Julie Ganapathi is a 2003 Indian Tamil-language psychological thriller film written, photographed, edited and directed by Balu Mahendra, featuring Saritha, Jayaram and Ramya Krishnan in the lead roles. Julie Ganapathi is based on the 1987 Stephen King novel Misery. Featuring music composed by Ilaiyaraaja, the film opened to positive reviews in February 2003.
Julie Ganapathi (Saritha) is a staunch fan of a popular television show Manga. Over the years, Julie grows to identify herself obsessively with the main character of the show. The author of the series, Tenkasi Balakumaran (Jayaram), leaves his home for a few days to be alone to write the final few episodes of Manga. On his way back home after completing his work, his vehicle gets into an accident which leaves him seriously injured and crippled. Julie rescues Bala and takes him home, but she is revealed to be emotionally unstable, and deliriously obsessed with the character in Bala’s story. Julie asks Bala to allow her to read the scripts for the concluding episodes that he has just completed.
Over the next few days, she reads the story and finds the ending not to her liking. She forces Bala to rewrite the ending by various means, forcing him to escape his captor’s clutches before it is too late. Soon after, Bala becomes aware of how Julie has not informed anyone of his situation and is not at all planning to release him anytime soon. As a result, he tries to escape her home. In this, he is caught and suspended to remain in his room. She also disables him from getting up.
Afterwards, a policeman investigating Bala’s disappearance decides to go to the house of Julie since she has made her love for Manga known around the village. When investigating her home, he discovers that Bala was in fact being kept there. Julie then draws a weapon and kills him. She then informs Bala that they will then die together. Just to get him some time he uses the excuse of having to finish his new version of the final Manga script. With that, he finishes, tricks Julie into getting him a weapon, and with a fight, manages to kill Julie and escape. The film forwards to Bala with his family, discussing with the press his experiences, stating that she was in fact an inspiration to him.
Directed by Balu Mahendra
Produced by V. Gnanavelu & V. Jayaprakash
Screenplay by Balu Mahendra
Based on Misery by Stephen King
Starring Saritha, Jayaram, Ramya Krishnan
Music by Ilaiyaraaja
Cinematography Balu Mahendra
Edited by Balu Mahendra
Production GJ Cinemaa
Release date 14 February 2003
Country India
Language Tamil
