Sundarakilladi (1998)

Set against the arid background of Swapnabhoomi, a village where strange customs and rituals exist, this touching social drama presents an unusual love story, with a positive environmental message. When a water shortage occurs in the village, the leader (Nedumudi Venu) sends a person (Ashokan) to inform Premachandran (Dileep) of the situation and request him to come to Swapnabhoomi and dig a well. Primarily due to the desperation caused by his poverty, he accepts the advance and agrees. Later, he discovers that other workers who had tried to dig a well there died in an earthquake after digging down to the extraordinary depth of 45 metres. Shocked and scared, he tries to escape from the people of Swapnabhoomi, but fails and starts the work as a challenge. In time, he falls in love with the stepdaughter of the physician Devayaani (Shalini) who treats him when he meets with an accident while digging the well. But the rule of Swapnabhoomi is that a girl of the village may only court a man who comes from Swapnabhoomi itself. One day a man discovers their love and informs the head. The head orders them to stop seeing each other. If Premachandran disobeys, they will kill him or if Devayaani disobeys, then they will send her to a mountain where man eaters live. The head finally relents, giving Premachandran a slim chance, allowing that if he were to ensure that the well fills with water, then he would be permitted to marry Devayaani. When circumstances emerge that could very well lead to the destruction of the well in question, Premachandran is forced to take drastic measures. Can he be victorious at the seemingly impossible challenge?