Tamil (a South Indian language native to Tamil Nadu) cinema is a true relic. The dramatization of every action illustrates the very essence of Tamil cinema. With the exception of other South Indian language films, there is nothing like it. Chandramukhi (2005) is a comedy horror film starring Rajnikanth and Jyothika. The film draws on classic Tamil cinematic elements (e.g. actions fueled by intense special effects) while using traits of traditional South Indian culture.
The plot centers around Chandramukhi, a ghost who is a Bharatanatyam (classical South Indian dance form) dancer. Two characters in the film, Senthil and Ganga, get married and move into a haunted mansion. This marriage is deemed to be unworthy of Senthil’s family, and stirs up more trouble because Swetha, the person who was supposed to marry Senthil, lives in the mansion next door to the one they purchased. The odd, creepy happenings that ensue are blamed on Swetha, who is believed to be seeking revenge on Senthil and Ganga. A psychiatrist who arrives to evaluate these strange events concludes that they are in fact fueled by Ganga, whose body has been inhabited by Chandramukhi’s ghost. The characters represent two time periods—the monarchist era of Tamil politics and the present day Tamil Nadu, in which conservative familial values persist, as shown by the reaction to Senthil and Ganga’s elopement.
150 years ago, a king fell in love with the courtesan Chandramukhi. Chandramukhi did not reciprocate his love, as she herself was in love with a fellow dancer. This upset the king, who dragged her back to his place of residence. Unbeknownst to the king, Chandramukhi would secretly visit her lover. Once he found out, he killed both Chandramukhi and her lover. Chandramukhi’s goal was to seek revenge on the king, who locked her spirit up in the mansion.
Historically, courtesans or dancers catered to the wealthy, upper class. Under the British colonial rule of India, Devadasis, or temple dancers, were viewed as prostitutes, who were seen as a social evil. Labeled as prostitutes, Devadasis were required to formally register with the government and wrongly accused of spreading sexually transmitted infections to the British. (These infections were spread via brothels, not through Devadasis).
This is one of the constant struggles Devadasis faced. While this film is not a historical representation of Indian culture and events, it is representative of the societal views on and hierarchical devaluation of Devadasis.
In the film, the king takes advantage of his status and power, and feels as though Chandramukhi is obligated to reciprocate his feelings. Ganga hears about this tale and decides to do some exploring by entering Chandramukhi’s alleged former room, where Chandramukhi’s soul enters her body and controls her actions. She is then ultimately responsible for all the unfortunate events that occur within the house, be it planned murder or vengeance.
It is revealed that Ganga has split personality disorder, and in order to relieve her of Chandramukhi’s spirit, the family allows Chandramukhi to burn the psychiatrist alive. I imagine that Chandramukhi views the psychiatrist as the king who once captured and burned her alive; in burning the psychiatrist, she achieves a justice of sorts. However, the family lets the psychiatrist escape, and a sculpture of the king is burned instead.
An intriguing twist to the film is that the psychiatrist and king are played by the same actor, and Ganga and Chandramukhi by the same actress. Jyothika, the actress that plays Ganga and Chandramukhi, does a phenomenal job of representing both a newlywed who eloped with a man whose family disapproves, and the spirit of Chandramukhi who has been wronged and demonized by a man with power and status.
Growing up, this movie terrified me to no end. I would scream whenever Chandramukhi’s face would appear on screen. I am a Bharatanatyam dancer, and going to dance practice after watching this film shook me to my core. Bharatanatyam makeup is incredibly intense and bright, and when smudged all over one’s face, it can look a little frightening. Chandramukhi’s ghost wears messy Bharatanatyam makeup, which terrified me as a child. It is an excellent film that I recommend to native Tamil Speakers and non-Tamil speakers alike. It will scare you and may keep you from sleeping for a few days, but it’s worth it for a taste of the South Indian film industry.
Chandramukhi, played by actress Jyothika.