Eko (എക്കോ)

Hey, I couldn't get "The Times of India". "The Hindu" would be okay, right?

Hey, what room is Mohan Pothan in?

In 203.

Mohan Pothan sir?

- Appootty? - That's me.

Thomas sir asked me to be here by eight.

Oh, sharp!

- Had anything to eat? - Yes, I ate before I came.

- Fine. Shall we get going? - Sure.

- Go ahead and put these bags in the jeep. - Okay.

You've heard of the Brahmagiri forests in Karnataka, haven't you?

The place you mentioned, Kaattukunnu hills, is right opposite it.

So you can see Karnataka from there.

You bet!

You know what a cogwheel is, right?

That area is like a cogwheel of mountains.

They're all intertwined.

If one hill is in Kerala, the next one is in Karnataka.

Then again, you're back in Kerala.

How did you come to know about this place, sir?

From an old acquaintance.

We used to work together.

He always used to say he had a house and plenty of land there.

Whose land and house could that be, if not Kuriachan's?

I was talking about Kuriachan himself.

Breeder Kuriachan?

That's right.

Oh! So you two are friends? I see!

Oh no!

Oh no!

What's in there, sir? A lion?

Take the bags and go ahead, Appootty.

I'll bring this one.

No ghost's going to jump out, Appootty.

No need to be frightened.

It's just a dog in heat.

- A bitch. - Got it, got it.

LEENAMOL

I must say, sir, this is quite an unusual idea.

What?

This whole scheme to produce an illegitimate offspring.

Plenty of folks come by to watch or to lay traps,

saying the dogs up in Kaattukunnu hills are thoroughbreds.

As if any of their tricks would work on those beasts!

It was a breed once native only to Malaysia.

They look just like our strays,

but they're a whole different stock.

Kuriachan and I once went to Malaysia to study them.

Seriously, is there any place Kuriachan hasn't gone looking for dogs!

All the ones here are descendants of the dogs he brought back from Malaysia.

These days, you won't find the pure breed even in Malaysia.

- How come? - They've all been cross-bred.

Now, only your Kaattukunnu hills still have the true-born kind.

Kuriachan usually has a knack for ruining everything.

At least this breed of dogs survived, thanks to him!

Should we go any further?

This is as far as the public land goes.

The 150 acres uphill from here belong to Kuriachan.

No, let's not.

Let's not trespass on anyone's private property.

- Appootty, go ahead and unload the stuff. - Okay.

Besides, it's better we don't go any further.

No point startling that lady for no reason.

Which lady?

Mlaathi Chettathi.

Kuriachan's wife from Malaysia.

So you two are close and you haven't met his family?

How many of them am I supposed to meet?

I've met his wives in Thiruvalla and Thrissur.

I heard he hasn't kept in touch with them much

since the Malaysian one came along.

Yeah, that's the power of Mlaathi Chettathi.

You could say Kuriachan's fortunes really turned after he married her.

Rumor has it that she knows a bit of Malaysian black magic.

So, how's the search for Kuriachan coming along?

Oh! What search?

It's been what… five, six years now?

There was a newspaper report once that he'd gone to see his woman in Perumbavoor.

Here, all she ever gets are letters.

Wherever he may be,

Kuriachan can vanish long before the police even catch his scent.

She's a beauty, isn't she, Appootty?

Won't she be enough to drive every stud around here wild?

I know nothing at all about the mating science of dogs.

Are you planning to stay in the forest till she's "loaded", sir?

If I'm not here to see it, how will I know the job's done?

And what about food?

I've brought enough supplies for three weeks.

Besides, the forest always has fruits and berries.

I'm well accustomed to that kind of lifestyle.

Anyone who's spent time with Kuriachan

is bound to have some of that wind rub off on them!

EIGHT MONTHS LATER

Doctor, if we climb any higher, the engine will give up.

- You or the engine first, Chetta? - Zip it.

Just get it over with and send the doctor back.

We need to get down the hill before dark.

The house is about 100 meters from that tamarind tree.

What about the 200 meters just to get to the tree?

I'll be right back.

He really is a doctor, right?

Absolutely!

Anyway, stay with Chettathi while he examines her.

Okay.

Still getting used to this place, are you?

Yes.

I figured.

Most people posted here are from down south.

Feeling breathless?

From the sound of it… what do you think?

We're at a pretty high altitude, right?

You need more Vitamin E.

Eat butter fruit and papaya.

Just look at me.

I see.

Hey!

Move!

Are they yours?

No, they just hang around here.

Your ears don't feel blocked, do they?

I had some bread soaked in milk.

Alright.

You'll be fine.

Don't turn on your side. Just lie flat on your back, alright?

Everyone calls me Mlaathi Chettathi.

- You asked my name, right, doctor? - Yes, yes.

- So it really is an ear balance issue? - Yes.

She doesn't normally have hearing trouble, does she?

Hearing trouble?!

I'm too scared to even think anything bad about her.

She's got supersonic hearing.

Okay then.

I'll just walk the doctor to the jeep.

Okay.

I know the way. I'll be fine.

No, I'll come with you.

The dogs might be around.

They can be a bit aggressive with strangers.

They're calmer when Chettathi or I'm around.

At this altitude, even high blood pressure can cause ear balance issues.

Right.

She's had heart surgery, right?

- Two of them. - I see.

With all her ailments, living in a place like this…

- Doctor… - Yes?

- For the jeep? - No, I already paid him at the stand.

You need to pay the full fare upfront to get here.

They won't even start the trip otherwise.

Please lift this up.

Siby? Who's on the line?

Siby, can you hear me?

Yeah, Appootty Chetta. Shajan here. Go ahead.

Right, Shajan…

I've just started heading downhill from here.

Departed at 7:15.

At 7:15. Okay, come. Over, over.

Okay, over, over.

What's this all about?

It's a system the police have in place.

- Did you hear me say that we left at 7:15? - Yes.

If the jeep doesn't reach the base by 8:00,

the folks down there are supposed to notify the police.

Here you go.

Oh, I couldn't get the rock candy.

It slipped my mind.

I was rushing to get the doctor before he left for the day.

I'll bring it the day after tomorrow.

Why the day after tomorrow?

I'll be going to the post office the day after tomorrow.

She has been like this since morning.

Is something wrong?

She'll be giving birth soon.

That's why.

- Chettathi! Hey! Chettathi! - What?

Call me if you need to go to the toilet.

You don't have to seat me on your lap like a child to make me pee.

Don't treat me like a bedridden hag just because I felt a little dizzy!

Good morning!

Oh, you are up?

I'll get you some coffee right away.

ANGEL

Hey, Peeyoos!

Hasn't the new issue of "Lustful Flower" come in, Chetta?

I had ordered ten copies.

They sold out before I even got the kettle boiling.

That's how horny your townsfolk are!

Yeah, right! As if you came in here asking for herbal medicine!

By the way, Pappachan sir was looking for you.

- What's the matter? - You think he'd tell me?

He just poked his head out of the car and asked.

If he comes around, just tell him I'm at the post office.

Hey, is it payday?

Yes.

Who is this boy?

That's Peeyoos.

You know that Malaysian lady, Kuriachan's wife?

Their children hired Peeyoos to take care of her.

They feared those coming after Kuriachan might harm her.

If anything happened to her,

the land and property would get stuck in legal mess, right?