yamini...
Sathish!
What was the girl's name?
Yamini.
Yamini.
Yamini.
Yamini?
Did she say anything else?
Whatever it may be,
don't hesitate to tell me.
It may help find Leila's killer.
I know who killed Leila.
Can you identify the killer?
He seems to be quite the whiz!
They're called 'savants'.
Some people tend to be
incredibly proficient in certain skills.
Trace all of his activities
for the past week immediately.
Where he stayed.
Who he met.
Taxi receipts.
Entry and exit records.
Make sure to collate them all
chronologically.
"This man is the reason why I decided
to move out of Bombay to Madras."
Sit.
Please don't bother.
Good show.
Thanks.
That truly means a lot to me.
Aditya Kowshik.
Hi.
I'm a model agent... here, in Bombay.
Are you interested in modelling?
No, not really.
I've come to Bombay
to become a singer.
Besides, I don't like being a model.
Not so fast, Ms. Leila.
The visibility you get from modelling, can
boost up your singing career to its peak.
Both can complement each other.
Here's my card.
Just tell me that you'll cooperate.
I'll make you a big star.
Take care.
Have you seen the Bombay skyline?
Beautiful, ain't it?
But don't be deceived by it.
It's a jungle.
Now the law of the jungle
is as old as the sky.
The wolf that keeps it...
may prosper.
But the wolf that breaks it...
must die.
Thought you're just a pretty thing.
You're smart too.
Pretty soon,
you're going to be circling the globe.
Get ready.
Learn to be selfish.
Your body is my asset.
Even if you put on 50 grams
in weight...
I won't hesitate to throw you out.
Welcome to BMA.
Thank you, ma'am.
"Slowly... I saw my life transform
right before my very eyes."
"I was consumed by the pain
of being trapped in a phony life."
"One day, a specific incident
brought this all to a grinding halt."
"I got an opportunity to go beyond India
on to the international stage."
Ma'am... Trust me.
Leila is the best.
Yeah!
Hundred per cent.
Yes, ma'am.
Contract...
(H) The contract, ma'am?
It has been signed.
Alright.
Bye!
So...
Leila... it's time to celebrate.
No. Not for me.
Thanks.
I read somewhere one glass of champagne
doesn't ruin one's figure. Trust me.
Adi, I don't drink.
Okay?
Okay.
A little Coke, maybe?
I got this. Thanks.
Not with water.
They say toasting with water
brings forth death.
We don't want that now, do we?
Relax.
Now drink up.
I promised to make you a big star.
That's about to come true.
I called you here to celebrate that.
What stands between you and the world
is a signature.
And what stands between
the signature and you is a...
He granted you the wish.
Now the strange question is...
what will he get out of it?
The poor little man!
I'll be gentle.
I promise.
May I use your bathroom for a bit?
Of course.
Right there.
Adi!
You are such a lucky fellow, man!
Ekta, Karishma, Vidya, Bimble...
"Bimble?"
Now what kind of a name is that?
Sounds like 'bimbo'!
Names should be like...
Leila, Leila, Leila, Leila!
Man!
Leila!
(H) 'How pretty you seem'
(H) 'You look beautiful'
(H) 'Your soul is mine...'
Who is that now?
God!
Not you, darling!
Leila!
I'm going to show you the world, baby!
He who broke the law of the jungle,
must...?
Die.
You got it.
Right. All this while,
you danced to the tune that others played.
But now,
do what your mind tells you to do.
Learn to be selfish.
Leila!
Are you okay, babes?
Are you coming out
or should I come in?
There you are, pretty woman!
What happened?
Adi...
I don't want to do this anymore.
What?
What about the contract?
You know what?
Just shove it up!
"I knew our paths would cross once again."
"Perhaps if I hadn't gone
to that hotel room..."
"I may still be alive."
Good afternoon, sir.
Come in, Balram.
How are you?
I'm fine, sir.
C'mon.
Have a look at this case.
Who is this Yamini?
Go and find her.
Yes, sir.
Shouldn't all cops
have a moustache, dad?
Why do you shave, then?
Oh that?
Dad's not shaving his moustache.
