Chemmeen is based on a novel written by Thakazhi Sivasankara Pillai in Malayalam, who is a Gyanpith Award Winner. It has then been interpreted into different languages such as Polish English, Spanish, Czech, French, German, Italian and Russian. The novel was filmed in 1965. The main characters in the film are Chembankunju, Pareekutty, Karuthamma, Chakki and Palani. The only aim for Chembankunju in his life is to buy a fishing boat and a net. He achieved buying the boat and net by the help of Pareekutty, who is a trader. But Pareekutty put one condition that the fish caught in the boat has to be sold to him. Chembankunju"„¢s daughter Karuthamma and Pareekutty are in love. But Karuthamma got married to Palani, an orphan, because of the social traditions that prevailed in the society. Few days after the marriage, Karuthamma"„¢s mother Chakki died due to some serious disease. Chembankunju re-married, and he became greedier for wealth. Meanwhile the gossips about Karuthamma and Pareekutty"„¢s love started to spread around the shore, due to this Palani was banned to enter any fishing boats. One night Karuthamma and Pareekutty accidently meet each other, the very same night Palani went for fishing alone and caught a shark. But his boat got into a giant whirlpool. Next day morning Karuthamma and Pareekutty found dead, beside them lies a dead shark, thus the film ends.
