Directed, written, and filmed by R. J. Prasad, Kinnarathumbikal was a low-budget production. The plot, set in a cold, tea-rich hilly village in Kerala, follows Gopu (Hari Krishnan) and his romantic interest in his cousin, Devu (Hema). The narrative is complicated by the arrival of the supervisor of the tea plantation, who also desires Devu, and the character of Dakshayani, a co-worker of Gopu's aunt with strong physical desires who tries to seduce Gopu. Shakeela played Dakshayani, a role that would become iconic.
The massive financial triumph of Kinnara Thumbikal immediately disrupted mainstream Malayalam cinema. At the turn of the millennium, even projects featuring top-tier superstars struggled to compete with the sheer drawing power of Shakeela's films. Kinnarathumbikal Malayalam Movie Youtube Videos 12