Aghathiyaa

Aghathiyan, a dedicated art director trying to establish himself in the film industry, invests his life savings into his first big project by renting a charming French bungalow located in Puducherry. This quiet, historic house becomes the temporary home for Royan and his ailing grandmother, Helen, but the project suddenly gets abandoned midway, leaving Aghathiyan devastated. Feeling overwhelmed by his setbacks, he returns to his hometown of Tiruvannamalai, where his mother, Anjalai, battles bone cancer. Her condition is worsened by chemotherapy, which affects her memory and mental clarity.

In an effort to turn their misfortune around, Veena, [Raashii Khanna], who has been his childhood friend and romantic partner, suggests an inventive idea—transform the spooky bungalow into a haunted attraction. Their plan proves fruitful as the scare house quickly attracts visitors and gains popularity. During the renovation process, they make a remarkable discovery: an ancient 18th-century piano concealed within the house. As they restore it, they stumble upon a human skeleton and an old 8mm film roll hidden inside the piano.

Curious and intrigued, Aghathiyan and Veena watch the old film, which reveals a compelling story about Siddharthan, a Siddha doctor from the 1940s. The footage details Siddharthan’s journey from France to Pondicherry during a period of intense oppression under Edwin Duplex, a brutal and racist ruler who oppressed Indians and ruthlessly suppressed any opposition. The film also showcases Siddharthan’s extraordinary treatment of Jacqueline Poovizhi, [Matilda], Edwin’s sister, who was left paralyzed after an accident. As the film concludes, it raises more questions than answers, including the mystery of Jacqueline’s whereabouts.

Veena begins experiencing strange, unsettling occurrences within the bungalow, especially after a visitor, believed to be the brother of a politician, mysteriously disappears inside the house. The authorities respond by shutting their haunted house attraction, suspecting supernatural activity. Driven by a desire to uncover the truth, Aghathiyan explores the hidden subway beneath the bungalow, where he unexpectedly finds the missing visitor. The situation rapidly turns horrific when Veena, possessed by Jacqueline’s restless spirit, brutally assaults the visitor, revealing the deepening darkness surrounding the house.

Aghathiyan manages to retrieve Siddharthan’s personal diary, which sheds light on the history of the house and its dark secrets. However, their investigation is interrupted by the malevolent spirit of Edwin Duplex, who forcefully ejects them from the bungalow. With his mother’s health deteriorating further, Aghathiyan learns from a physician that Siddha medicine and alternative healing might be the key to saving her. This leads him to confront Royan and Helen, but all they provide him are relics of Edwin Duplex, which he deems insignificant.

In a twist of fate, Aghathiyan learns that he was miraculously saved at birth by Kalanginatha Siththar, who believed Aghathiyan was a divine gift—an impression that his father strongly supported. That night, through a vivid dream, Helen guides him back to the bungalow and reveals a crucial clue: a voice cylinder, which Aghathiyan had previously dismissed. When played, it reveals chilling truths—Edwin Duplex had pretended to be a friend to Siddharthan only to exploit his vast knowledge of medicine. It is ultimately revealed that Edwin murdered Siddharthan, along with Jacqueline, and also killed a freedom fighter named Nanjilan, whose family was wiped out to hide Edwin’s crimes.

The villagers, enraged by the brutal murder of Siddharthan, stormed Edwin’s bungalow, leading to his desperate flight into the hidden subway, where he stored the secret medicinal formulas in a specially prepared grave—intending for them to grant him eternal life. Edwin’s assistant, Seshadri, is killed in the chaos, and Edwin himself perishes in the grave, suffocated and buried alive. Determined to recover the life-saving formulas, Aghathiyan ventures back to the bungalow, only to face fierce supernatural resistance. At the critical moment, [Yogi Babu] aids him by revealing that the celestial alignment of the planets will temporarily weaken the evil forces, providing a rare window of opportunity.

Seizing this moment, Aghathiyan, Veena, and their ally Shankar navigate the haunted house and retrieve the precious formulas. They succeed in burning Edwin’s corpse to prevent further evil, but the window of positive energy quickly closes, trapping them inside the house. As the dark spirits intensify their attack, Siddharthan’s spirit unexpectedly joins the fight, revealing to Aghathiyan that he is the reincarnation of Nanjilan—a lost hero whose spirit had been waiting for the right moment to help. Through their combined strength, the spirits of Siddharthan and Jacqueline are finally able to ascend peacefully, freeing their souls.

In the aftermath of the battle, the darkness is dispelled, and peace is restored. With Edwin’s evil defeated, the trapped spirits find release, and Siddharthan’s medical formulas are recovered from Edwin’s secret grave. The film concludes with a hopeful tone as [Raashii Khanna]’s character, Veena, celebrates her victory and rescue efforts, and Aghathiyan reflects on the possibility that, although his mother’s memory might never fully restore, her health is improving thanks to Siddha medicine. His journey not only uncovers ancient secrets but also restores justice and peace, demonstrating that love, faith, and perseverance can overcome even the darkest evils.

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Last Updated: August 19, 2025 at 05:15