Marykkundoru Kunjaadu 2010

In a remote village set high in the Kerala hills, a gentle, almost pliant man named Solomon lives under the quiet shadow of tradition. He is the son of the village sexton, and his nature—soft-spoken, cautious, easily startled—earns him the endearing nickname Kunjaadu, or “little lamb.” His world is anchored by his family, including his mother Marychedathy, a woman admired by Ittichan, the village elder who still harbors a soft corner for her. Solomon’s life takes a strange turn when his father’s old wishes about lineage and marriage surface: he names his daughter Mary after Solomon’s own mother, a gesture meant to bind generations and hearts. The elder’s bargain is stark: if Solomon marries someone else, a gold cross will be given to the church; if he chooses to marry his daughter, Solomon must present a cross himself. Yet the town’s gossip mill is loud, and Mary—Solomon’s childhood beloved—carries a quiet fire of her own; she has long loved him, even as her brothers oppose the match and torment Solomon whenever they can.

A stranger arrives with the look—and the aura—of a dangerous man, and Solomon welcomes him as if he were kin. The enigmatic visitor is believed to be his long-lost brother, Jose, and to Solomon’s relief the family embraces him, letting him help with farming and daily toil. This avowed “brother” blends into the household, fighting alongside Solomon when Mary’s brothers push back and proving useful in labor and life. The illusion of brotherhood deepens, and the man earns a place among them, even as the village quietly whispers that something is not right.

The truth emerges with brutal clarity: the man calling himself Jose is a criminal—someone who raped and killed a girl years earlier and spent seven grim years behind bars. Solomon’s trust hardens into a warning: even if he is their brother, danger now lives under their roof, and the house itself could burn if they let their guard down. The adults dismiss the warning at first, but fear quietly takes root. When the family is away, the fire comes, and the house burns to the ground, with everyone believing Solomon to be culpable. Faced with an unbearable accusation, Solomon teeters on despair, even contemplating ending his life, but fate has another twist in store.

Jose’s return with his old ally reveals a deeper plot around the cross and the long-buried secrets of the land. The truth surfaces: Jose had stolen a precious cross, hidden it on Solomon’s land seven years ago, and has now come back to claim it. The real killer of the girl turns out to be Jose’s former associate, tied to a web of love and vengeance that stretches across their tangled past. A climactic clash ensues among Solomon, Jose, and Jose’s companion, during which the ally is overcome, and the timbre of justice rings through the village.

In the tender hours after the confrontation, Solomon’s resolve shines through. He rings the church bell and declares that he has recovered the cross, choosing to shield Jose by revealing that it was he who helped capture the thief, a gesture that stems from the years of feeling like a brother to the man who was never truly family. The community watches in cautious relief as the truth settles, and the elder Ittichan finally steels himself to bring his daughter into Solomon’s life. In a closing moment of quiet, Ittichan Muthalaly arranges the final vow, and the two are united—Mary, the daughter who sparked a powerful love, becomes Solomon’s wife, sealing a future built on forgiveness, resilience, and the healing of old wounds.