Aging Alone with Robots: An Analysis of Android Kunjappan Version 5.25

This study analyzes Android Kunjappan Version 5.25 (Poduval, 2019), a Malayalam film set in rural Kerala, focusing on Bhaskaran, an elderly widower, and Kunjappan, his robot caregiver. Dialogue—“Take up a job…” (00:08:34) to “He is my son” (01:58:00)—reveals Bhaskaran’s shift from resistance to reliance, reflecting aging’s challenges and loneliness. Kunjappan aids daily life—“It’s 7.30 AM…” (02:01:27)—but lacks empathy, contrasting with rural Kerala’s family duty and community support. The film presents robot care as a practical response to filial absence, not a full solution, prompting exploration of eldercare dynamics in similar settings