Nadodikkattu

Nadodikkattu

Year: 1987

Runtime: 158 mins

Language: Malayalam

Director: Sathyan Anthikad

Comedy

After losing their jobs, Dasan and Vijayan have no hope of finding work in Kerala. They plan to escape to Dubai, but end up in Chennai. Can they find luck there?

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline & Setting – Nadodikkattu (1987)

Explore the full timeline and setting of Nadodikkattu (1987). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

1980s

The film is set in the late 1980s urban India, a period marked by rapid modernization and bureaucratic quirks. Educated youths confront underemployment and the lure of quick riches through dubious schemes. The social dynamic—evictions, bank loans, and crime—reflects the era's tensions and ambitions.

Location

Chennai, Dubai

Chennai serves as the central urban setting where most of the action unfolds, including office life, eviction conflicts, and the encounters with crime. The journey also touches Dubai, representing the dream of wealth that drives the characters’ schemes and decisions. Together, these locations frame a contrast between ordinary colony life and the lure of distant shores.

🏙️ City life 💼 Bureaucracy 🗺️ Travel and aspiration 🕵️ Crime and danger

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 13:58

Main Characters – Nadodikkattu (1987)

Meet the key characters of Nadodikkattu (1987), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Dasan (Mohanlal)

An educated but proud young man acting as a peon who resents superiors with lesser qualifications. His sharp wit and flashy attitude fuel comic tension with Vijayan, yet his loyalty to his friend pushes him toward growth. Over the course of the story, his schemes to rise in life are tempered by a desire to do right by those around him, culminating in an unexpected career shift into the police.

🤓 Intelligent 🎭 Comedic 💼 Ambitious

Vijayan (Sreenivasan)

Dasan's roommate and pragmatic foil, Vijayan is less educated but street-smart and adaptable. He sustains the duo's schemes with a grounded, humorous perspective and dreams of acting in films. His resilience and wit help the pair navigate a cascade of misadventures.

🤝 Friendship 💪 Resilience 😂 Comedy

Gafoor (Mamukkoya)

A genial boatman who lures the duo with promises of wealth from a glamorous life in Dubai. His charm conceals a calculating nature as he steers them toward ill-fated plans, triggering the tale's cascade of events into the city’s criminal milieu.

🧭 Trickster 🌊 Smuggling

Ananthan Nambiar (Thilakan)

A ruthless underworld don whose paranoia and scheming drive the central conflict. He hires Pavanayi and manipulates violence to protect his interests, creating a looming threat for Dasan and Vijayan.

🗡️ Crime lord 👺 Power

Pavanayi (Captain Raju)

A boastful contract killer whose showy style and bluster invite ridicule, until his murder marks a turning point in the underworld plot.

⚔️ Violence 💥 Action

Radha (Shobana)

Dasan’s neighbor and romantic interest who also assists with the push-cart venture. Her support helps anchor Dasan and Vijayan in their changing world.

💞 Romance 🏡 Neighbor

Kovai Venkatesan

A well-connected businessman/politician who tries to evict locals to make way for a private hospital, becoming a central obstacle the duo must confront.

🏛️ Power 💼 Politics

I. V. Sasi

Himself cameo; the renowned director appears briefly within the narrative, adding a meta-layer to the film’s world.

🎬 Cameo

Seema

Seema appears in a cameo as herself, adding a touch of film industry world to the story.

🎬 Cameo

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 13:58

Major Themes – Nadodikkattu (1987)

Explore the central themes of Nadodikkattu (1987), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

🎭 Friendship

Dasan and Vijayan form a comedic yet loyal duo whose constant friction fuels the film's humor and growth. Their rivalry over education and status slowly gives way to mutual reliance as they navigate jobs, scams, and danger. The friendship endures through misadventures, shaping their unlikely path into the police force.

💭 Aspiration vs Reality

Both men chase a brighter future, using schemes and courage as stepping stones. The promise of wealth—whether through a cows venture or a glamorous life abroad—collides with harsh reality. The failures teach resilience and lead to a surprising career change toward public service.

🤝 Social Justice

Dasan and Vijayan stand against Kovai Venkatesan's eviction drive, defending locals and earning the respect of their neighbors. Their actions critique corruption and highlight community solidarity in the face of private development. The climax, with their entry into the Tamil Nadu police, reorients their misadventures toward public service.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 13:58

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Nadodikkattu Summary

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