Rekhachithram

Story:

Based on a narrative by Ramu Sunil, Rekhachithram (literally “Facial composite”) is a 2025 Indian Malayalam-language mystery criminal drama alternative history film directed by Jofin T. Chacko and written by John Manthrikal. Ann Mega Media and Kavya Film Company produced the movie. Alongside Manoj K. Jayan, Siddique, Jagadish, Saikumar, Harisree Ashokan, and Indrans, it stars Asif Ali and Anaswara Rajan. Vivek returns as SHO in Malakkappara and takes over the suicide case of Rajendran, who disclosed information about a crime he had committed years prior; the investigation results in the disappearance of a young girl from the Kathodu Kathoram filming site, directed by Bharathan.

Filming began on May 3, 2024, and ended on July 15, 2024. Officially, its title was revealed on August 13, 2024. Mujeeb Majeed wrote the score and soundtrack. The film was shot by Appu Prabhakar and edited by Shameer Muhammad. The movie came out in theaters on January 9, 2025.  Critics gave it favorable reviews when it was released, and it went on to become the fourth most grossing Malayalam film of 2025, taking home over ₹57 crore globally.

In the film’s opening scene, four men are seen carrying a dead body out of a house on a gloomy and unsettling night in the past. Two little youngsters are intrigued by the eerie sight and observe this unusual scenario from a distance. One of the boys tells his friend the following day that he seen his father performing in a movie the night before, and he describes the scene where the four guys are carrying a body away.

The story shifts to the present and is told in two parallel stories: one about Vivek Gopinath, a police officer, and the other about Rajendran, a wealthy and elderly businessman. Rajendran and his driver can be seen leaving their home. Sorrow consumes him, and he eventually drives himself to a remote woodland area close to Malakkappara after drinking excessively. While Rajendran looks for a specific location in the woods, sits down, and launches a live broadcast on Facebook, his driver waits in the car. He admits in his live confession that he was formerly poor even though he is now wealthy.

He describes how he and two other people, Francis Thadathil and Vakkachan, buried a dead body under the earth where he is seated in 1985. He ends his own life at the conclusion of the live video. After being seen gambling online while on duty, Circle Inspector Vivek Gopinath will be suspended. Journalist Sereena, his lover, observes as the story is widely reported by the media, turning Vivek into a notorious public figure. Eventually, he is moved to the Malakkappara police station. He gets brought in to look into Rajendran’s suicide on his first day.

When Vivek and his crew start their investigation, they unearth the spot where Rajendran killed himself and find a female skeleton and an anklet. The investigation comes to a standstill since there are no immediate leads as to the deceased’s identity. At the same time, Vakkachan, who is now Vincent, is presented as a prosperous business magnate who is lovingly tending to his sick wife, Alice. Seemingly unaffected by any possible connection to his background, he talks about the probe with his legal advisor, Advocate Jacob. Vincent complies with the police’s request to be questioned but departs without causing any suspicion.

Vivek searches through police files from 1985 for situations involving missing persons because he is determined to find the truth. In an attempt to locate the anklet or the skeleton, he pays visits to the relatives of those who have been reported missing. The lead proves to be untrue, although one old man says he recognizes the anklet. Unwilling to let up, Vivek broadens his search to include fraud cases and finds a missing case connected to a former production controller named Chandrappan. Chandrappan discloses that during the filming of Kathodu Kathoram, a young woman named Rekha, a junior artist, disappeared.

He had to respond by accusing her of fraud and filing a missing person’s case against her. He helps Vivek recreate Rekha’s picture in a sketch after recognizing her from an old song in the film. Vincent exhibits signs of distress and unease upon discovering that Vivek has acquired a sketch of Rekha. Vincent plans the assassination of Chandrappan in order to stifle any additional inquiry. Through his political connections, he makes sure Vivek is taken off the case and put on traffic duty, while Vincent’s influence causes the Crime Branch to take control and methodically eliminate any evidence that would implicate him. Vivek persists in seeking justice in spite of this setback.

He finds Pallassery, a YouTuber and former tabloid journalist who used to cover filming locations extensively. Vivek finds a lead while looking through old photos: Stephy, a nun who had met Rekha and made close friends with her. Stephy describes how she met Rekha while filming Kathodu Kathoram. They became close, and Stephy thought she would make a terrific actor. She had asked Rekha to spend the night at their convent, which was close to the filming site. Rekha and a sizable sum of money from the convent’s safe box were discovered missing the following morning. The sisters decided not to report the incident in order to preserve the convent’s reputation.

However, in order to escape legal action from the movie’s producers, Chandrappan was coerced into making a false police complaint against Rekha because of the shooting delays. After more research, Vivek locates Binu and Sajeevan, who last spoke with Rajendran prior to his suicide. Binu admits that he was the one who saw his father and other men dragging a body when he was a kid, but his father wrote it off as a scene from Kathodu Kathoram. Binu eventually came to the conclusion that Rajendran was involved in what turned out to be a true murder. Binu and Sajeevan had been extorting money from Rajendran using this information. They consent to testify, but Vincent’s goons kill them before they can do so. Despite being discouraged, Vivek persists.

He locates Francis Thadathil, who is recognized by his absent left eye in old photos from the movie shoot. The terrible truth about that fateful night in 1985 is finally revealed by Francis. With the help of a cleaner named Pushpam, Vincent, who was the convent’s assistant to the bishop at the time, had been pilfering little objects. Pushpam enlisted Vincent in her conspiracy to rob the convent’s safe one evening. Pushpam strangled Rekha to death in order to implicate her for the murder. Upon discovering the scene, Francis and Rajendran consented to assist in the body’s disposal in return for a portion of the money that had been stolen. The fact that they buried Rekha in the forest was kept a secret until decades later when Rajendran came clean.

At the hospital where Vincent’s wife, Alice, is being treated, Vivek confronts him. In a message that reads, “Get well soon, Pushpam,” he gives Alice a bouquet. Vivek and Vincent exchange sly looks as Pushpam’s identity as Alice is revealed. Vivek tells his own son about Vincent’s background because he is determined to bring Rekha justice. Vincent’s son, shaken by the news, approaches his parents and demands the truth. Overcome with despair, Vincent kills Pushpam to keep her from facing legal repercussions after realizing their impending demise.

A turning point is reached when actor Jagadish gets in touch with Vivek and discloses that Rekha used to correspond with him via letter. Vivek locates Rekha’s family in Kanyakumari under Jagadish’s direction, and her sister Asha verifies the identification of the anklet. Rekha’s love of movies and her fondness for star Mammootty, to whom she had often sent letters requesting an autographed photo, are recalled by Asha. Vivek, Stephy, and Asha eventually bury Rekha’s bones with dignity after Vincent is taken into custody. In a moving scene, Jagadish gives Vivek an envelope with Mammootty’s autograph on it, which was intended for Rekha. Vivek fulfills the deceased’s long-lost dream by delivering it to Asha.