Kadamattathu Kathanar (TV series)

Kadamattathu Kathanar is an Indian Malayalam-language supernatural drama television series that originally aired on Asianet from 2004 to 2005. Asianet retelecast the series on Asianet Plus from March 2016.^[1] Prakash Paul plays the title character.^[2]

Kadamattathu Kathanar (an oriental Syriac priest of Kadamattom Church) also known as Kadamattathachan (Father Kadamattom) is a legendary priest from the 9th century AD who is believed to have possessed supernatural powers and whose legends are closely related to the beginning of the Kadamattom Church, one of the oldest church buildings that still exists in Kerala the land of Saint Thomas Christians.

Despite having learned sorcery from a mysterious and powerful source, Kathanar performed most of his feats by deriving power directly from God, through a direct prayer, invoking the Holy Spirit. This made him invulnerable to most sorcerers of the era.

The series depicts the myriad exorcisms of ghosts and other evil spirits he performed and the magical challenges he had to face along the way from other evil sorcerers. The most famous among them revolves around a traditional family in Kerala which was haunted by Kalliyankattu Neeli, a vampiric Yakshi. The family seeks the help of Kadamattathu Kathanar, a Christian priest who was believed to have supernatural powers to gage them out of the problems happening around the family.^[3]

This story revolves around a traditional family Vamanam Tharavadu in Kerala which is haunted by a Yakshi, a vampire, which sports multiple appearances and displays tremendous power compared to ordinary ghosts, and kills some of the family members of Vaamanam Tharavadu and terrorising the whole village. Mepradan manages to subdue and absorb the Yakshi in an idol with his black magic, but on his way to properly consecrate the same and conclude the ceremony, the Yakshi demonstrates her cunning by seducing and waylaying his proteges, thereby escaping the idol and showed them her five appearances including her real appearance, seeing that proteges start running and subsequently killing Mepradan by burning him alive.The family then calls Reverent Kadamattom, a Christian priest who was believed to have supernatural powers to gauge them out of the problems happening around their family.

Kathanar arrives and subdues Neeli and makes her recite her story. Neeli is from Kilipadi village. Her parents are pot makers.A pregnant Neeli and her family was murdered by Ittan Pada Nair for marrying kannappan of the Vaamanam Tharavadu.Neeli returned as a vengeful spirit, killed Ittan Pada Nair and started haunting their family.Kathanar pities her and rather than annihilate her to liberation, decides to give her a chance in the earthly realm. Keeping her in control with a nail driven down into her head, he leaves her in service of a poor old woman along the way.However, Neeli takes her chance and flees when the old lady spots the nail and drives it off. Kathanar is forced to pursue Neeli again and corners her from an island and subdues her again. This time he settles her then and there as a demi-goddess for the villages, giving her another chance at earthly salvation.

The story starts by introducing Seetha and her daughter Lakshmikutti. Seetha's husband was missing when Lakshmi was infant. She is so close to Kathanar, and Kathanar likes her very much since he is fond of children. Chadayan, a student as well as the adopted son of Lada guru turns evil under the influence of a petty sorceress Durgamma and acquires power by murdering the Guru, imprisoning his son Nathan, and laying his hands on the treasure of 13 ancient grimoires that their family traditionally protected. The contents of the grimoires supposedly promise ultimately godlike powers to him on sacrificing young virgins who were 18 years old, born of each of the 27 nakshatras said in the 13 grimoires.He assigned Durgamma the task of bringing girl showing in the magical water.

Durgamma starts kidnapping girls under Chadayan's order and sacrificed them.Kathanar warned villagers regarding Chadayan's atrocities.Chadayan remove Durgamma from his mission since she used her power for other purpose.Durgamma understood that Lakshmikutti is the final sacrifice.To destroy Chadayan, she decided to kill the child before him.She uses a poisonous snake to kill Lakshmikutti. The snake bit her, but Kathanar saved her, and he uses the same snake to chase and kill Durgamma. Chadayan disguised as Kathanar tricked Seetha and took Lakshmikutti. Kathanar went to Chadayan's place, and a fight started. Kathanar defeated his accomplices. After that, he defeated Chadayan in a fierce and prolonged battle, at the end of which Chadayan is left blind with his castle crumbling down on him. He releases Nathan from prison. He took Lakshmikutti and brought her to her mother, Seetha, who felt happy after seeing her daughter. One day, Kathanar came to Seetha's home and showed them a guest who came along with him. Seetha was surprised to see her husband Devan and all three of them reunited. Seeing the happy family, Kathanar departed. Chadayan's demi-god of worship reappears and grants him his vision back.

