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Plot Summary

Aval (2017) Plot Summary Explained

Release, runtime and language
2017 · 136 mins · Tamil
Echo score 73
Directed by
Milind Rau
Starring
Prakash Belawadi, Atul Kulkarni, Anisha Victor, Siddharth, Andrea Jeremiah, Suresh

Two families have a tough time dealing with a revenge-seeking spirit, which is strangely connected with one of its members

On this page (6)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 What happens: full plot
  3. 3 Plot questions answered
  4. 4 Movie threads
  5. 5 Movies like Aval
  6. 6 Every angle

Where to watch

Where to Watch Aval (2017)

Where can you watch Aval? Stream, rent or buy it in the US, including on Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies and YouTube: current JustWatch availability with up-to-date prices.

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Full plot summary · contains spoilers

What Happens in Aval: Full Plot Summary

The whole story of Aval (2017) explained, from the opening scene to the final frame: every key event, every twist and what it all adds up to. Read it as a quick recap before the sequel, to check a scene you missed, or to finally understand what really happened.

In a quiet flashback to 1934, the film opens with a tender, domestic life shared by a mother and her daughter, setting a haunting mood that threads through the rest of the story. Fast forward to 2016, where Dr Krishna [Siddharth], a celebrated neurosurgeon, and his wife Lakshmi [Andrea Jeremiah] enjoy a peaceful life in a handsome house high in the Rosina Valley. Their neighborhood harmony is disrupted when the D'Costa family moves into the house next door. Jennifer D'Costa [Anisha Victor], known as Jenny, is a bright but rebellious teenager who nonetheless adores her family and her half-sister Sarah. Jenny and Sarah quickly strike up a friendship with Lakshmi, and Jenny is soon drawn to the charisma of Dr Krishna, whose calm presence stands in stark contrast to her stormy impulses.

A dinner invitation brings the two families closer, but the evening takes a strange turn when Krish, as he is affectionately called, notices Jenny disappear into the house and leaps into action to pull her back from danger in a well. This early incident foreshadows a string of unsettling events. Jenny’s defiant streak expresses itself through smoking and risky behavior, and during one stealthy moment she scavenges belongings from a deceased person. Her behavior becomes increasingly erratic as she sleepwalks toward a cliff edge, only to be saved yet again by Krish and Paul [Atul Kulkarni], the D’Costa family’s father. The situation prompts a cascade of professional help: Krish refers them to his psychiatrist friend Dr Prasad [Suresh], who conducts a hypnotherapy session. Jenny reveals that someone is urging her family to abandon the house and suddenly begins speaking in Chinese, a clue that something more ominous lurks beneath the surface.

Dr Prasad diagnoses paranoia with disturbing visual and auditory hallucinations and recommends an exorcism, arguing that paranormal forces may be at play. Paul, uneasy with the idea of spiritual intervention, brings in Pastor Joshua [Prakash Belawadi] to perform the rites. The exorcism reveals three ancient Chinese spirits haunting the home: a bloodthirsty male entity and a mother-daughter pair who want the family to leave without trouble. Jenny appears to respond to the ritual, yet the cost is steep: Joshua sustains injuries and falls into a coma, while Krish and Paul are also hurt. The house’s atmosphere intensifies, and a sense of looming danger settles over Lakshmi as she discovers she is pregnant.

Normalcy is short-lived. Paul’s housemaid vanishes, and Krish and Lakshmi notice escalating paranormal disturbances in their daily lives. Paul uncovers troubling evidence from the house and calls in the psychic from before, who confirms the presence of the mother and daughter spirits and directs them to leave. They also locate skeletal remains near a cliff, alongside the body of the male spirit. As the sinister history begins to surface, Dr Prasad’s curiosity deepens; he learns that there is a village witness who can illuminate the house’s past—a woman who survived the events eighty years earlier. Krish and Prasad meet the old villager, who uncovers a brutal tale of black magic practiced by a man named Lu Wei.

According to the elder, Lu Wei tried to perform a ritual to guarantee a male offspring, but the ritual was interrupted. In a cruel twist, Lu Wei lures his own daughter and sacrifices her instead, an atrocity witnessed by his distraught wife, who stabs herself and her unborn child. Grief and rage drive Lu Wei to take his own life by drowning in the same well. The old lady also reveals that all of this unfolded on a rare solar eclipse day, and another eclipse is predicted to occur the following day.

Back at home, Krish and Prasad’s quiet reflection is interrupted by Lakshmi’s plea for help with Jenny, who is possessed once more. When Krish and Lakshmi arrive at Jenny’s house, Lakshmi surprisingly locks Krish in a room, and the truth comes to light: Joshua has awakened from his coma with a chilling revelation. He explains that during Jenny’s exorcism, it wasn’t only Jenny who was possessed; Krish himself had been possessed by Lu Wei’s spirit. Lu Wei’s influence would resume its work and target Sarah, hoping Lakshmi would bear a son who might fulfill Lu Wei’s dark prophecy. It is revealed that Krish, under possession, had already killed Dr Prasad, and the danger intensifies as Krish fights for control.

