Short answer: Manichitrathazhu was shot mainly at two real palaces, the Hill Palace in Tripunithura near Kochi and the Padmanabhapuram Palace near Thiruvananthapuram, while the famous Thekkini scenes were shot in the rooms at Vasan House in Chennai. Director Fazil described the locations himself in an interview with Scroll.in, and the film's official 4K teaser shows the house as audiences saw it again in 2024.
Fazil's 1993 classic, starring Mohanlal, Suresh Gopi and Shobana, is the Malayalam horror film people return to every Halloween. Much of its dread comes from one place: the Madampally tharavad, with its locked south wing and the room where Nagavalli waits. That house does not exist as one building. It was stitched together from a museum palace, a Travancore royal palace and a film family's home in Chennai. This guide lists only what Fazil and reliable reports confirm.
Manichitrathazhu shooting locations: quick facts
- Film: Manichitrathazhu (1993), Malayalam
- Director: Fazil
- Writer: Madhu Muttom
- Cast: Mohanlal, Suresh Gopi, Shobana, KPAC Lalitha
- Main locations: Hill Palace, Tripunithura; Padmanabhapuram Palace, Thuckalay (Kanyakumari district, Tamil Nadu)
- Thekkini rooms: The rooms at Vasan House, Chennai
- 4K re-release: August 17, 2024, by Matinee Now and E4 Entertainment
- Where to watch: Prime Video and JioHotstar (reported, as of Oct 31, 2026)
1. Hill Palace, Tripunithura
"We shot the exteriors at the Hill Palace in Kochi and the Padmanabhaburam Palace near Thiruvananthapuram," Fazil told Scroll.in. The Hill Palace, a former Kochi royal palace, gave the film its grand frontage, long verandas and the sense of a family too big for its own house. Today it is the Hill Palace Archaeological Museum, run by the Kerala State Archaeology Department, and it is the easiest of the locations for a fan to visit.
- Where it is: Tripunithura, on the eastern side of Kochi
- What it stands in for: The outer face of the Madampally tharavad
Our take: Walk the grounds before you go inside. The film rarely shows the palace as a museum, so the fun is in finding the angles Fazil used and noticing how much of the menace was pure framing. It suits a slow afternoon, not a quick photo stop, and the museum galleries can distract you from the movie trail.
2. Padmanabhapuram Palace, near Thiruvananthapuram
Most of the remaining palace portions were filmed at the Padmanabhapuram Palace, the old Travancore royal palace. Film Companion's account of the making, drawn from Fazil's own words, says most of the film was shot at Padmanabhapuram Palace and the Hill Palace. The same piece notes that palace guides still point out the spots where the film was shot, a tradition that has outlived several generations of visitors. Fazil's own account, quoted by Film Companion, also places the dance scene at the Navarathri Mandapam inside Padmanabhapuram Palace. That detail is sourced for the dance scene only.
- Where it is: Thuckalay, Kanyakumari district, Tamil Nadu, a day trip from Thiruvananthapuram
- What it stands in for: Interiors and courtyards of the tharavad
- Dance scene: Navarathri Mandapam, per Fazil via Film Companion
Our take: This is the location that feels most like the film. The dark wood, narrow passages and carved ceilings do half the work before a single note of music plays. Go early on a weekday, because tour groups fill the corridors by noon and the quiet is what you came for.
3. Vasan House, Chennai: the Thekkini rooms
The rooms that made the film famous are not in either palace. "I needed two rooms. One is Thampi's room and the other is Nagavalli's, and in between them, there had to be a door," Fazil told Scroll.in. He found them at the Chennai home of producer S S Vasan, the founder of Gemini Studios, which was rented out for film shoots. Film Companion adds that the run of ornate doors sealed the choice, and that the song Varuvanilla was also shot there.
- Where it is: Chennai, Tamil Nadu (private property, not open to visitors)
- What it stands in for: The Thekkini, the locked south wing
Our take: The most important location is the one you cannot visit. That is oddly fitting for a film about a sealed room. Fans should settle for rewatching the Thekkini scenes closely, because the set dressing, including the Nagavalli painting made by the art department, is where the film's detail lives.
Behind the scenes: stories from the shoot
Fazil's own accounts add a few details that tie the drama to these places.
