Ondanondu Kaladalli 1979

Gandugali is a weathered mercenary who stumbles upon a band of soldiers tracking wounded enemies and ends up rescuing them. He is brought before their chieftain, who hires him to train the warriors to confront his brother, a rival chief. While this work unfolds, the mercenary befriends Jayakeshi, the son of the chieftain’s eldest brother, who has been kept busy with cattle work by his uncle. Jayakeshi asks for help to reclaim his land and restore him as chief, but Gandugali insists that he is only a mercenary and that the young man has little to offer in return.

With steady hands, Gandugali guides the chieftain to modest victories against the rival, a progress that stirs envy in the chief’s commander. In one skirmish, Gandugali seizes the enemy’s cattle; on a festival day, the enemy commander, Peramadi, ends up trapped by Gandugali and his men. Gandugali chooses mercy, releasing Peramadi and sparing bloodshed on a sacred celebration.

Returning with the cattle, Gandugali discovers that the chief and the commander now see him as a threat for showing mercy. The chief refuses to see him, and the commander orders guards to shadow him. That night an attempt is made on Gandugali’s life, but the watchers kill the assassin. Realizing he has become a liability, Gandugali grows furious, sensing there is no real need for him, takes his salary, and leaves in anger.

On the road, Peramadi confronts him and challenges him to a duel. After a long, brutal fight, Peramadi reveals that it was his son who sought Gandugali’s life and that the chief had humiliated him for losing the cattle. Peramadi swears to wipe out Gandugali’s family, including Jayakeshi. Gandugali vows to track him down and to protect Jayakeshi if anything happens to him.

Peramadi proposes a deal: help him destroy the chiefs in return for sparing Jayakeshi. In the days that follow, they issue warnings and challenges to the chiefs, rallying their armies and drawing them closer. Slowly, Peramadi and Gandugali isolate the chiefs, scaring away portions of the army and eliminating some leaders along the way.

En route to the final battle, Peramadi warns that if Gandugali dies, he will not spare Jayakeshi. Knowing Peramadi’s treachery, Gandugali ensures Jayakeshi is hidden away from harm.

In the climactic clash, they smash the chiefs’ armies and Gandugali defeats the commander in a duel. Jayakeshi escapes from his hiding and fights alongside those who hope he might become the next chief. Gandugali returns to the palace to confront his former master, choosing not to kill him—he had served Gandugali and shared his salt, and the bargain with Peramadi was only to enable access. The chief strikes in a timely moment, fatally wounding him, and Peramadi arrives after killing the younger chief to finish off the older one, signaling the end of the war with a bugle.

Jayakeshi runs toward the palace, and upon seeing Gandugali dead, falls into tears. Peramadi steps in with a sword raised to strike Jayakeshi, but the young leader escapes after a warning. In a moment of clarity, Peramadi recognizes the depth of Gandugali’s loyalty, and, moved by the sight of the fallen mercenary, reinstates Jayakeshi as chief and walks away.