Kanchana Returns (Shivalinga)

Shivalinga tells the story of a dedicated CID officer, Shiva, and his desperate struggle to save his wife, Sathya, from possession by the vengeful spirit of a murdered man named Raheem. The film blends elements of crime thriller, horror, and supernatural drama, exploring themes of love, betrayal, and the pursuit of justice.

The narrative begins with a tragic incident: Raheem and his trained pigeon, Saara, are traveling by train when a seemingly blind man enters their compartment. Raheem, in an act of kindness, prevents the man from falling out of an open door. However, the man reveals himself to be an assassin and throws Raheem off the moving train, resulting in his death.

Raheem’s death is initially ruled a suicide, but his fiancée, Sangeetha, refuses to accept this verdict. She is convinced that Raheem was murdered, a suspicion reinforced by a dream in which Raheem tells her he was killed. At Sangeetha’s insistence, the case is transferred to the CBCID, where it is assigned to the capable and disciplined officer Shivalingeshwaran, known as Shiva.

Shiva is married to Sathya, a woman with a penchant for excitement and adventure. They live in a house located near a cemetery, a detail that adds to the film’s eerie atmosphere. As Shiva begins his investigation into Raheem’s death, Sathya starts experiencing unsettling events. She sees the ghost of a child, which Shiva dismisses as her imagination. To provide additional security, Shiva hires Pattukunjam, a former thief, as a servant and night watchman.

Shiva’s investigation leads him to Raheem’s home, where he interviews Raheem’s family and Sangeetha. He initially suspects Sangeetha’s father, Krishnamoorthy, who disapproved of their relationship, but soon realizes he is not involved in Raheem’s death.

Sathya’s behavior becomes increasingly erratic and unsettling. She begins traveling around the city aimlessly, redecorates their house with green curtains and lights, and inexplicably cooks biryani, a dish she has never made before. Pattukunjam and the other maids inform Shiva of Sathya’s strange actions. Concerned, Shiva consults his friend and psychiatrist, Ashok, who advises him to discreetly observe his wife’s behavior.

One night, Shiva returns home early and hears a man’s voice and smells cigar smoke emanating from Sathya’s room. He enters the room to find a shocking sight: Sathya is possessed by Raheem’s spirit. Raheem, speaking through Sathya, implores Shiva to find his killer and bring him to justice.

Shiva’s investigation intensifies. He reviews security footage from the railway station and identifies the “blind man” as the assassin. He tracks the killer down and confronts him on an empty train carriage. Sathya, still possessed by Raheem, arrives and demands to know why he was murdered. The killer attempts to escape by jumping off the moving train but falls to his death.

Shiva, with the help of Sathya’s mother, Sarala, takes Sathya to a Darga (a Sufi shrine) for an exorcism. A Baba (a Sufi spiritual leader) performs the ritual, temporarily expelling Raheem’s spirit. However, the Baba warns Shiva that the possession will return unless Raheem’s murder is solved.

Driven by his love for Sathya and his commitment to justice, Shiva redoubles his efforts. Raheem’s trained pigeon, Saara, provides crucial clues, aiding Shiva in his investigation. Shiva even interrogates Sathya (while she is not possessed) at the CID conference hall about her connection to Raheem.

Through the interrogation, the truth is revealed: Raheem had once recovered Sathya’s stolen iPad and returned it to her. Refusing to even give his name, Sathya took a picture of him as a token of gratitude. A jealous classmate of Sathya’s saw this picture and, in an act of spite, called Sathya’s father, Viswanathan, falsely informing him that Sathya and Raheem were planning to elope. Enraged by this misinformation, Viswanathan hired David, an assassin, to injure and cripple Raheem.

The revelation of this mistaken identity enrages Raheem’s spirit, who once again possesses Sathya, threatening everyone present. Viswanathan begs for forgiveness, admitting he only intended to harm, not kill Raheem. Shiva pleads with Raheem to leave Sathya’s body, offering to let Raheem possess him instead and promising to deliver the true killer.

The final piece of the puzzle falls into place: it is revealed that a pigeon race organizer, a rival of Raheem and Saara (who were consistently winning races), discovered David’s original assignment to injure Raheem. The organizer offered David a larger sum of money to kill Raheem, eliminating his competition.

The possessed Shiva, now driven by Raheem’s thirst for vengeance, confronts the organizer and his henchmen. He dispatches the henchmen, allowing Raheem to fully possess him and personally kill the pigeon race organizer.

With justice finally served, Raheem’s spirit finds peace and departs. Sathya is freed from the possession. The film concludes with Shiva and a pregnant Sathya happily reunited, their ordeal finally over.