Great carpenter) is a 1991 Indian Malayalam-language period drama film directed by Ajayan and written by M. T. Vasudevan Nair.

In this story based on a Kerala legend, a pious and disciplined master carpenter of a mixed caste, Perumthachan, moves effortlessly in his world, constructing temples and carving intricate stone statues.

One evening, an old temple servant (Ambalavasi Brahmin) struggles to light a stone lamp due to strong winds.

While Perumthachan is proud of his son's abilities, he is concerned about Kannan's disregard for traditional artistic rules and his growing self-centeredness, which reflects the materialistic outlook of the younger generation.

The girl's father expresses his deep disappointment to Perumthachan, stating that he would have preferred Kannan’s accidental death over the dishonor brought upon the family.

In a moment of desperation, Perumthachan drops his chisel on Kannan’s neck, killing him during the final stages of the temple’s construction.

Unable to bear the consequences, Perumthachan later sets fire to his home, taking his own life to escape the villagers’ retribution for Kannan's death.

[4] In the afterword to his book The Master Carpenter, M. T. Vasudevan Nair wrote that Ajayan first approached him for a screenplay of his story Manikkakkallu.

Vasudevan Nair has told this legendary story of the master carpenter with finesse, bringing to mind the old rituals and traditions and a world since long forgotten.