The historic Kumkumathu Kovilakam is haunted by a murderous evil spirit which plays upon the deep desires and fears of the members.One night, Ambika hears the crying of a baby, and she goes outside to look. In the morning, Devika's husband Achan Thamburan find dead in lake.Ambika attacks Devika but she is saved by warriors of Kovilakam.

When the powerful Keezhetu Thirumeni is killed while attempting to subdue the spirit, the family is forced to turn to any corner that offers help. They plan to call Kathanar, but he is not available. Then they approached the haughty Kulamana Potti who refuses to help, since they planned to call Kathanar initially which he considered as perceived disrespect. Kathanar arrived and discovered that Ambika is possessed by the evil spirit Marthandan, an illegitimate son of Achan Thamburan who was murdered brutally at the orders of the Thampuratti. He killed Achan Thamburan and wants to destroy the Kovilakam; so, he exorcises the ghost. Next morning, Kathanar reached Kovilakam along with Ambika and left on a happy note.

The story continues from Kumkumathu Kovilakam as the secretary Sankara Kuruppu is in financial trouble to conduct his daughter Paru's marriage.Meanwhile, we are introduced to the courtesan Bhanu, the rich mistress of Ettukettu, who demands that anybody defeat her in a game of dice or Pakida in order to sleep with her. She has been trapping numerous men that fall for her heavenly beauty into servitude using a pair of enchanted dice that do her bidding even after being cast.

Meanwhile, we learn that Bhanu has been the exclusive mistress of Kulamana Potti for some time now, and he is the reason behind her recent glory.Bhanu tells her assistant Ammu regarding her life.As it happens, Bhanu is actually Bhanumathi of a reputed Brahmin family, but was ousted from both family and community at the young age of 14 for having pre-marital sex with her lover. Ending up as a prostitute, she recounts how Kulamana Potti was the only one who ever showed her any genuine concern. We also learned that Bhanu's dice were enchanted by none other than Potti.

Sankara Kuruppu makes the mistake of playing dice with Bhanu in order to win enough money for his daughter's marriage and lost all his wealth and is imprisoned by Bhanu,making him as her slave.Paru also makes the mistake of playing dice with Bhanu and is inevitably imprisoned.Soon, Kathanar arrives at the place to rescue the helpless people, and is forced into the game of dice. However, he makes Paru play on behalf of him, and quite easily arranges for a win, bypassing Potti's enchantments on the dice. A shocked Bhanu loses all her property and is ordered to leave town, while all her slaves are freed.Watching all this unfold helplessly in front of his eyes, Kulamana Potti is furious and mad at Kathanar for hurting his ego, and swears to destroy him. He invites Bhanu to his own home.

Potti visits Kathanar and asks him to come to his home after few days. He took Bhanu to his own home and asked her to live harmony with his other three wives. He also assured her that he will destroy kathanar.Potti send a demon girl and male ghost in kadamattom but both were destroyed by kathanar.Kathanar went to Pottis house as guest and Potti try to insult him in many ways, but he teach potti a lesson. Potti and Bhanu seeks forgiveness from Kathanar. Kathanar counsels both Potti and Bhanu, and he left from there.

Passengers has been attacked and killed by Odiyan in Kuravanmedu village.Odiyan is a spirit who can transform in to bull.Kathanar subdues the Odiyan who had been terrorising the village of Kuravanmedu.He happens to be Chanthoman, a servant who was tortured inhumanely by the Vadakkan family head Kunjikkelu Melan and his assistant Rarukutti for a theft he done due to starvation. Horribly deformed with boiled oil and left to die, he is initiated into being an Odiyan by Karikalan, and pledges to wreak revenge on those who tortured him. Kathanar informs him that his revenge is moot now because the exact people who tortured him are no more, and their descendants are innocent. Kathanar cures his deformities and sends him off to a distant place to have another chance at a fuller life.Odiyan cherishes his new life and thanked kathanar.This leads us to the story of Vadakkan Veedu.

