‘Rekhachithram’ Ending Explained: Unravelling the Murder Mystery and Mammootty’s Impact in Asif Ali-Anaswara Rajan’s Investigative Thriller (SPOILER ALERT)

Asif Ali and Anaswara Rajan lead the cast of Rekhachithram, a new Malayalam investigative thriller directed by Jofin T Chacko (The Priest). The movie is performing well in Kerala and is on track to become Malayalam cinema's first hit of 2025. Scripted by John Manthrickal and Ramu Sunil, Rekhachithram features Asif Ali as CI Vivek Gopinath, a police officer returning from suspension to resume duty in Malakkara. He finds himself investigating the case of an unidentified human remains discovered in the forest after a man named Rajendran (played by Siddique) confesses to burying a body there years ago with two others, before dying by suicide on a live video broadcast. ‘Rekhachithram’ Movie Review: Asif Ali and Anaswara Rajan Impress in This Creative Blend of Cinema Nostalgia and Absorbing Mystery 

SPOILERS AHEAD - During his investigation, Vivek comes to believe that the skeletal remains belong to Rekha (Anaswara Rajan), a junior artiste who had been part of the 1985 Mammootty-starrer Kathodu Kathoram, directed by the late Bharathan. Rekha had played one of the nuns in the famous "Devadoothar Padi" song sequence (not in real-life), the film uses alternative history to present Rekha's story, but she vanished mysteriously the day after filming her part, leaving no trace of her whereabouts. The film follows Vivek as he not only solves the mystery and brings the culprits to justice but also honours the memory of a spirited young woman whose life was tragically cut short because she happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Watch the Trailer of 'Rekhachithram':

To fully understand the circumstances of Rekha’s death and uncover her identity, the film divides its conclusion into four major revelations. Be warned—there are MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD for those who haven’t watched the movie.

'Rekhachithram' SPOILER: Who Killed Rekha and Why?

Rekha was killed simply because she was in the wrong place at the wrong time. While at Malakkara for the Kathodu Kathoram shoot, she was invited by a nun, Sister Stephy, to stay overnight at the convent. Unbeknownst to Rekha, she was about to get entangled in a sinister plan.

Vincent, a student at the convent who later became known as Vakachhan, conspired with Pushpam, a helper at the convent, to steal money and groceries from the church. The two, who were in a relationship and wanted to elope, devised a plan to steal the church’s donation money. Pushpam needed a scapegoat, and Rekha’s presence became a convenient opportunity.

Although the plan was only to steal the money, Pushpam ended up killing Rekha and coerced Vincent and their accomplices into burying her body. Rajendran and Francis, who had been suspicious of Vincent’s activities, stumbled upon the crime and, driven by greed, helped bury the body without knowing the victim’s identity. They divided the stolen money and went their separate ways.

The church, eager to avoid scandal, covered up the theft and blamed an absent Rekha for the missing donations. As a casting agent had already filed a fraud case against her, the church assumed the police would eventually locate her. However, Rekha was never found, and the culprits escaped justice.

In the present day, Vincent, now married to Pushpam (who changed her name to Alice), realises their secret is about to be exposed. With Pushpam bedridden and dying, Vincent mercy-kills her to spare her from facing prison. He is later arrested after Vivek gets Francis to confess to the crime and becomes an approver. PS: Is it us or was Pushpam inspired by Sukumara Kurup's killing of Chacko which happened months before the events of the convent theft?

'Rekhachithram SPOILER': Who Was Rekha, and What Was Her Connection to Mammootty?

Vivek knew how and why Rekha was murdered, and who murdered her, but without confirming the skeletal remains were of hers, the culprits could go scot-free.

Vivek's breakthrough comes when a friend publishes an interview with Sister Stephy, which catches the attention of actor Jagadish. Jagadish recalls that Rekha inspired him to create the character Lissy in the 1985 film Mutharamkunnu PO, where the character is a fan of Mammootty. Jagadish had received his first fan letter from Rekha after his debut in My Dear Kuttichathan (1984) and vividly remembered her name and address. PS: This is purely fictional, like the rest of the film, though of course, Mutharamkunnu PO is a real movie.

'Mutharamkunnu PO' Scene

Using this information, Vivek tracks down Rekha’s younger sister in Kanyakumari, who identifies an anklet found with the remains and shares Rekha’s story. Rekha, a huge Mammootty fan, developed an obsession with cinema after her family moved near a VCR store. She wrote fan letters to Mammootty and other stars and dreamed of entering the film industry.

Jagadish’s last letter to Rekha, advising her to focus on her studies, likely fell into her father’s hands, leading to a confrontation. Stung by her father’s reaction, Rekha ran away from home to pursue her dreams of acting, a decision that tragically led to her untimely death. ‘Sookshmadarshini’ Ending Explained: Decoding the Twisty Finale and the Villain’s Diabolical Plan in Nazriya Nazim and Basil Joseph’s Mystery-Thriller.

'Rekhachithram' SPOILER: How Mammootty Completes Rekha's 'Chithram'

Although Mammootty does not physically appear in the film, his influence looms large thanks to Rekha's fan-love for him and because her murder was associated during the Kathodu Kathoram shoot. AI technology recreates his appearance from the Kathodu Kathoram shooting days for a couple of scenes, and they were nicely done. Tragically, Rekha never got the chance to interact with Mammootty as she had hoped; even the shoot of the song was interrupted by rain, and the scene that she was supposed to do with him the next day never happened because she got killed.

In the epilogue, Mammootty, moved by Rekha’s story, sends a postcard through Vivek to her sister, acknowledging Rekha’s admiration for him. While Mammootty’s voice is only heard, his physical absence ensures the narrative remains focused on Rekha and her story, rather than being overshadowed by the superstar’s presence.

Rekhachithram is more than just an investigative thriller - it is a poignant story (or chithram) about Rekha, told through the lens of a murder mystery. What begins as a search to identify an unknown corpse concludes with Rekha finally receiving the recognition and closure she deserved. From being reduced to an unclaimed set of skeletal remains, Rekha’s journey comes full circle when she is honoured with a proper burial and a heartfelt tribute from her idol, Mammootty, decades after her death.

(The opinions expressed in the above article are of the author and do not reflect the stand or position of LatestLY.)

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 13, 2025 08:44 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).