Android Kunjappan Version 5.25 (2019)

Android Kunjappan Version 5.25
DirectorRatheesh Balakrishnan, Ratheesh Balakrishnan Poduval

Plot

In Kerala, Bhaskaran Poduval (Suraj Venjaramoodu) is a stubborn old man who is very reluctant to adapt to modern technology and is therefore seen as a 'boomer' by some of the younger men in town. He resides in Payyanur with his son, Subramanian alias Chuppan (Soubin Shahir), a mechanical engineer. He is first seen at the Bali ceremony of his friend Kunjappan, who is shown to be a rather short man. As Kunjappan's son Vinu is in the middle of performing the ritual, Bhaskaran questions some aspects of it, eventually infuriating Vinu, who storms off in a rage.

Bhaskaran wants his son to remain by his side during his final days, which is why he forbids him from applying for jobs and insists that he refuse any job offer he receives. Frustrated, Subramanian insists on going to Russia, as he has secured a job at a Japanese Robotics firm there. This leads to an argument between father and son, which ends with Subramanian leaving for Russia.

Once there, he meets Hitomi, the daughter of a Malayali father and a Japanese mother, who is very fond of Kerala and Keralites. They form a close bond, and Hitomi tells Subramanian about her father, who died of Alzheimer's. She also introduces him to the robotic home nurse (an android) who cared for her father during his final days. While repairing the robot, he receives a call from his cousin Prasannan (Saiju Kurup), who takes care of Bhaskaran, informing him that the maid Subramanian had employed to look after Bhaskaran was unsuitable and that he should return home immediately. Subramanian feels guilty about his inability to care for his father, and he discusses the idea of resigning with Hitomi and his boss. However, his boss persuades him not to give up a promising career for a task that someone else can do.

Subramanian returns home with the latest Android Robot (Version 5.25) to care for his father. Although Bhaskaran is initially hesitant to accept the robot into his life, and is even somewhat frightened of it at first, he eventually develops a strong liking for it and unexpectedly becomes deeply attached to it. The robot is named Kunjappan (lit. short man), which creates some confusion among the locals, as Vinu's father shares the same name. Slowly, the robot becomes irreplaceably close to Bhaskaran's heart. Kunjappan also helps Bhaskaran reconnect with his former lover Soudamini on Facebook.

Soon enough, Bhaskaran begins to see Kunjappan as his own son. However, Subramanian becomes increasingly worried about Bhaskaran and decides to quit his job and return home along with Hitomi. Subramanian convinces Bhaskaran to go to the local pond for his bath without Kunjappan. However, after sharing a meal with Subramanian, Bhaskaran sees Hitomi repairing a disassembled Kunjappan. Enraged by the sight, Bhaskaran tries to stop her, but Subramanian restrains him. Bhaskaran furiously asks what Subramanian is playing at, and Subramanian angrily replies that the robot will eventually kill him. Bhaskaran shouts back that even if Subramanian cannot take care of him, he should at least allow Kunjappan to do so. Knowing that his father may suffer cardiac arrest if he becomes too agitated, Subramanian restores Kunjappan to its previous state.

That night, Hitomi and Subramanian watch CCTV footage of an earlier model robot strangling an elderly customer to death — the same man shown at the beginning of the film being attacked. They do not realise what the elderly man had done to provoke the robot into killing him. Alarmed, Subramanian discovers that Bhaskaran and Kunjappan are missing. Bhaskaran has left home with Kunjappan for a nearby forest, where he believes they can live undisturbed. Meanwhile, Subramanian and Hitomi, accompanied by Prasannan, search for them and eventually arrive at the forest.

After Bhaskaran sends a message to Soudamini, Kunjappan tells him that Subramanian was right: he is not a human being, but merely a machine designed to assist him. He says that he neither wants nor understands Bhaskaran's love, and asks Bhaskaran to leave him in the forest and return home. Bhaskaran becomes emotional and heartbroken upon hearing this. When Subramanian finally finds Bhaskaran, Vinu attacks Kunjappan and steals its head. Triggered by its in-built security reflex, Kunjappan strangles Subramanian when he attempts to deactivate the robot. However, Bhaskaran saves Subramanian and pulls Kunjappan's arm away, finally realising how dangerous the robot can be. Afterwards, Bhaskaran, Subramanian, Hitomi, and Prasannan return home, while Kunjappan, abandoned in the forest, begins to glitch before shutting down permanently. During the ride home on the back of Subramanian's motorcycle, Bhaskaran hallucinates Subramanian as Kunjappan and softly whispers Kunjappan's name.

Cast

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