A forgotten Kerala folk legend where a girl becomes the voice of a goddess — or loses herself trying.
The story of Poomatha, a young girl belonging to the 'puluva' community, is told in the Vadakkanpaattu, the folklore of Northern Kerala.
Direction
Kumaran's documentary-trained eye makes ritual feel dangerously intimate.
Acting
M R Gopakumar's possession sequences — body horror without effects.
Director
K. P. Kumaran
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
The puluva community historically served as ritual singers and mediums; Thottam was among the first films to center their perspective rather than exploit it as exotic backdrop.
Kumaran shot the trance sequences without rehearsal, capturing genuine exhaustion in actors — the blurred line between performance and actual possession mirrors Poomatha's own dissolution.
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