# Kishkindha Kaandam
**Kishkindha Kaandam** (കിഷ്കിന്ധാ കാണ്ഡം; tagged "A Tale of Three Wise Monkeys") is a 2024 Indian Malayalam-language mystery thriller film directed by [Dinjith Ayyathan](https://www.edgepedia.org/dinjith-ayyathan), written and shot by cinematographer Bahul Ramesh, and produced by Joby George Thadathil under Goodwill Entertainments[1](https://www.filmibeat.com/malayalam/movies/kishkindha-kaandam.html). It stars [Asif Ali](https://www.edgepedia.org/asif-ali-actor) as Ajay Chandran, Aparna Balamurali as Aparna, and Vijayaraghavan as Appu Pillai, a retired army officer whose missing licensed pistol sets off a chain of events that exposes buried family secrets[1](https://www.filmibeat.com/malayalam/movies/kishkindha-kaandam.html) • [2](https://chennaifilmfest.com/kishkindha-kaandam/). Released in theaters on 12 September 2024 during the Onam festival, the film became one of the most acclaimed and commercially successful Malayalam releases of the year[3](https://filmibeat.com/malayalam/movies/kishkindha-kaandam/ott.html) • [4](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/amp/story/malayalam/news/2025/Apr/21/sandeep-pradeep-to-lead-kishkindha-kaandam-teams-new-film).
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Release | 12 September 2024 (theaters); 19 November 2024 on Disney+ Hotstar[3](https://filmibeat.com/malayalam/movies/kishkindha-kaandam/ott.html) |
| Runtime | 125 minutes per Indian listings; 122 minutes 44 seconds per the BBFC classification[3](https://filmibeat.com/malayalam/movies/kishkindha-kaandam/ott.html) • [5](https://www.bbfc.co.uk/release/kishkindha-kaandam-q29sbgvjdglvbjpwwc0xmdi0mdyy) |
| Lead cast | Asif Ali (Ajay Chandran KV), Aparna Balamurali (Aparna), Vijayaraghavan (K. Appu Pillai)[6](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt15980138/fullcredits/) |
| Key crew | Bahul Ramesh (story, screenplay, cinematography), Sooraj E.S. (editor), Mujeeb Majeed (music)[1](https://www.filmibeat.com/malayalam/movies/kishkindha-kaandam.html) |
| Box office | Budget $830,000; revenue $8,920,490[7](https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/1025125) |
| Audience rating | 8.0 on IMDb from about 18,000 votes[8](https://www.justwatch.com/in/movie/kishkkindha-kandam) |
| Certification | UA in India; 12A in Ireland; BBFC notes moderate bloody images, domestic abuse, and suicide references[5](https://www.bbfc.co.uk/release/kishkindha-kaandam-q29sbgvjdglvbjpwwc0xmdi0mdyy) • [9](https://www.ifco.ie/en/ifco/pages/2FEAA197005B7383) |
## Spoilers
### Plot and premise
The story follows a household of three: Appu Pillai, a retired military officer with a cognitive impairment he conceals from others; his son Ajay Chandran; and Aparna, Ajay's new wife[10](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt15980138/plotsummary/). After a quiet registered marriage, Aparna moves into the home near a forest overrun by monkeys, and her father-in-law's odd behavior and obsession with finding his lost pistol draw her into investigation[11](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/Malayalam/movie-reviews/Kishkindha-Kaandam/movie-review/113346520.cms) • [12](https://tv.apple.com/us/movie/kishkindha-kaandam/umc.cmc.62r11xvredibe53llmcbxukkz). The Chennai International Film Festival synopsis lists the strands the film ties together: mysterious monkeys in the forest, the missing revolver, Appu Pillai's strange illness, an old Naxalite connection, and the disappearance of his grandson Chachu[2](https://chennaifilmfest.com/kishkindha-kaandam/). Ajayan and Aparna try to uncover the truth while refusing to disclose Appu Pillai's memory ailment or their suspicions to anyone outside the family[2](https://chennaifilmfest.com/kishkindha-kaandam/).
The [British Board of Film Classification](https://www.edgepedia.org/british-board-of-film-classification) describes the film as a sombre Malayalam-language drama in which a married couple desperately try to discover what happened after their young son goes missing[5](https://www.bbfc.co.uk/release/kishkindha-kaandam-q29sbgvjdglvbjpwwc0xmdi0mdyy).
