Whistle 2003

On a highway, SJ Arts and Science College student Swetha is found murdered in her car, and she has not been heard from since. She belonged to a tight group of college friends: Jeeva, Vikramaditya the college magazine editor, Anjali, Gayathri Raguram who is his lover, Bharath, Vinod, the college prankster, Meera, who struggles with addiction, and Anjali’s roommate Sharmi, Mayoori who works at the college radio, along with Maya, the RJ of the same station. The group dynamics are clear: Jeeva and Anjali are in a relationship, while Maya quietly harbors a crush on Jeeva.

The campus is famous for the legend of a serial killer named Naga, though many dismiss it as a hoax. Professor Pannerselvam, however, believes in the legend. Behind the college sits an old laboratory, the site of a disastrous fire in 1987 that killed all the occupants. Since then, the ruin is rumored to be Naga’s private residence. One night, Maya and Anjali, having placed a bet, venture to the abandoned place and encounter Vinod, who pretends to scare them but is only playing a prank.

Professor Panner explains the backstory of Naga (Nagammal, known as Naga). Nagammal and a British soldier fell in love, but her own brother killed her by burying her alive. A temple was erected over the grave, and when the temple was demolished to build the college, the legend of Naga began to haunt the area. The theory persists that Naga murders those near her. Vinod’s antics continue, but after a scare involving supposed black magic, it becomes clear he was faking it, though Professor Panner remains skeptical.

Swetha’s death is initially ruled an accident, but Anjali suspects foul play since Swetha was an exceptionally skilled driver. Inspector Syed also considers the possibility of a business rivalry behind the incident. Vinod, seeking a moment of control, lures Anjali to a secluded grove behind the college, attempting to pressure her, but Anjali refuses because she loves Jeeva. Soon afterward, Vinod disappears—his car and body vanish without a struggle, fueling suspicions that the killer is nearby. Anjali shares her fears with her friends, but they remain unconvinced.

As the mystery deepens, Professor Panner and Jeeva emerge as suspects in the eyes of Anjali, who begins to question their motives. In the library, Anjali stumbles upon a book about the lab fire and notices illustrations that eerily resemble Vinod’s death. Maya and Sharmi join her, and Sharmi realizes Vinod was the last person to borrow the book, which suggests he orchestrated the prank after all.

Meera is attacked in her room by an unseen assailant, and when Anjali enters, she finds Meera moaning with the killer’s hand over her mouth. She assumes Meera is just intoxicated until she discovers Meera dead the next moment. Inspector Syed arrives to investigate the new crime, while it slowly becomes apparent that Meera’s shadowy past may hold the key to these murders.

Maya and Sharmi convince Anjali that the killings align with the illustrations from the lab-book and that the danger may strike again at any moment within the campus. A tense scene at the swimming pool, where Maya swims, unsettles Anjali, who mistakes a garbage man for Naga. The truth about Anjali’s school days comes to light: during their final year carnival, the group—except Maya and Jeeva—tormented a junior, Saravathy, by staging a nude photo incident. The girl hanged herself in the classroom, a scandal that earned the six of them a light punishment. Joins the memory: Jeeva keeps Saravathy’s picture in his book, which raises Anjali’s suspicions.

Barath disappears and is later found dead, and Professor Panner is murdered as well. Maya and Anjali visit Jeeva’s home and discover Panner’s corpse. When Jeeva arrives, Anjali escapes and informs Inspector Syed, and the trio flees the scene. The investigators find Jeeva and Panner missing, and suspicion shifts entirely to Jeeva.

Maya and Anjali become convinced that Jeeva is the killer. They warn Sharmi, who later mentions seeing Jeeva at the college radio station, but before they can intervene, Naga kills Sharmi. The trio separates, and Anjali enters the burnt laboratory, where she discovers Vinod, Panner, and Barath’s corpses. Maya awakens to find her bound to a bed, and Anjali’s fate mirrors the danger she foresees.

In a climactic confrontation, Jeeva and Inspector Syed fight. Jeeva reveals that two Nagas have been on the loose: Maya and Baji, the house servant who aided Sara from a young age. They had joined the college to avenge the past and eliminated Panner to protect their secret. Baji and Maya plan to bury Anjali alive like Nagamma did, but Jeeva intervenes to rescue her. Baji is killed, and Syed fatally shoots Maya.

Years later, a fresh batch of college students study the legend of Naga once more. While some students doubt the myth, Maya returns to the site, continuing to believe in the Naga legend. She hints that the traditional tale always begins with skepticism, and she may be ready to strike again against those who refuse to believe. The cycle of fear and belief around the Naga myth ends with Maya’s quiet, ominous suggestion that the story—and the killer—may never truly be gone.