Just a beard trim.
How come you're using foam, then?
Hey!
When will I grow a moustache?
Well, my dear...
If you are a good girl,
you'll grow one in two years. Okay?
Now go... get in bed with your mom.
Okay!
But dad, you only look good
with a beard on.
I looked everywhere, sir.
There's no case file with this number.
How could that be?
I don't know, sir.
If you want,
you can check the jail records.
There's usually a copy there
as well.
Hello?
I know you killed Leila.
If you want a way out...
bring cash over.
I'll tell you where.
Do we have a deal?
Hello?
I'm going to Bombay
to meet Aditya.
If it's an official trip,
we'll need to get clearance.
But as a civilian,
I can go anywhere in India.
Just inform the local police there,
and I'll handle the rest.
You lied to me about
getting Leila's signature on the agreement.
I know you well!
What is inside must remain inside!
You're such a disgrace
to this industry!
I don't care what you gonna do
or how you gonna do it.
But Leila's signature
must be on that agreement.
Or else, I'll make it my full time job
to ruin your life.
Understood?
Yes, ma'am.
Get lost!
(H) A policeman is here to see you,
sir.
(H) Seat him in the conference room.
I'll come.
Go on.
Three days ago,
Leila was found murdered.
We know you were in Madras
at the time.
At the time of her death...
We know you left through the back door
of her apartment.
How do you respond to this?
What do you want me to say?
You seem to know everything.
Ok then... can I arrest you?
Is this enough to arrest me?
It's enough to take you to the station
for a formal interrogation.
Or if you cooperate,
you'll save a trip.
Your call.
What do you want to know?
Your version.
Start with the backstory.
How do you know Leila?
Since when?
How long have you known her?
Et cetera, et cetera.
I met Leila six months ago
at the Voice of India competition.
The minute I saw her,
I knew she was special.
I wished to introduce her as a model.
Leila accepted my offer.
That was when she caught the gaze
of an international brand.
In the shortest time...
That too, in Bombay...
no one has experienced
this level of success.
But success can also be a curse.
She was lost in the maze of stardom.
Five year contract!
Enormous amount of money!
Worldwide fame!
I invited her to my hotel room
to discuss the contract.
This calls for a celebration.
And that with some champagne!
Not for me. Thanks.
Some orange juice?
I got this.
Good for you!
Thanks.
I'm sorry, Adi...
It's just that it's
all overwhelming for me.
I don't know what to say.
So then... don't say anything.
Just enjoy the moment!
But you'll have to sign the contract.
Otherwise, I'll be in trouble.
Okay.
May I use your bathroom?
Of course.
It's all yours.
Hey!
You're good to sign?
The contract.
Adi...
I thought about it and...
I don't think I'm cut out for this.
But thanks anyway.
That was the last time I last saw her, sir.
Then what about your trip to Madras
and meeting this guy?
It's true that I went to Madras
and also true that I met Babloo.
I asked for his help
to meet Leila.
For over two months,
when I had no clue where she was...
he was the one who let me know
that she was in Madras.
What's the connection
between him and Leila?
I don't know.
But once or twice,
I've seen Babloo and Leila together.
Babloo was the one who asked me
to come to Leila's house.
He told me to take the side door
and ensure no one saw me come in.
He said he'd leave the main door open.
But when I went in,
Leila was already dead.
Why didn't you inform the cops
right away?
Obviously I was scared!
Like I didn't have enough problems already.
I wasn't in the right frame of mind
to think of anything.
I therefore left.
Thank you for your cooperation.
If required,
you may have to fly down to Madras.
Don't leave town without informing us.
This is the guy we're going to look for...
Babloo.
He must be somewhere within
this five kilometre radius.
Let's go find him.
You slit the throat of the only goose
that laid the golden eggs, pal!
Bring me ten million rupees
to the place I tell you.
Or else,
you'll find yourself in a clink.
Understood?
(H) Who is this?
(H) Your dad.
Hello?
Why didn't you inform the cops
right away?
Obviously I was scared!
Like I didn't have enough problems already.
If required,
you may have to fly down...
What is inside must remain inside!