Brahmasree Killimangalam Thirumeni decided to stop conducting rituals for Vadakkan Veedu and he informed the same to the assistant ittathankoran of Vadakkan Veedu. Ittathankoran informed the same to Chanthukutti Melan who is the current head of Vadakkan Veedu.Kunjava was tricked by a female ghost to come outside at multiple nights, and she was possessed by the spirit. A possessed Kunjava murdered Ambotti and Kunjunni.Kathanar visit Killimangalam Thirumeni where he reveals after doing rituals for Vadakkan Veedu some of his family members died, to which he decided to stop conducting ritual for Vadakkan Veedu, and he motivated Kathanar to save Vadakkan Veedu family.

Kathanar visits Vadakkan Veedu and met Thirumala who revealed long time ago she was the servant of Vadakkan Veedu but the Achan Melan of the family who is the head consider her as his own daughter was decided to give half property to her.Kunjikelu Melan was angry about this decision so he murders Achan melan,Thirumala and a Snake Catcher.After some days Thirumala returned as a ghost killed Kunjikelu Melan and Rarukutti.She cursed killimangalam Thirumeni for defeated her which caused death of his family members.She told kathanar that she will murders everyone in the family and she wants to kill at least three children for the three souls taken by Kunjikelu Melan.Next day Thirumala kidnapped the three children.Kathanar and Thirumala engage in a fight finally kathanar defeated her.Kathanar brings the children to the family where they thanked him for saving their children's life.Kathanar revealed all their problems are solved and left the tharavadu on a happy note.

The story revolves around Chambakkara village which is a seashore village where majority are working as fishermen and some are owners whose under this fishermen work.Kathanar becomes villagers favorite after he changed bad behaviours of some people in the villages.Meanwhile a female ghost Wandering at the village in night killing multiple people.A group of fishermen were attacked by a ghost of a Persian couple.Kathanar finally save the villagers by destroying female ghost as well as the ghost of Persion couple.

Mariyamma worries about her daughter Kochuthresia who was harassing by Luka since luka wants to marry Kochuthresia against her will.Luka try to kidnap Kochuthresia but Kathanar saved her.Kochuthresia marriage fixed with Agasthya.Gold kept by Mariyamma was stolen,kathanar visits lukas place saves Manga who ended as luka and his men's slave and recover the gold stolen by him.Mariyamma and kochuthresia try to commit suicide but they were stopped by a boy who later reveal to be Jesus christ.Mariyamma seek forgiveness from god and kathanar returned her gold.Kathanar takes Manga to his home.Kochuthresia and Agasthya engaged and later kathanar teaches agasthya's arrogant father chacko a lesson and he apologised to kathanar.

Nicholas buys a mansion which was constructed by a foreigner and later purchased by many kings,now it was vacant for many years and purchased by Nicholas.The mansion is haunted.Nicholas son Alan took a doll from the mansion to their home.The spirit in the doll killed Alan after some days.The family moved to mansion where some supernatural events started happening.Perera visits Kathanar and informed him the incidents faced by their family.Emily was possessed by a spirit and started attacking her family members.Kathanar reached and exorcise the spirit and he left the mansion.

Another evil spirit from the doll possessed nicholas and he started showing strange behaviour.Nicholas started attacking family members and kathanar reached the mansion again.Kathanar removes the spirit from Nicholas.Kathanar finally learnt that the main spirit is the family servant Ettichan.He destroyed all the spirits including Ettichan.Kathanar inform the family that the property is earlier an cremation ground and mansion was built on it.There were evil spirits who causes trouble to anyone who came in the mansion.The family also shocked to know about the real identity of Ettichan.kathanar left from the mansion and all the spirits move to the sky to attain peace.Alan's spirit felt sad to see the happy reunion of the family since he cannot join them forever.

A traveller was fooled by two men and went to Eethenga Tharavadu where he was killed by the spirit of a young man and an old lady.The story moved to the flashback where the tharavadu consist of the main thamburan Kunjikela and his wife Kuttimali.Naani is the helper of kuttimali and Devooty who is the niece of kunjikela.Devooty's parents died long back and she was hated by all the other members.Manikyan who is a carpenter came to tharavadu for building a cupboard.Devooty and Manikyan fall in love.Devooty also came to know her father was killed by Kunjikela.The lovers decided to elope where the crooked Naani understood their plan and inform to the cruel Kunjikela and his wife.

