Trick 5 steps
Staging Vettaiyan's Death to Free Ganga
Saravanan cures Ganga's split personality by making the Chandramukhi personality believe her enemy Vettaiyan has been burned alive. He impersonates Vettaiyan so Chandramukhi accepts burning him, while smoke and ash blown by Ramachandra Acharya conceal a trapdoor escape and an effigy substitution that convince the spirit the king is dead.
Read the 5 steps as text
- 1
Saravanan impersonates Vettaiyan
Saravanan
What it looked like: To onlookers, Vettaiyan himself appears present and speaking to the ghost.
Saravanan pretends to be Vettaiyan, the identity Chandramukhi holds responsible, so that the plan requires making Ganga believe Saravanan is dead.
- 2
Family permits the burning in the dance hall
The family · Ramachandra Acharya · Chandramukhi · Ganga
What it looked like: The scene appears to be a genuine human sacrifice that the family allows Chandramukhi to carry out.
In the final confrontation in the dance hall, the family and Ramachandra Acharya permit Chandramukhi to burn Saravanan alive, staging the execution the ruse requires.
- 3
Acharya blows smoke and ash on Ganga's face
Ramachandra Acharya · Ganga
What it looked like: The smoke and ash appear to be part of completing the ritual rather than concealing a substitution.
As Ganga holds the torch to complete the ritual, Ramachandra Acharya blows smoke and ash on her face, obscuring her view of what is being burned.
- 4
Trapdoor escape and effigy substitution
Senthil · Saravanan
What it looked like: Ganga and Chandramukhi appear to witness Vettaiyan himself being burned alive.
Senthil opens a trapdoor to let Saravanan escape, and an effigy of Vettaiyan is burned in his place.
- 5
Chandramukhi leaves Ganga's body
Chandramukhi · Ganga
Believing Vettaiyan to be dead, Chandramukhi leaves Ganga's body, which cures her.
