Saithan

Saithan

Year: 2016

Runtime: 124 mins

Language: Tamil

Director: Pradeep Krishnamoorthy

ActionThriller

A software engineer starts hearing a voice inside his head that tells him to go in search of a woman named Jayalakshmi and murder her!

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline & Setting – Saithan (2016)

Explore the full timeline and setting of Saithan (2016). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

Contemporary

The events unfold in modern times, with a contemporary setting that includes medical treatment and urban-rural movement. Flashbacks reveal childhood memories that predate the present, while the plot revolves around memory manipulation and present-day consequences.

Location

Private clinic, Distant village, Hospital

A psychiatrist's private clinic serves as the entry point for Dinesh's treatment, where memories begin to unravel. The story shifts to a distant village shadowed by history, which becomes a crucible for past and present lives. Moments move between a hospital and village scenes as the mind fractures and recalls hidden truths.

🏥 Medical setting 🗺️ Rural landscape 🧭 Mystery environment

Last Updated: October 03, 2025 at 06:22

Main Characters – Saithan (2016)

Meet the key characters of Saithan (2016), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Dinesh / Sharma (Vijay Antony)

A modern man, married to Aishwarya, who is tormented by a malevolent voice. An experimental hypnotic session unlocks memories that reveal a past life and a struggle for control over his body, as Sharma's persona occasionally takes over. The combination of memory, guilt, and desire makes him capable of drastic actions.

🧠 troubled 💔 guilt 🌀 memory fragments 🔄 dual identity

Aishwarya

Dinesh's wife, initially seen as a loving partner but later revealed to be part of a deeper conspiracy around the drug experiments. Her role shifts from care to manipulation as the truth about her intentions comes to light.

💞 love 🕵️‍♀️ deception 🧪 drug plot

Jayalakshmi (Prostitute)

A figure Dinesh encounters in a dangerous moment, whose escape from danger heightens the sense of menace. Her existence becomes entangled with memories and the web of manipulation surrounding the drug operation.

🪤 danger 🕊️ memory 🧭 mystery

Ravi

Dinesh's close friend who tries to help but is killed in a car accident seeded by Dinesh's actions. His death catalyzes guilt and fear in Dinesh, compounding the psychic struggle.

🤝 friendship 💔 tragedy 🧭 memory

Dinesh's Boss

The boss who pushes Dinesh toward the private psychiatric treatment. He represents the professional world that collides with the personal and the paranormal.

🏢 workplace 🧪 experimentation 🧠 pressure

Kitty (Psychiatrist)

The psychiatrist who hypnotizes Dinesh and unveils the memories that threaten to unravel his present. Her guidance accelerates the exploration of past lives and a fractured sense of self.

🧑‍⚕️ medical 🧠 analysis 🌀 mind-travel

Thomas

A figure who uncovers links to the larger drug operation and calls for evidence. He connects Dinesh's cases to a broader conspiracy that extends beyond the personal.

👁️ investigation 🧩 conspiracy 🧭 revelation

Nataraj

A village newcomer who becomes part of the tangled fabric, witnessing the consequences of Sharma's power and the tragedy surrounding the child.

👨‍✈️ outsider 🧭 village 🕰️ history

Auto Driver

A local driver who helps Dinesh navigate the village in search of answers, providing a grounded perspective amid the surreal events.

🚗 traveler 🛺 local 🗺️ search

Dr. Christopher

A doctor involved in the hospital sequence who becomes a casualty in Sharma's dangerous resurgence.

🏥 medical ⚡ danger 🗡️ violence

Last Updated: October 03, 2025 at 06:22

Major Themes – Saithan (2016)

Explore the central themes of Saithan (2016), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

🧠 Memory

The film centers on how memories haunt the protagonist, blurring line between past and present. Hypnosis uncovers fragments of a life the character never lived, driving paranoia and confusion. The narrative treats memory as a powerful force that shapes identity and action.

