Director Manikandan's National Award medals returned by thieves with apology note: 'your hard work is yours'

Manikandan is a two-time National Award winner. (Image credit: News18 Hindi)

Renowned filmmaker M. Manikandan’s National Award medals were stolen by robbers from his residence in Madurai days ago. Now, in a surreal twist, the thieves returned the director's medals with an unexpected apology note.

The robbery occurred during Manikandan's absence, when he and his family were in Chennai, leaving their Usilampatti home vulnerable to the intrusion. The perpetrators made away with a substantial amount of gold jewellery, cash, and other valuable possessions.

Despite this unusual act of contrition, the stolen gold jewellery and cash remain unrecovered. The filmmaker's friends, who were taking care of the family's pet dog in their absence, discovered the theft when they came to their house the next day.

The director was informed and he filed a police case soon after.

Days later, the family was confronted with an unexpected and perplexing development when a polythene bag containing Manikandan's National Award medals appeared on their compound wall. Accompanying this peculiar return was a handwritten note expressing remorse. The thieves conveyed, "We are sorry, brother. Your hard work is yours."

Manikandan had won the National Film Award for Best Children's Film for "Kaaka Muttai" in 2015. He also won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Tamil for "Kadaisi Vivasaayi" (2022).

Manikandan is known for works like "Kuttrame Thandanai" and "Aandavan Kattalai". His latest venture is a web series for Disney+Hotstar featuring Vijay Sethupathi.

Police have intensified their efforts to recover the filmmaker and his family’s other valuables.