Avunu (2012) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

The spirit, later revealed as Raju, is a voyeuristic entity that fixates on Mohini from the moment she moves into the house. Its obsession stems from a perverse curiosity about her physical presence, as evidenced by watching her change clothes and take showers. This attention escalates into violent assault when the spirit acts on its lustful desires during the auspicious night when the couple is supposed to consummate their marriage.

Foreshadowing: The spirit's initial watching of Mohini during private moments foreshadows its later physical attack, showing a clear progression from observation to violation.

• spirit
• rajus obsession
• mohini
• haunting
• supernatural attraction

The spirit possesses Harsha during the final night they spend in the house before fleeing to Paris. Raju enters Harsha's body and uses him as a vessel to directly assault Mohini. This possession allows the spirit to physically interact with Mohini while using Harsha's body, making the attack more intimate and terrifying.

Foreshadowing: The spirit's ability to move through walls and observe the house unseen establishes its supernatural nature, making possession a logical escalation of its powers.

• possession
• harsha
• spirit
• rajus powers
• supernatural attack

The adults dismiss Vicky's claims about seeing and speaking with the spirit because they view his stories as the wild imaginings of a child. Vicky's young age and the fantastical nature of his descriptions lead the adults to attribute his behavior to fantasy rather than a genuine supernatural perception. This skepticism allows the haunting to continue unchecked.

Foreshadowing: Vicky's repeated warnings about the presence in the house go unheeded, directly contributing to the escalating danger that the adults fail to prepare for.

• vicky
• spirits
• belief
• neighbor child
• supernatural perception

Harsha's parents stay in the house specifically to ensure the couple does not consummate their marriage before an auspicious time determined by religious traditions. When this day arrives and the parents depart, Mohini becomes vulnerable to the spirit's attack. The spirit specifically acts on this night, suggesting it was waiting for the couple to be alone and for Mohini to be unprotected.

Foreshadowing: The parents' departure after the auspicious day leaves Mohini alone and vulnerable, directly setting up the spirit's attack.

• auspicious time
• consummation
• harsha parents
• tradition
• vulnerability

Raju is the voyeuristic spirit haunting the house. The film reveals his identity during Mohini's police statement after the traumatic events. Raju was a previous inhabitant of the house whose spirit never left, and he maintains his obsession with women who live there. His lingering presence suggests he died in or near the house and his spirit remained attached.

Foreshadowing: The spirit's familiarity with the house layout and its voyeuristic behavior indicate a long-term attachment to the property.

• raju
• spirit identity
• house history
• previous owner
• ghost

When Raju possesses Harsha and attempts to assault Mohini, she fights back in self-defense. During the struggle, Mohini injures Harsha in an attempt to escape the attack. Since Harsha is being controlled by the spirit, Mohini's actions are directed at stopping the assault rather than harming her husband, though the lines between protection and harm become dangerously blurred.

Foreshadowing: The spirit's possession of Harsha creates the ultimate betrayal of trust, forcing Mohini to defend herself against her own husband.

• mohini
• harsha
• injury
• self defense
• possession
• fight

After Mohini runs to the neighbors' house following the spirit's first attack, a visiting relative, an elderly pious woman, summons the courage to help Mohini and escorts her back to her own house. Shortly after returning, the spirit brutally murders the old woman as punishment for intervening. This murder serves as a cruel reminder of the spirit's deadly power and escalates the stakes dramatically.

Foreshadowing: The old woman's willingness to help Mohini directly leads to her targeting by the spirit, demonstrating that anyone who assists Mohini becomes a threat to Raju.

• elderly woman
• murder
• neighbor helper
• spirit violence
• confrontation

The film ends with Raju following Mohini into the hospital, implying the haunting is not over. Even after the traumatic night and Mohini's escape, the spirit remains obsessed with her and refuses to relinquish its hold. This open ending suggests Mohini's trauma is ongoing and the spirit's attachment to her persists beyond the events of that night.

Foreshadowing: Raju's persistent watching of Mohini throughout the film foreshadows his continued presence even after she leaves the house.

• hospital ending
• rajus obsession
• unresolved
• haunting continue
• trauma

Vicky, the neighbor's young son, possesses the rare ability to see and communicate with spirits. He can perceive Raju when others cannot and even holds conversations with the spectral resident. His gift allows him to perceive the truth of the haunting, though his warnings are consistently dismissed by the adults around him.

Foreshadowing: Vicky's interactions with Raju reveal the spirit's identity and intentions to the audience, creating dramatic irony as adults ignore his warnings.

• vicky
• psychic ability
• spirit sight
• supernatural perception
• child gift