▁wishes . ▁But ▁R avi ▁breaks ▁up ▁when ▁he ▁comes ▁to ▁know ▁that ▁she ▁would ▁be ▁dis in her ited . ▁Kal y ani ' s ▁father , ▁who ▁stays ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States , ▁is ▁una ware ▁of ▁the ▁break ▁up ▁and ▁comes ▁home ▁in ▁Ker ala ▁to ▁spend ▁time ▁with ▁his ▁daughter ▁and ▁son - in - law . ▁This ▁prompt s ▁family ▁friend ▁and ▁Adv oc ate ▁Ka imal ▁( V enu ) ▁to ▁h ire ▁a ▁th ief , ▁V ish nu ▁( M oh an l al ) ▁to ▁act ▁as ▁Kal y ani ' s ▁husband ▁during ▁Men on ' s ▁vac ation ▁stay . ▁ ▁Ch ith ram ▁was ▁released ▁during ▁a ▁Christmas ▁week end ▁on ▁ 2 3 ▁December ▁ 1 9 8 8 . ▁The ▁film ▁was ▁a ▁phenomen al ▁success ▁at ▁the ▁Ker ala ▁box - office , ▁it ▁broke ▁all ▁existing ▁records ▁in ▁Mal ay al am ▁cinema ▁until ▁then . ▁It ▁had ▁a ▁the atr ical ▁run ▁of ▁ 4 0 5 ▁days ▁in ▁Little ▁Sh eno ys ▁( Er nak ul am ), ▁it ▁completed ▁ 3 6 6 ▁days ▁run ▁with ▁regular ▁shows ▁in ▁two ▁the at res — L ittle ▁Sh eno ys ▁( Er nak ul am ) ▁and ▁A jan tha ▁( T riv and rum ), ▁and ▁ 2 0 0 ▁days ▁in ▁four ▁the at res — L ittle ▁Sh eno ys ▁( Er nak ul am ), ▁A jan tha ▁( T riv