The struggle culminates in a dramatic confrontation: the Chinese spirits intervene, overpower Krish, and dispel Lu Wei’s spirit from Krish’s body as the solar eclipse ends. Krish returns to his true self, but the battle leaves scars on the family and their neighbors. In the aftermath, a few years pass and the close-knit circle remains neighbors, though the shadow of the past lingers. Lakshmi and Krish go on to have a son, and Jenny and Sarah continue to play with him, their friendship enduring amid the memory of what occurred.

The closing shot lingers on the newborn boy’s eye, which slowly shifts to reveal twin irises—a chilling hint that the bloodline may carry darker forces. The film thus closes on a provocative, ambiguous note: the family seems settled and safe, yet the final image suggests that the peril from Lu Wei’s possession may have left a mark that could surface again in the future. The story blends family drama with supernatural dread, weaving a tale of inherited trauma, haunted houses, and the uneasy line between protection and danger.

- Siddharth carries the central medical and supernatural tension as Dr Krishna, a character whose calm demeanor masks a deeper, otherworldly invasion.

- Andrea Jeremiah gives life to Lakshmi, a steadfast partner and mother whose calm grace becomes a anchor and a target as the past resurfaces.

- Anisha Victor embodies Jennifer/Jenny, a rebellious, impetuous teen whose risky curiosity unlocks the secrets buried in the house.

- Atul Kulkarni portrays Paul, the practical, skeptical neighbor whose search for truth heightens the horror.

- Prakash Belawadi brings the eerie authority of Joshua, the exorcist whose presence marks the turning point of the haunting.

- Suresh plays Dr Prasad, the psychiatrist who bridges science and the supernatural, guiding the investigators toward a deeper history.

Last updated: October 09, 2025 at 15:26

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Plot questions answered

Aval Plot Explained: Your Questions Answered

The questions people ask most about Aval (2017): what happens in the confusing scenes, why the characters do what they do, the twists, hidden details and what the ending means. Each answer contains spoilers.

Q1

Why was Jenny targeted by the spirits in the house?

Jenny was targeted because she was the most vulnerable member of the D'Costa family. Her rebellious behavior, sleepwalking, and mental state made her an easy vessel for the spirits. The mother-daughter spirits wanted the family to leave the house, and possessing Jenny was their way of frightening them away. Her scavenging of a deceased person's belongings and erratic behavior created an opening for spiritual attachment.

Foreshadowing: Earlier, Jenny sleepwalks toward dangerous locations and hears mysterious voices urging her family to leave.

  • jenny possession
  • exorcism
  • haunted house
  • spiritual attachment
Q2

How did Dr. Krish become possessed by Lu Wei's spirit?

Krish became possessed during the exorcism ritual performed by Pastor Joshua. While attempting to rid Jenny of the Chinese spirits, the malevolent male spirit, Lu Wei, transferred into Krish instead. Joshua later revealed that Krish was possessed during the exorcism itself, and Lu Wei's influence remained hidden within him, controlling his actions while appearing normal to everyone.

Foreshadowing: Krish's calm demeanor contrasted sharply with Jenny's chaos, making his possession less noticeable.

  • krish possession
  • lu wei spirit
  • exorcism gone wrong
  • possession transfer
Q3

What was Lu Wei's black magic ritual and why did it require sacrifice?

Lu Wei practiced black magic in 1934 to ensure his wife would bear him a male heir. The ritual required sacrificing his own daughter to guarantee a son. When the ritual was interrupted by his wife discovering the atrocity, Lu Wei killed himself by drowning in the well. His wife then killed herself and her unborn child. This created the vengeful spirits that haunted the house for eighty years.

Foreshadowing: The elder villager reveals the ritual was performed on a rare solar eclipse day, adding cosmic significance to the dark act.

  • lu wei ritual
  • sacrifice
  • black magic
  • male heir
  • 1934 backstory
Q4

Why did the Chinese mother-daughter spirits help Krish at the end?

The Chinese spirits intervened because they shared a common enemy: Lu Wei. While the mother-daughter spirits wanted the family to leave peacefully without harm, Lu Wei was a malevolent force that murdered them and used their home for his dark rituals. When Lu Wei's possession threatened an innocent child (Sarah), the Chinese spirits chose to destroy him, freeing Krish and ending his threat permanently.

Foreshadowing: During the exorcism, the spirits revealed themselves as a mother-daughter pair who merely wanted the family to leave without trouble.

  • chinese spirits
  • mother daughter spirits
  • lu wei defeat
  • spiritual intervention
Q5

What does the baby's double irises at the end signify?

The final shot shows Krish and Lakshmi's newborn son with double irises,暗示ing Lu Wei's curse may have been passed to the child. This ominous detail suggests the possession or spiritual influence was not fully cleansed and could resurface in the next generation. The film ends on this unsettling note, implying the family remains in danger despite appearing safe.

Foreshadowing: The entire film establishes that the curse stems from family bloodline and ritualistic sacrifice for a male heir.

  • double irises
  • ending twist
  • curse inheritance
  • baby
  • demonic legacy
Q6

Why was the solar eclipse important to the story's events?

