Cast

Credited cast:
	Shoba	...	Rekha
	Pratap K. Pothen	...	Chandru
	Kanthimathi	...	the Madam of the brother
	Mohan	...	Bhaskar
	Bhanu Chander	...	Ravi

Storyline

Moodu Pani (English: The Mist) is a 1980 Indian Tamil-language thriller film written, directed and filmed by Balu Mahendra and produced by Raja Cine Arts. Starring Shoba and Pratap K. Pothen in the lead roles, with N. Viswanathan, Ganthimathi, Mohan and Bhanu Chander in supporting roles, it is based on two novels: Idhuvum Oru Viduthalai Thaan (1978) by Rajendra Kumar, and The Collector (1963) by John Fowles. The film tells the story of Chandru (Pothen), who has a strong hatred towards prostitutes and would kill any such woman whom he encounters. He falls in love with Rekha (Shoba) and believes marrying her will end his psychological distress.

Moodu Pani was the third directorial venture of Mahendra and his second Tamil film after Azhiyatha Kolangal (1979). It was the first appearance of Mohan in a Tamil film; he would later become a successful actor in the industry. Moodu Pani was shot mostly in Bangalore, with additional filming taking place in Ooty. The film's similarities to Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho (1960) and the Oedipal elements between Chandru and his mother have been widely discussed. The soundtrack was composed by Ilaiyaraaja, this being his 100th film, and his brother Gangai Amaran was the main lyricist.

Moodu Pani was released on 6 November 1980 to critical acclaim, with particular praise for the performances of Pothen and Shoba, and Ilaiyaraaja's music, especially the song "Yen Iniya Pon Nilavae". The film was a commercial success, running for 250 days in theatres. It was also responsible for a resurgence of the thriller genre in Tamil cinema at that point. Despite the film propelling Pothen to stardom, it also led to him being typecast in similar roles.

Chandru, the managing director of an export company in Bangalore, has a hatred for prostitutes since childhood, as he was the victim of a prostitute who ruined his family by taking his father away from his mother. Raghunath, a police inspector, knows Chandru and his mother. His son Ravi is engaged to Rekha, the daughter of his friend.

Haunted by memories of the prostitute, Chandru lures two prostitutes to lonely places and murders them as he sees that woman in each of them. Rekha's female friend Pallavi comes to Bangalore to meet her, and telephones her for her residential address. The conversation is overheard by the Madam of a brothel, who misleads Pallavi. Instead of being taken to Rekha's house, Pallavi is taken to the brothel and forced into prostitution. Rekha and Raghunath search for Pallavi. Chandru comes to the same brothel and takes Pallavi in his car, but kills her. Rekha learns of Pallavi's murder through Raghunath; neither Rekha nor Raghunath are aware that Chandru is the murderer.

Still photographer Bhaskar takes pictures of his lover with a motorbike in the background. Chandru, who had come on that motorbike, had parked it there and murdered a prostitute who enticed him near the same location, then rode away. Reading about the murder in a newspaper, Bhaskar shows Raghunath the pictures with the murderer's motorbike in the background. Raghunath investigates and learns that the owner has lent it to his friend.

Troubled by his constant anger, Chandru meets with a psychiatrist who advises him to marry soon so that he will no longer be lonely, saying the loneliness is leading him to dwell on his past and indulge in extreme acts. Chandru meets Rekha at a theatre and then at a book stall. He proposes to Rekha and even pleads with her to marry him. Surprised at his extreme pleading, Rekha politely informs him that she loves someone else (Ravi), and their marriage is already fixed. Raghunath is startled when Rekha tells him about Chandru's marriage proposal.

Chandru keeps following Rekha; one day when she goes to visit her friend, he makes her unconscious and takes her away to a bungalow in Ooty. When she regains consciousness, he tells her that he had purchased this house in Ooty only for her, and again asks her to marry him. When Rekha refuses and begs to be freed, he asks her to stay for at least a month so that she can understand him better, and then reduces it to a week. He makes all the arrangements to ensure that she cannot escape. Rekha later slams Chandru with a spade and runs away. However, he catches and imprisons her in the garage of his house, but is hospitalised for his injury.

Raghunath visits Chandru's office for an enquiry and learns that he has gone to Ooty. He also meets Chandru's psychiatrist and learns about his hatred for prostitutes. He immediately connects this with the recent news of the prostitutes murdered in the city. He visits Chandru's house. Hidden in the garage, he finds the same motorbike photographed by Bhaskar. With his suspicions growing stronger, he arrives in Ooty to meet Chandru and visits the police station, where he finds Chandru's car. The area's inspector tells Raghunath that an unknown person came in the car to the hospital and was admitted; the car was brought to the police station for safety. Raghunath visits the hospital, but finds that Chandru has left. Raghunath is joined by Ravi, and both rush to Chandru's house.

Meanwhile, Rekha escapes from the garage and enters the room where Chandru earlier claimed his mother stays. However, she finds only a skeleton and is cornered by Chandru, who tries to assault her. Ravi and Raghunath hear Rekha screaming and rush to the room. Raghunath subdues Chandru, who collapses and reveals that the skeleton is his mother's. Raghunath understands Chandru's love for his mother and his traumatic childhood, which had made him develop a hatred for women with loose morals. Chandru is arrested, while Rekha and Ravi unite.   

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