You're such a disgrace to this industry!
Don't leave town without informing us.
You slit the throat of the only goose
that laid the golden eggs, pal!
Just shove it up!
Or else, I'll make it my full time job
to ruin your life.
You have no other option,
do you?
You have nowhere to run.
Except from yourself.
Now go on!
Do it!
Hello?
Please, dad!
My favorite singer is performing!
I'll come tomorrow!
Let's not go today! Please!
If we leave now,
we'll be back in half an hour.
Hey...
Don't go...
You come to my birthday party, dad.
I'll ask mom.
Please understand, dad!
Seeing me will upset your mom.
Ammu!
The party will be ruined.
Don't go, Ammu!
Is it necessary?
Don't go, Ammu!
Ammu!
Don't go with him!
Don't go, Ammu!
Come with dad one last time.
Listen to me, Ammu!
You're very selfish, dad!
Hey! Don't take her!
Ammu!
Don't go with him, Ammu!
Don't go, Ammu!
Don't go, Ammu!
Don't go with him, Ammu!
Don't go!
Stop, Ammu!
Don't go with him, Ammu!
Don't go!
Vinayak?
Vinayak.
We've stabilized her, for now.
But she's still critical.
I don't know how much longer
Ammu can bear this.
Every time this happens,
she goes through a lot of pain.
Don't take this the wrong way.
I'm not saying this as a doctor,
but as a well-wisher.
Vinayak...
It's time to let her go.
I can't go through with it, doctor.
I'm dying inside every day
for killing Ammu once already.
I can't repeat the mistake again.
Please understand.
But you're only thinking of yourself.
Think about what Ammu is going through.
I'll go talk to her.
I know you can't hear me.
The buzz of this machine...
is the only thing that kept me going
all these days.
Only now I understand...
what you are going through for me.
I had been afraid of you leaving me.
It's enough of holding onto your life
for my sake.
Just go.
Forgive me, Ammu.
Forgive me.
Dad!
Don't let go, dad!
All along, I've been thinking that
I was the one holding you.
But...
Dad!
Don't let go, dad!
Hold on tight, dad!
Don't let go!
It's only now that I realize
it's you who's been holding me.
Do what you think is right.
Whatever you decide...
daddy will always be with you.
'Is it a fleeting bubble?'
'Is it a prolonged dream?'
'Is life nothing but a golden drizzle
in a blazing forge?'
'Why must we part?'
'What is the end?'
'Are we but mud dolls
made only to melt in the sea?'
'Without a sound, with no one to love,
mute is my heart'
'Are you my heart's only lullaby?'
'No message to bear...
No company to keep...'
'Are you a sighing breeze
held inside a cage?'
'Amid the unrelenting storm...'
'...I hid you in an unchanging yesterday'
'I suffered, my dearest'
'In an illusory direction...'
'Amid a raging cyclone...'
'I roamed in vain...
I was smothered in pain, my precious'
I'm sorry, sir.
I know this is not going to be easy.
But she has gone to a better place now.
The guy your man interrogated
has committed suicide.
How do you respond to this?
Proud like a hotshot film cop,
aren't you?
Pride strides before a fall.
Listen up.
Just do what I say.
Close this case
and move on to another one.
Understood?
Now, go!
Hotshot cop, she says!
Buzz off!
Now this one's a real hotshot!
Hey!
They have me surrounded.
I'll be arrested in five minutes.
Head to the R3 police station now.
Bring Sendhil Nathan
from the Human Rights Commission too.
How many guests in the lodge?
What's wrong, sir?
Get the register!
(H) Up!
(H) One minute.
(H) Hurry up!
(H) Get up!
Shall we go?
Make it fast.
Hello?
Can you come to Vellore Prison
right away, sir?
What is it about?
Twelve years ago, a girl named Yamini
was murdered in Erode.
And the case was handled
by none other than Judge Lakshmidevi.
Two years back, my son had come to you
regarding a case.
You sorted it out.
I can never forget that gesture, sir.
It may be called a records room,
but nobody uses it!
We too usually store a set of copies
in here.
Just don't know where it is...
