Apthamitra is a 2004 Indian Kannada-language horror film directed by P. Vasu, and starring Vishnuvardhan, Ramesh Arvind, Soundarya, Avinash and others. This was actress Soundarya's last film. It is an official remake of the 1993 Malayalam filmManichithrathazhu. The movie was dubbed in Telugu as Soundharya Chandramukhi. The movie was dubbed in Hindi as Chandramukhi ka Bhool Bhulaiya Mahal. The film ran for one year in the main theaters across Karnataka. Apthamitra was later followed by its sequel, Aptharakshaka. P. Vasu also remade the movie in Tamil in 2005 as Chandramukhi.
Plot
Ramesh and Ganga are married couple who recently move into Mysore to buy an ancient palace, against the wishes of his uncles and elders of the family. His uncle agrees to reside with them with his two daughters Vani and Hema, on one condition that the room on the first floor which is locked and sealed should not be visited by anyone in the family. They have their care-taker Rangajja who lives in the outhouse with his granddaughter Sowmya. During their stay in the house they come to know that this palace earlier belonged to Raja Vijaya Rajendra Bahaddur. He had a court dancer named Nagavalli from Andhra Pradesh, whom he was in love with. But Nagavalli already loved a fellow dancer named Ramanatha, who used to reside in a house just behind the palace. When the Raja came to know of their affair on an Durgashtami day, he be-headed Dancer Ramanatha and burned Nagavalli alive. Nagavalli vowed at the time of her death that she would seek revenge of her death from the Raja by burning him alive on very same Durgashtami day, as like her. Strange things start to happen in the palace and everyone suspect Sowmya, who is always found at the place of the incident. So, Ramesh calls in his psychiatrist friend Vijay to help him clear of the misconceptions regarding the palace and its history. Ramesh's uncle is not happy with the way Vijay functions and is always very suspectful of him. Vani, Ramesh's cousin is in love with an orphan-dance teacher who incidentally resides in the same house behind the palace. Vijay comes to know of this and tells Ramesh's uncle about this and the alliance is approved by all in the family and their marriage is fixed. When the whole family is out of town to visit Mahadev, to decide his wedding with Vani, Ganga with help from Sowmya opens the room in the first floor with the key given by Sowmya. While she entered the room, Sowmya comes running to tell not to open the door as the key-maker who made the key had died. But Ganga told her not to believe on this superstitions. During this time there are attempts to kill Ramesh by someone unknown, which every time is foiled by Vijay. Even Vani is attacked once by someone unknown. So Ramesh's uncle calls upon an Acharya Ramachandra Shastri to perform some Shanti pooja upon the palace. Though Ramesh is not interested in all these proceedings he agrees on advice of Vijay. On the eve of Engagement ceremony of Mahadev and Vani, Ganga accuses Mahadev of trying to molest her - which is refused by both Mahdev and Vijay. Upon hearing this Ramesh gets angry upon Vijay and shouts at him to get out of his house. Acharya stops the family from doing so and asks Vijay to tell them the mystery behind the strange incidents. Vijay reveals to everyone that Ganga is behind all the strange incidents and she only tried to kill Ramesh and Vani. Ganga who visited the first floor room was enamoured by Nagavalli and her diary. Since Ganga suffered from Multiple personality disorder or Split personality disorder, the mystery behind Nagavalli's story compelled her to assume herself as Nagavalli, compelling the spirit of Nagavalli to enter her body. She now intends to kill Vijay as he had posed in front of her as Raja Vijaya Rajendra Bahaddur, on the coming Durgashtami day as vowed by Nagavalli while dying. Vijay explains to everyone that since Nagavalli inside Ganga thinks that Mahadev is the dancer Ramnath. Vijay on Durgashtami Day, makes Nagavalli believe that he himself is the king, and employs a sophisticated system to make Nagavalli burn a dummy with his image on it. Nagavalli satisfies herself and leaves Ganga's body. Vijay is also safe. Vijay helps Ganga psychologically later to regain herself. Ramesh thanks Vijay for his help.
Cast
Vishnuvardhan as Dr. Vijay / Vijaya Rajendra Bahaddur/Captain
scored the film's background music and composed for its soundtrack, with lyrics for the tracks written by V. Manohar, Kaviraj, V. Nagendra Prasad and Goturi. The soundtrack album consists of six tracks. The track Kaalavannu Tadeyoru was taken from the 1977 film, Kittu Puttu which had Dwarakish and Vishnuvardhan playing the lead roles as well, alongside Manjula, the lyrics for which was written by Chi. Udayashankar.
