Kasthooriman (Musk Deer) was an Indian Malayalam television series directed by Sachin K. Ibaque. The show premiered on Asianet channel on 11 December 2017. It stars Sreeram Ramachandran and Rebecca Santhosh along with experienced senior actors Praveena, Raghavan, Sreelatha Namboothiri and Beena Antony. It aired on Asianet and on-demand through Disney+ Hotstar. The show aired its last episode on 27 March 2021.
Set in Trivandrum and the family's kalakshetra (traditional artists' studio), the story revolves around the family life of widow Sethulakshmi and her three unwed daughters, and their determination to have a happy family life despite the lack of a male head of household. It is the first Malayalam serial to get a second season. After the first season the serial took a gap of about ten days from 3 July 2020 to 13 July 2020.
The first season of the show was a remake of Hindi show Kumkum Bhagya which itself was based on the English novel Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen. The show deviated from the novel because of audience request, and started airing the second season with the story line of the movie The Parent Trap.
Seasons
Plot
Season-1
Kavya's latest attempt at marriage fails when her fiancé's family demands her to transfer her family's ancestral property to her future husband's name, which would leave her widow mother and unwed younger sisters homeless. Kavya later falls in love with her friend and tenant Sreejith, only learning after they are engaged that he loves her sister Keerthi.
Keerthi begins working for Siddharth, and after a time they confess their love for each other. However, his best friend Jeeva expects Siddharth to marry Shivani, Jeeva's sister. Shivani presumes that it is Kavya that Siddharth loves, and so in a misguided attempt to come between them, Jeeva marries Kavya. Kavya later learns of this and accepts her presumed role to protect Keerthi. Marriage plans are finalized for Siddharth and Shivani, but he abandons her to secretly date Keerthi.
Jeeva and Kavya become closer. Jeeva's ex-girlfriend Neethu tries to get Jeeva back by claiming that he is the father of her unborn child, faking a DNA test. She, Shivani, and Dhyan (the biological father of Neethu's child) then attempt to kill Jeeva. This fails, and Vijaylakshmi, Jeeva's grandmother gives ownership of Ishwaramatam Group to Kavya. Later, Jeeva and Vijaylakshmi work together to expose Neethu and Dhyan, who are thrown out of Ishwaramatam.
Shivani and her mother, Indira Bhai plot to have Neethu suffer a miscarriage, and they blame it on Kavya. Neethu presses charges against Kavya, but Jeeva sets himself up as the culprit to save Kavya, jeopardizing his film career. Kavya and Sreejith save Jeeva and Indira is arrested.
Shivani steals money which was meant for Jeeva's new film project, and uses it to release Indira from prison. Conflict results as blame shifts over the lost funds. Keerthi resigns from the company along with Siddhu, whom she pressures into marriage. With Indira's help, Shivani plots against her brother Shiva, having him kidnapped but saying that Kavya and Jeeva won't pay the ransom to turn Shiva against them.
Indira blocks the sale of a property needed to finance Jeeva's new film project, leading to her expulsion and a lawsuit. Kavya is pressured to appear in the film. Shivani destroys evidence and frames Siddhu, causing a rift between Kavya and Keerthi. Pregnant Kavya is hospitalized when Shivani poisons her food. The machinations eventually become too much for Shiva, who admits to his misdeeds with his mother in order to protect Sreejith's sister, Sreekutty's baby.
Jeeva suffers amnesia following an auto collision, with the family warned not to force his memories. He misbehaves and quarrels with Kavya, who is explained to be his nurse, but when she leaves he has her brought back as his secretary. Although Shivani schemes against Kavya, Jeeva realizes his feelings and arranges to propose to Kavya. Kavya learns of this and gently tries to explain their life together but Jeeva develops a severe headache and cannot understand.