Please check if this is it, son.
In all my years of service,
I've only seen three cases of suicide.
He's one of them!
He had killed his own daughter, sir.
"FOREVER YOUNG HEART"
"WITHIN DOES LITTLE"
"RESIDES DECEIT FEARS"
What is this?
Something he scribbled before he died.
Can I take a picture?
Sure, sir!
How is Yamini's murder case
connected to Leila's murder?
I'm a bit confused too.
What?
Is Leila dead?
Stop the charade.
How are you two connected?
Because you're asking,
I'll tell you.
Leila was my wife.
What are you blabbering now?
They say you were her manager.
You know it, right?
They why do you ask?
Listen up!
If you got yourself a five spot
for bank robbery...
imagine, for murder,
it'd be a lifer.
Mind you!
Okay...
What do you want to know?
Who is this?
Leila's agent.
He asked me for a meeting with Leila.
It's regarding this,
I'd gone to Leila's house that day.
But her house was locked.
If you didn't go in,
how were your fingerprints found in there?
I didn't say
I've never been to Leila's house, ma'am.
I didn't go in on the day you mention.
That's all.
Ma'am?
The DGP asked to see you
in his cabin.
What's up, ma'am?
Has Dhanapalan arrived?
Sendhil Nathan must be with him too!
Shall I order for some tea?
I'll have them water it down for you,
like they serve in prison.
If you'd like, I'll order mutton biryani,
like they serve at star hotels?
Have you forgotten what your wit
got you in prison?
Do you still pee standing up or...
What's this, sire?
Trying desperately to wiggle your way in?
If you're unfit to find the real killer,
is this what you do?
Bring in an innocent man
and threaten him into confessing?
Not at all.
It's more of a friendly warning.
I know you didn't commit the murder.
You neither have the brains nor the brawn
to pull it off.
You can only think like a vile fox.
But you saw who murdered her.
How was it inside that cupboard?
All alone in the darkness?
Unable to scream...
Unable to whimper...
Unable to intervene too.
Good thing you locked the door.
Killer tried opening it,
but couldn't.
Ever wonder what would've become
of you, had he opened the door?
Sire, no matter how you ask me...
I had nothing to do with the murder.
My lawyer is here.
He'll deal with the rest.
Alright then.
Hopefully, we'll meet sometime.
I highly doubt that.
Give me that, sir.
I'll sign it myself.
Bloody do it, sir!
You could've beaten the truth out of him.
There is another way to find the truth.
I've asked two of our men
in plainclothes to watch him.
He'll definitely contact the killer.
I got this from his computer.
If we recover the data from it,
we'll know who he's in touch with.
Check it thoroughly.
Got it?
Ensure the boxes are properly tagged.
No mistakes.
Yes, sir.
Make sure you are thorough.
Check if that's tagged.
Right.
Okay, sir.
This must be the engagement ring
Sathish gave Leila.
How could Babloo have entered
through a locked door?
Think hard.
Why did Babloo ring Leila's doorbell?
That was a lovely surprise.
Thank you.
Do you like it?
I like it a lot!
What's wrong?
Are you okay?
It's nothing. I'm cool.
So... do you want to come in?
Sure.
Going by Babloo's phone records...
he had contacted both Arjun and Adi.
Which means both of them were here
that night, correct?
So, Babloo must know
who committed the murder.
Right.
Check out what you can see
through the keyhole.
The wall blocks the view.
Right.
He couldn't have seen the murder too.
Babloo phoned Arjun first.
Only then, Aditya.
That implies he saw them in that order.
This is known in psychology as
'Serial order memory recall'.
Sathish and Leila returned home.
A little while later, Sathish left.
After Sathish left...
Arjun got here.
Let's assume Arjun killed Leila.
What are you doing here, Arjun?
Shut your mouth!
I've seen many like you!
How dare you threaten me?
You'll never change!
I'm going to call the police!
How?
How are you going to call the police?
Unexpectedly, Adi came in.
"The person you are calling
is currently..."
(H) Where the hell are you, punk?
Now, the only place for Arjun to hide,
is behind this wall.
Let's assume Arjun didn't kill her.