## Production and writing
**A debut screenplay.** Kishkindha Kaandam was Dinjith Ayyathan's second film as director; his debut was *OP.160/18 Kakshi: Amminipilla* (2019), also starring Asif Ali, and he brought more than 14 years of animation-industry and VFX experience to the project[2](https://chennaifilmfest.com/kishkindha-kaandam/). For Bahul Ramesh, a cinematographer since *Mandharam* (2018), it was a first feature as screenwriter[13](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/amp/story/malayalam/interviews/2024/Sep/25/cinematographer-writer-bahul-ramesh-kishkindha-kaandam-wouldnt-have-materialised-had-i-aimed-for-perfection). He wrote the script in eight days, building the story scene by scene around the character of Appu Pillai and revising earlier scenes as the later ones took shape[13](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/amp/story/malayalam/interviews/2024/Sep/25/cinematographer-writer-bahul-ramesh-kishkindha-kaandam-wouldnt-have-materialised-had-i-aimed-for-perfection). The working title was *The Curious Case of Appu Pilla*; during pre-production, references to Hanuman and Sugriva in the script led an assistant director to suggest Kishkindha Kaandam, and Bahul added the tagline "A tale of three wise monkeys"[13](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/amp/story/malayalam/interviews/2024/Sep/25/cinematographer-writer-bahul-ramesh-kishkindha-kaandam-wouldnt-have-materialised-had-i-aimed-for-perfection). Director Dinjith Ayyathan has said the film has no connection to the mythological kingdom of [Kishkindha](https://www.edgepedia.org/kishkindha) despite the title[14](https://www.onmanorama.com/entertainment/interviews/2024/09/22/kishkindha-kaandam-director-dinjith-ayyathan.amp.html).
Bahul's dual role shaped the script in practical ways. He wrote with shoot logistics in mind, placing two hospital scenes with Appu Pillai in the same location so that a day's rent of ₹50,000 for the hospital would be justified[13](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/amp/story/malayalam/interviews/2024/Sep/25/cinematographer-writer-bahul-ramesh-kishkindha-kaandam-wouldnt-have-materialised-had-i-aimed-for-perfection). He has said the presence of monkeys in the story emerged naturally during the writing process[15](https://english.deshabhimani.com/deshabhimani-english-/kerala-news/bahul-ramesh-writing-process-klibf-talk-15665).
**Comparisons and influences.** Viewers drew parallels with [Christopher Nolan](https://www.edgepedia.org/christopher-nolan)'s *Memento* (2000) because of the memory theme and Vijayaraghavan's character. Bahul Ramesh stated that *Memento* was never an inspiration for him, though he acknowledged that the emotional resonance of relationships in *Interstellar* (2014) and *Inception* (2010) may have influenced him[13](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/amp/story/malayalam/interviews/2024/Sep/25/cinematographer-writer-bahul-ramesh-kishkindha-kaandam-wouldnt-have-materialised-had-i-aimed-for-perfection).
## Reception
**Critical response.** The Cinema Express review rated the film 4 out of 5, calling it a powerful drama about the secrets we choose to forget and placing it alongside Malayalam mystery classics such as *Utharam* (1989) and *Kariyilakkattu Pole* (1986)[16](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/malayalam/review/2024/Sep/12/kishkindha-kaandam-movie-review-a-sublime-and-poignant-mystery-bolstered-by-terrific-performances). [The Indian Express](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-indian-express) gave 4 out of 5, describing it as a brilliantly written, skillfully crafted mystery drama and praising Asif Ali's performance as a testament to his untapped potential[17](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/movie-review/kishkindha-kandam-movie-review-asif-ali-aparna-balamurali-9563211/lite/). The Times of India rated it 3.5 out of 5, noting that the screenplay cleverly offers clues that keep viewers intrigued[11](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/Malayalam/movie-reviews/Kishkindha-Kaandam/movie-review/113346520.cms). S. R. Praveen of The Hindu wrote that a flawless screenplay drives the film and that it finds a place among the best mystery dramas [Malayalam cinema](https://www.edgepedia.org/malayalam-cinema) has produced[18](https://www.nowrunning.com/movie/26999/kishkkindha-kandam/reviews/). Gulf News rated it 4 out of 5, calling it a rich web of human experience[19](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/kishkindha_kaandam).
**Commercial performance.** According to The Hollywood Reporter India, judged by how much it earned relative to its cost, the film was headed toward being Malayalam cinema's most successful release of the year[20](https://www.hollywoodreporterindia.com/features/interviews/bahul-ramesh-busts-myths-about-kishkindha-kaandam-his-screenwriting-debut). The Movie Database lists a budget of $830,000 against a revenue of $8,920,490[7](https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/1025125).
## Home media and legacy
[Disney+ Hotstar](https://www.edgepedia.org/disney-hotstar) acquired the digital streaming rights, and the film began streaming there on 19 November 2024 in Malayalam, Hindi, Tamil, Kannada, and Telugu[3](https://filmibeat.com/malayalam/movies/kishkindha-kaandam/ott.html) • [21](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uTvys9PEid8). It is also available on Hulu in the United States[19](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/kishkindha_kaandam).