- A nervous first day: Film Companion reports that Shobana arrived 30 minutes late for the first shot at Vasan House. Her mother was uneasy because, the story went, no film that began its shoot there had worked at the box office. The crew talked them round and the shoot went ahead.
- The bench trick: The climax, where Ganga sees Thampi instead of Nakulan, was the hardest part to film. Fazil told Scroll.in that Suresh Gopi suggested a wooden bench with him strapped on one side and a dummy of Thampi on the other, turned at the right moment. The sequence took 16 continuous nights.
- The sound of the Thekkini: Film Companion notes that the veena was the only instrument used to build the horror around the Thekkini, and Fazil told Scroll.in that Johnson used no electronic instruments in the re-recording.
- A borrowed voice: Shobana's lines were dubbed by Bhagyalakshmi, Fazil said.
Visiting the palaces
- Hill Palace timings: 9 AM to 1 PM and 2 PM to 5 PM; tickets till 4 PM; closed Mondays and national holidays (Kerala State Archaeology)
- Hill Palace tickets: Adults Rs 35, children Rs 10; mobile camera Rs 20, still camera Rs 60
- Padmanabhapuram timings: 9 AM to 12.30 PM and 2 PM to 4.30 PM; closed Mondays (official site)
- Padmanabhapuram tickets: Indian adults Rs 50, children Rs 10; foreign adults Rs 500, children Rs 100
- Checked: As of Oct 31, 2026, from the official listings; confirm before travel
Remakes and the spin-off
Manichitrathazhu was remade in four languages, as The New Indian Express reported at the 4K trailer launch. The remakes are Apthamitra (Kannada, 2004), Chandramukhi (Tamil, 2005), Rajmohol (Bengali, 2005) and Bhool Bhulaiyaa (Hindi, 2007). Fazil told Scroll.in that P Vasu moved the hero's entry to the first half for the Kannada version. Geethaanjali (2013), with Mohanlal back as Dr Sunny, is a spin-off, not a remake.
The 4K re-release
The restored film returned to theatres worldwide on August 17, 2024, the first day of Chingam, released by Matinee Now and E4 Entertainment. Mohanlal shared the trailer ahead of the release. For many younger viewers, it was the first chance to see the palaces on a big screen.
Where to watch Manichitrathazhu
As of Oct 31, 2026, Manichitrathazhu is reported to stream on Prime Video and JioHotstar in India. We could not load the platforms' India pages today, so check the app before you plan a Halloween rewatch. Streaming checked Oct 31, 2026.
More shooting location guides
If you enjoy tracing films to real places, read our guides to the Drishyam shooting locations, Kumbalangi Nights shooting locations and Premam shooting locations.
FAQs
Where was Manichitrathazhu shot?
Mainly at the Hill Palace in Tripunithura and the Padmanabhapuram Palace near Thiruvananthapuram, with the Thekkini scenes shot in the rooms at Vasan House in Chennai.
Is the Madampally tharavad a real house?
No. It is a mix of locations. The exteriors and palace scenes come from two real palaces, and the locked rooms are real rooms at Vasan House in Chennai.
Can I visit the Manichitrathazhu palace?
Yes. Both the Hill Palace and Padmanabhapuram Palace are open to visitors except on Mondays. Vasan House is private.
Is Geethaanjali a remake of Manichitrathazhu?
No. Geethaanjali (2013) is a spin-off featuring Dr Sunny. The remakes are in Kannada, Tamil, Bengali and Hindi.
When was the Manichitrathazhu 4K re-release?
August 17, 2024.
Malayalam summary
മണിച്ചിത്രത്താഴ് പ്രധാനമായും തൃപ്പൂണിത്തുറ ഹിൽ പാലസിലും പത്മനാഭപുരം കൊട്ടാരത്തിലുമാണ് ചിത്രീകരിച്ചത്. തെക്കിനിയിലെ മുറികൾ ചെന്നൈയിലെ വാസൻ ഹൗസിലാണ് ഒരുക്കിയത്. ചിത്രത്തിന്റെ 4K പതിപ്പ് 2024 ഓഗസ്റ്റ് 17ന് വീണ്ടും തിയേറ്ററുകളിലെത്തി.