But Adi did.
Leila?
Arjun?
Listen to me.
Just please give me a minute.
How did you get in here, Arjun?
I thought about what you said.
And you're absolutely right.
What I did was wrong.
Just give me another chance.
To clear things with Promilla.
Please?
Just get in there.
I'll check.
Leila...
How did you get in here?
Leila... Just... calm down...
Leave.
I just want to talk to you for a minute.
I said get out.
Please listen to what I have to say.
I've realized my mistake.
Forgive me.
But if you don't sign this contract,
my life... my career... it'll all be over.
(H) Please listen...
You should've thought all of that
before you made the mistake.
Now leave!
Leila please...
Don't touch me!
Get lost!
I'm humbly requesting you,
and yet, you remain so arrogant!
Wouldn't Arjun have heard the murder?
He may have.
Or it may have been a quiet murder.
It's just a theory, that's all.
Leila!
Leila!
What if Vinodh was the killer?
Who?
You mean, the boy?
Why?
Isn't that possible?
I think he's perfectly capable.
Jealousy is a common motive, right?
Besides being an adolescent,
he might think he's invincible.
But if he was here, Babloo would've
most certainly contacted him.
But if he was home...
he would've seen Arjun and Babloo
walk out, right?
Before the kid got here, Babloo
swindled this place, took everything...
and got out through the side door.
But how could he have locked the side door
from the outside?
Ingeniously.
Come.
I'll show you.
I noticed an ice cube missing
from the fridge, the other day.
He wedged it in the alarm
to keep it from ringing.
The ice cube had melted
without leaving a trace.
My God!
The thought of someone going this far
to hide a crime.
It's human nature.
So, Arjun is our killer then?
Looks like it.
But there's one thing
that's bothering me, though.
What is it?
Yamini.
Who is this Yamini?
My groundwork on her, reveals
that she was murdered 12 years back.
But something about that
I still find hard to believe.
I feel this and Yamini's case
are somehow connected.
What?
How?
I don't know yet.
He's on his way. He'll be at the
street corner in five seconds.
I see him.
This is Mr. Vinayak.
He's helping us with the case.
Hello, sir.
The killer...
Someone has seen him, they say.
Any leads?
Nothing as of yet.
But we're getting close.
What brings you here, Mr. Sathish?
Because Leila has no relatives...
I'd like your permission
to cremate the body.
I'll see what I can do.
Anything else?
Can I also have your permission
to get into Leila's apartment?
What for?
To remember her by...
as a memory...
she'd given me a guitar stick...
I mean... a guitar pick.
I left it there.
I want it back.
Besides, my mind keeps going back
to that place.
It'd do me good if I got a few minutes.
Sorry.
Not now.
But you'll get your chance very soon.
Okay. Thank you.
That's all.
Excuse me...
Do you know anyone named Yamini?
No.
I don't know anyone by that name.
Right.
What was that all about?
I simply asked him
to get a reaction.
He didn't appear to react in any way.
He's not the reactive kind.
He'll respond.
We'll get an answer soon.
What?
Have you brought the money
I asked you for?
Yes, tell me.
Sathish tried to enter Leila's apartment,
sir.
Think it must have been
for the guitar pick.
He certainly didn't go there
for the guitar pick.
He's after something else.
Leila...
What happened here?
What happened that night, Leila?
What am I missing here?
"FEARS LITTLE HEART"
"YOUNG DOES DECEIT"
"FOREVER RESIDES WITHIN"
To remember her by...
as a memory...
she'd given me a guitar stick...
I mean... a guitar pick.
I left it there.
I want it back.
Sir?
Click a shot of this.
Nice and clear!
Just go and check it.
Yes, ma'am.
Sir?
See this?
The killer left us a treat!
Hey!
Will he make it?
Not likely, sir.
Heard that?
Go.
Do what needs to be done.
Get going.
Get going!
Okay, sir.
What a sorry excuse of a mustache!
Blockhead!
Don't just stand there!
Pick him up!
Simply standing idle
with a damn corpse around!
What are you staring at?
Beat it!
Yes, sir.
Go!
