Kishkindha Kaandam

Appu Pillai, a retired soldier with an authoritarian streak, lives near a reserve forest teeming with monkeys. His younger son Ajay maintains a vigil for his missing son Chachu with help from Shivadasan and Prasobh. The quiet routine of their home is shadowed by the unresolved tragedy around Chachu's disappearance.

Ajay marries Aparna, and she moves into their home to support his search for Chachu. Soon after, they discover Appu Pillai's licensed pistol is missing, intensifying the sense that dangerous secrets lie within the family. The missing weapon becomes a catalyst for growing tensions.

Aparna notices Appu's peculiar behavior and suspects memory loss. Ajay confirms his father's health issues, revealing he was discharged from the army for the ailment but kept it secret to preserve his pride. He explains that Appu has developed strict routines to function despite the memory problems.

Amrith Lal, a figure who once worked with Appu, visits and is confronted by Appu when he recognizes him from a wall photograph. Appu digs out notes about Amrith, growing suspicious that the other man is manipulating him. Aparna and Ajayan intervene in the heated exchange, and afterward Appu Pillai seems to forget the incident.

Two wildlife photographers capture a monkey holding a pistol and alert the authorities. Officials suspect the weapon could belong to Appu Pillai, summoning him for questioning. Appu asserts the pistol is his, and the locals are warned to be cautious.

During excavation on a neighboring property, a skeleton is unearthed and initially thought to be Chachu. Forensics later reveal the remains belong to a large ape, and the bullet that killed it matches the caliber of Appu's missing pistol.

Appu Pillai is taken in for questioning, but his amnesia yields fragmented answers. Ajay and Aparna visit Sumadathan, who reveals that three years earlier Chachu stole the pistol during Praveena's chemotherapy session and fired, killing an ape; Sumadathan buried the ape to cover the crime. Appu frequently visits Sumadathan, asking the same questions and forgetting in between.

Amrith Lal is revealed to be a psychiatrist hired by Ajayan to monitor Appu's condition, visiting under the guise of a former colleague. He records observations about Appu's health, contributing to the tension of the investigation. The arrangement blurs lines between friendship, family, and professional care.

Aparna breaks into Appu's room and uncovers a hidden collection of notes about Chachu's disappearance. She also discovers Appu's missing revolver concealed in a cabinet, confirming his secret private investigation. She confronts Ajayan with what she has found.

Ajayan explains that three years ago Praveena caught Chachu with the pistol; in the ensuing struggle, Chachu was killed. Praveena later overdosed and died, while Ajayan returned to find Chachu's body missing, the floor cleaned, and Appu disposing of evidence before forgetting the incident. Since then, the family has maintained that Chachu went missing.

Appu Pillai mutters that he cannot imagine any family member as a killer and continues his private investigations, burning notes to conceal what he has learned. The cycle of discovery and forgetting persists as he seeks to protect his family from the truth. The viewer is left with the sense that memory loss fuels an endless pursuit of a truth that may never come to light.

Aparna and Ajayan decide to travel to Nagpur to search for Chachu, while Appu resumes his own investigation. The film closes on a note of an endless cycle of pursuit, guilt, and memory loss, with the family’s future hanging in the balance.