Elippathayam

The film opens with a rat infestation inside the derelict Kerala manor, setting a grim mood. Sridevi takes the initiative to trap and drown the rats, signaling that danger and decay are already inside the house. The scene uses vermin to mirror the rot within the feudal household.

Unni, the aging patriarch, remains proud and unmoving as the world changes around him. He spends days idling, sleeping, and reading, while his sisters and Scaria Mappila manage the estate. The arrangement underscores a fading feudal order that cannot adapt to the times.

Thieves steal crops from the fields, and Unni responds with fear rather than action. He avoids confrontation and shows little willingness to defend the family's material base. The incident reveals his impotence and the crumbling authority of the landowners.

The younger sister elopes with a lover, disregarding tradition and without informing anyone. This act highlights a shift in social norms and the sisters' growing agency. Unni remains passive, unable to respond to the new reality.

Rajamma, the middle sister, is devastated by her brother's silence when marriage proposals arrive. She pleads for support and protection, but Unni's indecision worsens her condition. She falls ill and eventually dies, a casualty of his inability to act.

The elder sister mourns as Rajamma dies, underscoring the emotional cost of Unni's neglect and disorganized thinking. The family loses its emotional anchor as the decline accelerates. The death widens the fracture within the household.

The eldest sister claims her share of the property but leaves with none, sending summons through the courts. The estate fractures as legal disputes replace family mediation. Unni's world shrinks further as trust erodes.

Unni becomes increasingly paranoid, retreating to the dark corners of his room. His delusions intensify and he shows reluctance to seek help or admit trouble. The household, once a unit, deteriorates under his gaze.

Scaria Mappila continues to manage finances with old feudal methods, keeping the estate afloat but unable to resolve the underlying collapse. His role as caretaker becomes more about placating the family than restoring order. The tension between tradition and change persists as the family splinters.

A group of people enters Unni's house, triggering a panic and a frantic escape. He runs out in fear and is knocked unconscious in the chaos. The nature of the visitors remains ambiguous, hinting at robbers, hallucinations, or rivals.

They carry him to the pond where Sridevi used to drown rats and throw him in. He surfaces frightened and cold, his mind and body broken by fear. This scene marks the culmination of his descent and the ultimate unreliability of reality for him.