Is the case closed?
Yes, sir.
Where's the culprit?
Committed suicide.
What are you saying?
With the confession
he left on the mirror...
we have closed this case.
Alright.
Arrange a press meet tomorrow.
Sure thing.
"Press meet", he says!
Doofus!
Hey! Have them organize a press meet
tomorrow morning.
Yes, sir.
Get the Jeep ready!
It's quite evident that every picture
hanging here...
must have an interesting story to tell.
But I came here to give you this.
Was this what you were looking for?
Or...
Was it this?
I've been in this game for a long time,
Sathish.
And I know what a lie sounds like.
Every man sub-consciously reveals
what's truly on his mind, through actions.
It's called 'Freudian Slip'.
Parapraxis.
You slipped when you said 'guitar stick',
instead of 'guitar pick'.
At 11 PM on the night of the murder,
while you were waiting for your cab...
you heard Leila scream.
You and Marimuthu
rushed over and knocked at her door.
But Leila didn't open it.
Because...
she was murdered.
Then how could she have spoken?
You used Leila's previously recorded
voice-clips and expertly cut them together.
"It's nothing, Sat... Oh...
It's nothing, Sathish... Don't worry..."
"I just got spooked by a shadow.
That's all."
"You get going.
We'll catch up tomorrow."
Though it wasn't perfect, the only one
you had to convince was Marimuthu.
He too was convinced
by Leila's recorded voice.
You got your alibi.
An eye witness.
This killing was planned
well ahead of time.
Premeditated murder.
12 minutes and 42 seconds after the
song was over, Leila's voice was heard.
Leila?
Is everything alright?
It's nothing, Sathish.
Just open the door, please, Leila.
Oh...
I just got spooked by a shadow.
That's all.
I'm alright now. Don't worry.
Are you sure?
Of course!
You get going.
Let's catch up tomorrow.
Okay.
Take care.
Bye.
Bye.
By then, you had killed Leila...
Ransacked the house...
Sent a message to Arjun
from her phone...
and went out to wait for a taxi.
But...
Something happened there
that you didn't expect.
From Leila's phone...
you'd texted Arjun
that you'd leave the backdoor open...
and asked him to come in through it.
But you noticed that the door
was already open.
You had your doubt.
What if the murder you committed...
was seen by someone
who was inside?
To clear that up,
you came to the police station.
Once you found out
Babloo had witnessed the murder...
you tracked him down
and killed him.
Now you needed a fall guy.
A scapegoat.
You were fully aware
that Leila and Arjun had a falling out.
So you conveniently pinned both murders
on him.
Who are you?
Do you know how we're connected?
I represent to you all the sins
you never had the courage to commit.
What?
"Por que no los dos?", my friend?
Why not both?
You drugged and murdered him too.
Case closed.
Only one thing in this case
doesn't have an obvious connect-Yamini.
How is Yamini connected
to Leila's murder?
Did Leila find out that you killed Yamini?
Killing someone...
is the most exhilarating feeling
in the world, Mr. Vinayak.
That feeling...
cannot be described in words.
One must experience it to understand.
I'll hide, brother!
Try to find me!
One, Two, Three, Four, Five...
Ninety Six, Ninety Seven, Ninety Eight,
Ninety Nine...
Brother!
Hundred!
It's really dark in here, brother!
I'm really scared!
Nothing can satisfy the soul
but the senses.
Just as nothing can satisfy the senses
but the soul.
Please, brother...
Save me!
Save me!
I was about to open the chest.
But...
I had the urge to see
how long she could last in there.
She began to scream.
Her crying made me euphoric.
That was when I understood.
It wasn't about Yamini.
It was all and all about me.
For how long can I hold off
opening the chest?
Brother...
Please, brother...
Come quickly...
'Without sound...'
'...you and I would never be'
Brother! Please help!
Brother!
'Without words...'
Brother!
'...silence would be our tongue'
'The rhythm of heart,
I hear it in my soul'
'The lilt of light...'
12 hours and 42 minutes later...
she quit breathing.
'The vibe of life,
is heard in the breath'
I was born blind.
For the first two years
of my life...