Lord Surya Varma, the young heir of the Thripangottu Kovilakkam, is missing. Worried, his family calls for a magician, who is a fraudster in guise, to resolve their problems. But the magician invites more trouble, leading to the haunting of an evil entity who had a past with the family's ancestor decades ago. So the family calls for Kathannar to rid off their issues and rescue back their son.

With the help of Kalidasan, another famed sorcerer and priest, Kathannar tries to find the source of the problems and discovers that the family's curse begins with their ancestor Lord Udaya Varma. Udaya Varma lusted for a commoner girl Kalyani by feigning love. Their relationship gets cozy and Kalyani ends up pregnant. Eventually, she is flatly rejected by Udaya Varma but vows revenge. An enraged Udaya Varma kills Kalyani and her father. Kalyani returns as an evil spirit and kills Udaya Varma but is subdued by a powerful sorcerer. She is released by another demonic entity, who had actually kidnapped the prince Surya Varma during his religious expedition

The entity along with Kalyani's spirit decide to kill Surya Varma and absorb his soul and Kalyani's to become more powerful. Kathannar and Kalidasan locate the demon's hideout and rescue Surya Varma. They devise a plan to capture the two evil spirits and successfully subdue them. The demon entity is exorcized, while the spirit of Kalyani is subdued and blessed as a goddess among the serpents at the Sarpakavu.

The prince is rescued and reunited with his family by both sorcerers. Kalidasan expresses his gratitude to Kathannar and bids a teary farewell and then Kathannar embarks on his next mission.

Jagathan Thambi and his family, which consists of his wife Satyabhama, sisters Unnimaya & Parvati and his grandmother, move to their ancestral home Chandanamangalathu Tharavadu which is famed for its dark past. The family settle in and begin cleaning up the home that had been desolate for decades. Thambi hires a group of men to repair and rearrange the house and its surroundings. During their work, the men unearth a sealed brass pot and accidentally release an evil spirit. Here begins trouble for the family at Chandanamangalathu Tharavadu.

The spirit is of Gauri, a maidservant's daughter who was in love with the young male heir of the house's previous occupants decades ago. After being mercilessly killed by the family, she returned as a vengeful spirit and tormented the family and village but was subdued and exorcised by a powerful sorcerer in a brass pot. After being released in the present time, she kills and possesses Unnimaya and subsequently kills the worker men. Gauri starts causing supernatural attacks to the family members with the intent of killing them.

Devastated, the family calls for Kathannar, who successfully subdues and destroys the evil spirit in an intense supernatural battle. With this, Kathannar assures the family that Jagathan Thambi and Satyabhama would be soon blessed with a child.

In August 2004, the Akhila Malankara Orthodox Almaya Vedi (AMOAV), an organisation representing lay members of the Malankara Orthodox Church, raised objections against the serial based on Kadamattathu Kathanar telecast on Asianet Television. The AMOAV alleged that the script distorted the history, tradition, and culture of the Malankara Christian community. At a press conference held in Pathanamthitta, the organisation’s president Shibu K. Abraham and general secretary Preeth G. George demanded an immediate halt to the telecast, stating that it hurt the religious sentiments of the Orthodox Christian community.^[5]

Two sequels to the series were aired, titled Kathanar Kadamattathu Kathanar (2008) on Jaihind TV and Kadamattathachan (2010) on Surya TV.^[6] Actor Prakash Paul revealed that the 2008 version of the series, aired on Jaihind TV, led to severe financial losses. The channel had low viewership at the time, and many were unaware of its existence. Although payments were initially prompt, the channel eventually ran out of funds, forcing Paul to continue production without further financial support. He described this decision as a major setback and a source of lasting debt.^[7]

In June 2024, actor Prakash Paul confirmed that a new sequel to the original series is in development. The upcoming project will not be a remake but will feature an aged version of Kadamattathu Kathanar returning to the present era. Paul stated that the continued popularity of the original series, especially through annual re-telecasts on Asianet Plus, inspired the idea for the new version.^[8]

• Official Website Archived 15 April 2016 at the Wayback Machine