Pokiri 2006

In Hyderabad, the city’s underworld is split between two dominant gangs: Ali Bhai and Narayana, who rule through extortion, contract killings, and relentless coercion. At the heart of the pursuit to restore safety stands the newly appointed Deputy Commissioner Qadri, a determined officer who wants to curb the violence and bring the criminals to justice. The stage is set for a collision of loyalties, violence, and the tangled web of power.

Pandu is a money-driven thug living in Hyderabad. He is hired by Narayana to beat up Ali Bhai’s henchman Mallesh, a job that starts him down a slippery path. After proving himself in that brutal assignment, Pandu is drawn into Ali Bhai’s fold when offered money to switch sides. Along the way, he crosses paths with Shruti, Shruti, an aerobics teacher who resists his advances. Shruti lives with her widowed mother and her brother, while her neighbor Brahmi—a software engineer who pesters her about marriage—adds to the domestic tension surrounding her. The gangland atmosphere is further complicated by Pasupathy, a corrupt SI who works for Ali Bhai and lusts after Shruti, undeterred by her refusals or her family’s protests.

As Pandu proves himself by disarming Narayana’s henchmen, Pasupathy confronts him with ruthless persistence. Pandu casually reveals his knowledge of Pasupathy’s role in a constable’s death during a gangster encounter, and warns him to stay away from Shruti. Shruti, beginning to see past Pandu’s rough exterior, meets him again and begins to fall in love, though the danger and his violent tendencies loom large. When Pasupathy arranges a mock sexual assault to ruin Shruti’s reputation, Pandu’s restraint and his own code are tested. He beats Pasupathy in a crowded market but keeps his identity hidden, then anonymously warns him that if he ever suspects Pandu’s involvement, he’ll pay dearly.

To escape Pasupathy’s predatory advances, Shruti ultimately proposes to Pandu, a move that is interrupted by an attack from Narayana’s henchmen. Pandu responds with brutal efficiency, leaving Shruti both shocked and fascinated by the depths of his power. The conflict intensifies as Ali Bhai proposes an escalating plan to harm innocents, including prompting Pandu to consider a larger, even more dangerous crime. Pandu rejects the plan—refusing to kill innocents—and the police raid the club, briefly disrupting Ali Bhai’s operation. Yet the gang’s reach remains, and Narayana’s ally—now a pawn in the larger game—kidnaps Qadri’s daughter, drugs her, and creates a lewd video to pressure the commissioner to release Ali Bhai. The plan backfires when the captive daughter inadvertently reveals that there is an undercover IPS officer among Ali Bhai’s crew: Krishna Manohar.

The undercover officer is revealed to be none other than Krishna Manohar, the son of the retired Inspector Suryanarayana. Confronting Suryanarayana, Ali Bhai kills Pandu’s friend and Suryanarayana’s son, only to find out that the “real” Krishna Manohar is Pandu himself. This revelation blows apart Pandu’s dual identities and binds Shruti and Pasupathy even more tightly to the unfolding tragedy. After Suryanarayana and Ajay’s funerals, Pandu corners Pasupathy and has him call Ali Bhai’s location at Binny Mills. Pandu then heads to confront Ali Bhai, swiftly dismantling his men in a cold, ruthless sweep.

Ali Bhai pleads, but Pandu’s resolve remains unshaken. When the two finally meet, Pandu slices Ali Bhai’s throat, ending the gangster’s reign. He then informs Qadri that his daughter is safe, a victory tempered by the cost of the bloodshed around him. Pasupathy, enraged and cornered, raises his gun, only to be shot dead by Pandu. In the final moment, Pandu reflects on the vow he made earlier—“once he commits to anything, he won’t even listen to himself”—as the city’s quiet, conflicted avenger stands over the burning thread of a once-dominant criminal empire.

once he commits to anything, he won’t even listen to himself.