I had no eyesight.
I only saw the world around me
with my ears.
I've never seen my parents.
I was told they died
in a plane accident.
I lived in loneliness.
That was when...
Yamini came into my life.
'When the music of your stirrings play,
the punch of its potion holds me afloat'
'To trail you as a shadow, I fade away'
'Does life dance on an edge
and diffuse away in a blink?'
'Without sound...'
'...you and I would never be'
Please, brother...
Yamini was my whole world.
Even now...
If I close my eyes...
Yamini's voice keeps ringing in my ears.
Leila tried to snatch it all away.
What's going on, Sathish?
Sathish?
Who is Yamini?
She began to ask questions.
Is she your lover?
The more questions she asked,
more of Yamini's voice began to fade.
Yamini didn't like that.
Will you answer me or...
I don't want her between us.
Kill her.
If I ensured Leila was no more...
Yamini will forever remain in me,
won't she?
That's why.
Yamini is mine!
And I will not surrender her for anyone!
You are one sick...
Aren't we all?
Sir! Sir!
Please wait!
Please! One at a time!
One of you at a time, please.
Looks like you will clobber us
with those mics!
How can you be sure
Arjun committed this murder?
Based on the evidence we have, we can
conclude beyond any reasonable doubt...
that Arjun is the killer.
Not only that, unable to bear the guilt...
he confessed to the crime
and committed suicide.
Is this one piece of evidence enough
to prove he did it?
Please wait, guys! We'll share with you
all the details after this press meet.
This press meet is over.
Thank you.
The details you require will be provided.
We have questions!
Please understand.
No more questions!
"Hold on!
He said we're done, right?"
"Get going."
What's going on, Sandhya?
The case seems to have been solved, sir.
Using Arjun's confession on the mirror
as evidence, they've closed the case.
But you know Arjun didn't do it.
But there's no proof
that Sathish did it either.
Listen to the third track in here.
Skip it forward to 12 minutes 42 seconds,
and listen.
Hereon in, this case is yours.
"It's nothing, Sathish.
Don't worry."
"Oh...
I just got spooked by a shadow."
"That's all.
I'm alright now."
"Of course!"
"You get going.
Let's catch up tomorrow."
Ma'am?
I need to meet him.
Please wait. He has company.
Alright.
Yes, sir.
Ma'am, he asked you in.
Not even half a day has passed
since my press report.
And you're asking me
to retract everything I said.
Is it fair?
It's been five long years
and I'm just getting a promotion.
Don't screw that up for me, Sandhya.
No, sir.
There is enough evidence in this.
If you could listen to it just once...
Don't you get it?
How many times must I repeat myself?
What will that accomplish?
Dump it in the trash,
close the case...
and take up another.
Understood?
Hey!
Sir?
The file, sir.
First, get me some smokes!
Okay, sir!
Blockhead!
Excuse me.
I have the evidence
that proves you killed Leila.
Come to the alley near the park.
Alone.
Let's talk.
Dad?
"No matter how much we win in life..."
"we will definitely lose to death."
"Justice is blind, they say."
"But when it comes to this world..."
"She never closes her eyes."
"What goes around..."
"always has a knack of coming around."
"Thank you, Vinayak."
'Such endless desires'
'Such numerous dreams'
'Such countless secrets'
'You left them behind entire'
'As dust, the body vanishes'
'All that remains are questions'
'Many a compromise accepted'
'Many an agony disguised'
'Many a misdeed concealed'
'You left them behind entire'
'So many questions that mystify'
'You are not here to clarify'
'Emotions many cloud the heart'
'You are not here to solace impart'
'In this battle with time...'
'...your memories wither away'
'In this unreal world...'
'...your footprints merely fade away'
'Is this anguish
borne out of our separation?'
'Is abiding comfort mere illusion?'
'On your hard and trodden trail...'
'...my heart yearns to follow'
'When death seeks me out...'
'...your image remains etched
in my eyes'
'So many questions that mystify...'
'...you are not here to clarify'
'Emotions many cloud the heart'
'You are not here to solace impart'
'You are not here for me'
'You are not here for me'