💔 Guilt

Guilt saturates Dinesh after the car accident that claimed a friend's life and the covert manipulation by external forces. The memory-driven turmoil forces him to confront responsibility and the consequences of actions fueled by fear and desire. Relationships strain as trust erodes under the weight of secrets.

🧩 Identity

Dinesh's body becomes a battleground for Sharma's soul, creating a fractured identity. The film explores how a single person can hold multiple identities, and how forgiveness or vengeance can emerge from that conflict. The past life memory reframes who the protagonist believes himself to be.

💑 Love

Aishwarya's relationship with Dinesh is built on appearances that unravel under deception and manipulation. The memory-triggers and drug trials test their bond, revealing whether love can withstand a mind under siege. The revelation of pregnancy adds another layer to the fragile trust between them.

Last Updated: October 03, 2025 at 06:22

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Explore Movie Threads

Discover curated groups of movies connected by mood, themes, and story style. Browse collections built around emotion, atmosphere, and narrative focus to easily find films that match what you feel like watching right now.

Movies about psychological identity crisis like Saithan

Protagonists who can no longer trust their own minds or memories.If you were fascinated by the psychological unraveling in Saithan, this thread gathers movies where protagonists face a severe identity crisis. These films explore similar themes of memory manipulation, paranoid delusions, and the terrifying question of whether one's own mind can be trusted.

unsettlingparanoidclaustrophobicpsychologicalanxiousidentity crisismemory manipulation

Narrative Summary

These narratives typically follow a character who discovers that their life, relationships, or memories are not what they seem. An external force—be it a manipulative person, a supernatural entity, or a traumatic revelation—pushes them to question their very identity, often leading to a desperate search for the truth amidst increasing psychological distress.

Why These Movies?

These films are grouped together because they share a core focus on the disintegration of the self. They create a deeply unsettling and claustrophobic mood by trapping the audience within the protagonist's unreliable perspective, using similar tones of psychological dread and narrative complexity.

Supernatural possession thrillers similar to Saithan

Stories where a malevolent force invades the mind, commanding dark deeds.For viewers who enjoyed the internal battle against a commanding voice in Saithan, this collection features movies with similar supernatural possession themes. These stories focus on psychological horror where a character is haunted or controlled by an internal entity, blurring the lines between mental illness and supernatural forces.

supernaturalpossessionvengefulmelancholicsombercommanding voiceinternal struggle

Narrative Summary

The narrative pattern involves a character who becomes a vessel for a supernatural force, which may be tied to a tragic past or a quest for revenge. The story unfolds as the host struggles to resist the entity's commands, leading to a climactic confrontation where the truth of the possession is revealed, often with heavy emotional consequences.

Why These Movies?

These movies are united by the specific trope of an internal, supernatural threat that manifests as voices or compulsions. They share a high-tension, dark tone and explore themes of lost agency, past trauma, and the horror of being controlled by an unseen force, creating a coherent and intense viewing experience.

Unlock the Full Story of Saithan

Don't stop at just watching — explore Saithan in full detail. From the complete plot summary and scene-by-scene timeline to character breakdowns, thematic analysis, and a deep dive into the ending — every page helps you truly understand what Saithan is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.

Saithan Summary

Read a complete plot summary of Saithan, including all key story points, character arcs, and turning points. This in-depth recap is ideal for understanding the narrative structure or reviewing what happened in the movie.

Saithan Summary

Saithan Timeline

Track the full timeline of Saithan with every major event arranged chronologically. Perfect for decoding non-linear storytelling, flashbacks, or parallel narratives with a clear scene-by-scene breakdown.

Saithan Timeline

Saithan Spoiler-Free Summary

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Saithan Spoiler-Free Summary

More About Saithan

Visit What's After the Movie to explore more about Saithan: box office results, cast and crew info, production details, post-credit scenes, and external links — all in one place for movie fans and researchers.

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