The solar eclipse was crucial because all the original tragic events occurred on a rare solar eclipse day in 1934. Lu Wei performed his black magic ritual, murdered his daughter, and drowned himself during the eclipse. The elder villager reveals a similar eclipse is predicted for the present day, creating the same cosmic window for supernatural activity. The climax occurs as the eclipse ends, when the Chinese spirits finally overpower Lu Wei.

Foreshadowing: The elder mentions the eclipse connects past and present, and the story's most intense events happen during this astronomical phenomenon.

  • solar eclipse
  • eclipse day
  • 1934 eclipse
  • supernatural timing
  • cosmic omen
Q7

What happened to Dr. Prasad in the movie?

Dr. Prasad, the psychiatrist who treated Jenny and helped investigate the house's history, was killed by Krish while Krish was possessed by Lu Wei. After the possession, Krish murdered Prasad, though this was revealed through Joshua's coma awakening. Prasad's death demonstrated how dangerous Krish had become under Lu Wei's control.

Foreshadowing: Prasad's investigation into the house's history and his meeting with the elderly villager put him directly in the path of the supernatural threat.

  • dr prasad death
  • killed by krish
  • psychiatrist
  • possession violence
Q8

Why did the exorcism go wrong and leave Joshua in a coma?

The exorcism failed because Pastor Joshua unknowingly transferred the malevolent male spirit into Krish during the ritual. The attempted exorcism of Jenny actually redirected Lu Wei's spirit into Krish, while Joshua himself was attacked by the residual spiritual energy. He sustained severe injuries and fell into a coma as a result of the violent spiritual confrontation.

Foreshadowing: The ritual was conducted without knowing there were three spirits, a mother-daughter pair and the more dangerous male entity.

  • joshua coma
  • exorcism failed
  • pastor injured
  • spiritual attack
Q9

Why did Lakshmi lock Krish in the room during the climax?

Lakshmi locked Krish because Joshua had awakened from his coma and revealed that Krish was also possessed by Lu Wei's spirit. Joshua's warning made clear that Krish posed a danger to the family, especially to Sarah and Lakshmi's unborn child. Lakshmi acted to protect everyone by confining Krish until they could address the possession.

Foreshadowing: Joshua's revelation about Krish's possession came after Lakshmi noticed increasingly strange behavior from her husband.

  • lakshmi locks krish
  • joshua revelation
  • protect family
  • possession warning
Q10

Why did Krish save Jenny from the well in the beginning?

Krish saved Jenny from falling into the well during a dinner visit because he noticed her disappear and acted quickly to pull her back from danger. This incident was the first sign of the supernatural influence, as the well was the same location where Lu Wei drowned himself in 1934. The well served as a spiritual focal point, and Jenny's proximity to it was no coincidence, the spirits were beginning to draw her in.

Foreshadowing: The well becomes central to the backstory when the elder reveals Lu Wei drowned there during the eclipse.

  • jenny well
  • krish saves jenny
  • well danger
  • 1934 ritual location

Movie threads

More Movies Like Aval, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes Aval tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Movies about generational curses like Aval

Stories where a family's dark past returns to haunt the present. If you liked the theme of inherited evil in Aval, explore these other films about lineage curses and ancestral hauntings. This thread features movies where families are tormented by a dark legacy, involving supernatural pacts, rituals, and sins of the past that refuse to stay buried.

  • sinister
  • unsettling
  • eerie
  • haunting
  • ancestral
  • cursed
  • Tone: dark, ominous
  • Pacing: steady, escalating
Why these movies?

The story pattern: Narratives typically begin with a family unaware of a buried secret. The supernatural threat emerges as a direct consequence of an ancestor's actions, forcing the present-day characters to uncover the grim history and find a way to sever the cursed connection before it consumes them entirely.

Why they belong together: These movies are grouped by their core theme of inherited supernatural evil. They share a focus on family trauma, a historical backstory that drives the horror, and the psychological dread of being powerless against a fate determined by one's bloodline.

Claustrophobic supernatural horror movies like Aval

Tales where supernatural forces trap characters in a space of escalating terror. For viewers who enjoyed the confined, escalating dread of Aval, this collection features similar horror movies where characters are trapped with a supernatural threat. Discover films that master the art of building tension and psychological terror within a limited, often domestic, space.

  • claustrophobic
  • anxious
  • ominous
  • unsettling
  • trapped
  • psychological horror
  • Tone: dark, tense
  • Pacing: steady, building
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The story often unfolds within a single primary location, like a house, where a supernatural entity manifests. The horror builds steadily as the characters' attempts to escape or understand the threat are thwarted, leading to a feeling of being hunted and cornered in their own space.

Why they belong together: These films are united by their effective use of a claustrophobic atmosphere to generate fear. They share a steady pacing that builds relentless tension, a high intensity of supernatural danger, and a focus on the psychological unraveling of characters who are trapped with an inescapable evil.

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Movies Like Aval

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Browse all movie summaries

Every angle

Aval (2017) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

Everything about Aval in one place: what happens in the plot summary, the timeline in chronological order, the characters and meaning and a spoiler-free summary. What's After the Movie adds the cast, box office and post-credit scenes.

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