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 – Nadodikkattu (1987)

Trace every key event in Nadodikkattu (1987) with our detailed, chronological timeline. Perfect for unpacking nonlinear stories, spotting hidden connections, and understanding how each scene builds toward the film’s climax. Whether you're revisiting or decoding for the first time, this timeline gives you the full picture.

1

Dasan and Vijayan's underpaid life begins

Dasan, a proud B-Com graduate, and his friend Vijayan work as underpaid peons. Dasan's sharp wit and good looks fuel his insulting attitude toward less educated superiors, straining their relationship. The two share a roommate dynamic filled with comic tension, with Dasan often barking orders for Vijayan to do housework.

Workplace and home
2

Street altercation leads to a shocking twist

On their way to work, they pick a quarrel with an unidentified man. Dasan insults him and shoves him into a rain puddle to attract a woman's attention, while Vijayan punctures the man's car tires. The man turns out to be the new managing director of their company, a shocking twist that changes their fortunes.

Street and workplace
3

Attempt to feign illness and lose their jobs

After the discovery, Dasan and Vijayan disappear from their workplaces and reappear the next day wearing sunglasses and beards. They try to bluff their boss, claiming they were severely ill the previous day. Their ruse is exposed when the boss recognizes them in old office photos, and both are fired.

Office
4

Bank loan for two cows

Unemployed, they are urged by their landlord to take out a bank loan to purchase two cows, imagining a quick path to prosperity. They naively invest in livestock, hoping for steady income. The venture collapses as the cows yield little milk, foreshadowing more trouble.

Home and bank
5

Bank pressure and a Dubai-ward escape plan

Failure to repay triggers bank contact, creating mounting pressure. To dodge debt, Vijayan sells the cows and plans to travel to Dubai with the proceeds. Gafoorka arrives with an offer to take them on his boat, claiming it will detour to their coast.

Bank and Gafoorka's boat
6

Descent to Arabia, only to be duped

On the sea shore, they switch into Arabic attire and head for what they believe is their new life. Two strangers follow them and forcibly swap their suitcases. They soon realize the coast is Chennai, not Arabia, after Gafoorka's scheme lands them far from Dubai.

Arabian coast (Dubai) and Chennai
7

Drugs found in the stolen suitcase and CID confusion

They open the confiscated suitcase and find drugs inside and report it to the police. Meanwhile, the two gang members assume they are part of the undercover CID, misinterpreting the situation. The mistaken identity escalates tension between the criminals and the protagonists.

Chennai
8

New employment at Ananthan Nambiar's office

With the help of Dasan's taxi-driver friend Balan, they land jobs at Ananthan Nambiar's criminal operation. Dasan meets Radha, who becomes their neighbor and later a love interest. Vijayan aspires to act in films and visits director I. V. Sasi's home.

Chennai (Ananthan Nambiar's office)
9

Push-cart vegetable business and budding romance

Dasan starts a small push-cart vegetable business with Radha's help, leading to a minor romance. The venture broadens his horizons beyond office work and establishes a new anchor in the community. Meanwhile Vijayan continues to chase acting dreams.

Colony
10

Kovai Venkatesan's eviction drive and local support

Kovai Venkatesan, a well-connected businessman, tries to evict locals to make room for a private hospital. Dasan and Vijayan stand up to defend the residents, earning them respect among the community. This raises the stakes and intertwines their fate with local politics.

Colony
11

Pavanayi, the hired killer, makes a dramatic entrance

Ananthan Nambiar hires Pavanayi to murder Dasan and Vijayan. Pavanayi arrives at Chennai airport with a box of his 'tools of trade' and boasts about his kills. He ends up dead while attempting the assignment, fueling Nambiar's paranoia.

Chennai Airport
12

Climax at the rundown factory: mistaken enemies

At a rundown factory, Dasan and Vijayan are lured for a supposed job, where both rival gangs converge. A chaotic, mixed fight erupts as both sides misidentify each other as enemies. The police intervene, arresting everyone and ending the confrontation.

Rundown factory
13

Resolution: new police officers and a hopeful future

In a final turn of fate, Dasan and Vijayan are selected into the Tamil Nadu police as Crime Investigation Department officers. They celebrate with Radha as they drive away in a jeep, signaling a fresh, legitimate life.

Police department/Jeep

Last Updated: October 09, 2025 at 14:20

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