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ControversyIn June this year, when horror novel ‘Vijanaveedhi' was republished after 35 years, it reignited controversy over its similarities to director Fazil’s classic 1993 movie ‘Manichitrathazhu’.Govind Krishnan Vscreenshot: Disney+ HOTSTARIn 1985, Kumkumam, one of the most influential Malayalam literary magazines of the day, started serialising a horror novel titled Vijanaveedhi (The Deserted Street) by a first-time writer in his twenties. Published under the pen name Aswathi Thirunal, the novel became a sensation among the reading public. In June this year, when Vijanaveedhi was republished as a paperback after a gap of 35 years, it reignited controversy over its similarities to director Fazil’s classic movie Manichitrathazhu (1993). Some cultural critics and public personalities have accused Fazil and the movie’s scriptwriter Madhu Muttam of copying the novel’s plot, while others have said that the movie seems to be inspired by the novel. Fazil has denied the allegations. The central idea of Manichitrathazhu...