Mullum Malarum (1978): Cast & Plot

Orphaned at a young age, Kali and his sister Valli survived by performing on the streets—Kali on the drums, Valli perched atop a pole balanced by an older boy. As adults, the siblings live in a hilltop village where Kali works for a powerhouse in the valley below, operating a winch from a shed that ferries workers to and from the tunnel below. The powerhouse’s new divisional engineer, the rule-abiding but fair Kumaran, notices Kali offering free rides to unauthorized townspeople. When he orders the passengers out, citing rules of operation, Kali becomes angry and stops the trolley halfway downhill. Kumaran shrugs off this act with a knowing smile, signaling a tension that will simmer between them.