This is a Malayalam language film starring Sathyan and GK Pillai. The film title and story have been built off a slang which literally implies "holding a tiger by its tail". Implying trapping yourself into a situation which you can't wriggle out of.

The film theme and story is innovatively built around a circus that comes to a village and are forced to leave behind their animals with the restaurant owner who was feeding them since they are unable to pay their debts. There is humour and romance built around this plot. Formula entertainer with a happy ending.

While the script and characters are made to look otherwise, if you consider the situation objectively you would think the circus owners are the bad guys and the guy who helps out expecting to be married to the daughter is actually the good guy. Just consider how neither the lover nor the circus folks even help with a bit of money while leaving the already indebted restaurant owner is left to feed even the animals now! No wonder then he has to fall into the whims and demands of those helping him out in this situation.

The hallmark of the film though are the performances. Be it by the protagonist - the heroine's father played by TS Muthaiah, Pankajavalli playing the heroine's mother, circus manager played by TN Gopinathan, the circus clowns played by Bahadur and SP Pillai, the spurned lover and of course Sathyan is in his usual great form. All of them are clearly seasoned performers, emotive and well rehearsed into their roles.

GK Pillai steals the show though playing the villain. Excellent acting, expressions, getting into the skin of the character, persona and dialogue delivery. Watch it for him!

The film is set against the backdrop of a circus company. Chandran is a circus performer. Thankam, a beautiful 17 year old girl, is his childhood sweetheart. But, Thankam's mother Kalyani Amma forbids her to prolong her affair with Chandran. She wants Thankam to marry Gopi, a well known bully from the town. Thankam's father Paithal Nair, however rejects this proposal. But as the circus shifts to another village, everything goes wrong. The circus people owed some money to Paithal Nair which they were unable to pay. Despite the circus manager's assurances Kalyani Amma and Nair decide to hold the circus animals hostage until the circus manager repays his debt. Managing the animals soon becomes a nightmare and Paithal and family realize they have invited trouble (pulival pidikkuka - an expression in Malayalam for trouble, mess etc. It literally means catch a leopard by its tail). Paithal Nair is in financial stress and has no other way than to accept the marriage proposal from Gopi for his daughter. What will happen to Chandran and Thankam's romance? How does Paithal Nair overcome his problems? Answers to these questions form the rest of the story.

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Nair Pidicha Pulival

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