The film's success led to a reunion of its core team. In April 2025, a new film led by [Sandeep Pradeep](https://www.edgepedia.org/sandeep-pradeep) was launched in Kochi with Bahul Ramesh returning as writer and cinematographer, Sooraj E.S. as editor, Mujeeb Majeed as composer, and Sajeesh Thamarassery as art director[4](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/amp/story/malayalam/news/2025/Apr/21/sandeep-pradeep-to-lead-kishkindha-kaandam-teams-new-film). [Academic writing](https://www.edgepedia.org/academic-writing) has also engaged with the film: a 2025 study examined how it used the epic Ramayana in presenting a modern story[22](https://russian.uoc.ac.in/images/Assonance-25-.pdf), and another paper discussed it in the context of changing portrayals of female characters in recent Malayalam mystery thrillers[23](https://www.alameencollege.org/chursagr/2025/10/last.pdf).
## References
1. [Kishkindha Kaandam Movie, Filmibeat](https://www.filmibeat.com/malayalam/movies/kishkindha-kaandam.html)
2. [Kishkindha Kaandam, Chennai International Film Festival](https://chennaifilmfest.com/kishkindha-kaandam/)
3. [Kishkindha Kaandam OTT Release, Filmibeat](https://filmibeat.com/malayalam/movies/kishkindha-kaandam/ott.html)
4. [Sandeep Pradeep to lead Kishkindha Kaandam team's new film, Cinema Express](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/amp/story/malayalam/news/2025/Apr/21/sandeep-pradeep-to-lead-kishkindha-kaandam-teams-new-film)
5. [KishKindha Kaandam, British Board of Film Classification](https://www.bbfc.co.uk/release/kishkindha-kaandam-q29sbgvjdglvbjpwwc0xmdi0mdyy)
6. [Kishkindha Kaandam full cast & crew, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt15980138/fullcredits/)
7. [Kishkindha Kaandam (2024), The Movie Database](https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/1025125)
8. [Kishkindha Kaandam streaming, JustWatch](https://www.justwatch.com/in/movie/kishkkindha-kandam)
9. [Kishkindha Kaandam, Irish Film Classification Office](https://www.ifco.ie/en/ifco/pages/2FEAA197005B7383)
10. [Kishkindha Kaandam plot summaries, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt15980138/plotsummary/)
11. [Kishkindha Kaandam Movie Review, The Times of India](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/Malayalam/movie-reviews/Kishkindha-Kaandam/movie-review/113346520.cms)
12. [Kishkindha Kaandam, Apple TV](https://tv.apple.com/us/movie/kishkindha-kaandam/umc.cmc.62r11xvredibe53llmcbxukkz)
13. [Cinematographer-writer Bahul Ramesh interview, Cinema Express](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/amp/story/malayalam/interviews/2024/Sep/25/cinematographer-writer-bahul-ramesh-kishkindha-kaandam-wouldnt-have-materialised-had-i-aimed-for-perfection)
14. [Kishkindha Kaandam director Dinjith interview, Onmanorama](https://www.onmanorama.com/entertainment/interviews/2024/09/22/kishkindha-kaandam-director-dinjith-ayyathan.amp.html)
15. [I Write Only What Can Be Shot on Screen: Bahul Ramesh, Deshabhimani](https://english.deshabhimani.com/deshabhimani-english-/kerala-news/bahul-ramesh-writing-process-klibf-talk-15665)
16. [Kishkindha Kaandam Movie Review, Cinema Express](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/malayalam/review/2024/Sep/12/kishkindha-kaandam-movie-review-a-sublime-and-poignant-mystery-bolstered-by-terrific-performances)
17. [Kishkindha Kandam movie review, The Indian Express](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/movie-review/kishkindha-kandam-movie-review-asif-ali-aparna-balamurali-9563211/lite/)
18. [Kishkkindha Kandam Reviews, Nowrunning](https://www.nowrunning.com/movie/26999/kishkkindha-kandam/reviews/)
19. [Kishkindha Kaandam, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/kishkindha_kaandam)
20. [Bahul Ramesh Busts Myths About Kishkindha Kaandam, The Hollywood Reporter India](https://www.hollywoodreporterindia.com/features/interviews/bahul-ramesh-busts-myths-about-kishkindha-kaandam-his-screenwriting-debut)
21. [Kishkindha Kaandam Now Streaming, JioHotstar on YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uTvys9PEid8)
22. [Assonance, No. 25, January 2025, University of Calicut](https://russian.uoc.ac.in/images/Assonance-25-.pdf)
23. [Al-Ameen College research paper on Malayalam mystery thrillers](https://www.alameencollege.org/chursagr/2025/10/last.pdf)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Individual films by title and year › Indian films (individual works) › Malayalam films of the 2020s › Malayalam films of 2024*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 18, 2026; Oct 3, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 18, 2026; Oct 3, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026; Nov 1, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
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License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license