Potugadu 2013

Govinda Naama Sastry is a young man who decides to end his life. He goes to a lonely spot for one last drink. At about the same time, Venkata Rathnam arrives to end his life as well. The two sit down for a quiet conversation to learn more about each other’s life stories.

Govinda narrates four love stories, starting with Vaidehi, the daughter of a wealthy Brahmin. Vaidehi is introduced as the first love; after a brief courtship, Vaidehi’s father objects, and Govinda moves on. The second tale begins when he falls for Mumtaz Sakshi Chaudhary. Their romance blossoms, but a drunken moment leads Govinda to make derogatory comments about Mumtaz, hurting her and fueling guilt.

Venkata Rathnam grows furious and tries to intervene. Govinda vomits blood, admitting that there was poison in the drink. Venkata Rathnam rushes him to a hospital, where Mumtaz works as a nurse, though neither Govinda nor Venkata Rathnam knows her identity yet. Mumtaz hides behind a wall and secretly listens to Govinda’s story.

Next comes a romance with a foreigner named Stacy (Rachel), who is engaged to Govinda’s boss. To steal her ring worth 500,000 rupees, he separates the couple, but later abandons the plan after learning that she tossed the ring into a river in frustration.

The final love story centers on Mary, played by Anupriya Goenka. For the first time, Govinda experiences true love and attempts to reform himself. The shock comes with the truth about Mary: she runs a brothel and traffics girls. When Govinda learns of Mary’s crimes, the police enlist him to help, and he agrees. Mary explains that her task is to train talented girls from towns and move them to her house, while Govinda’s job is to transport them. In the present, the police inform Govinda, and he pleads to help rescue the missing girls. The girls, all transported by Govinda, are found in a container, and after a brutal confrontation, he manages to rescue them.

Dejected and heartbroken by the betrayals and sins of his past, Govinda decides to die. Outside the hospital, Govinda and Venkata Rathnam leave to see Vaidehi being taken to a room for delivery, with Govinda’s boss and his parents watching. Before death, Govinda shares two truths with Venkata Rathnam: one, that he left Vaidehi to spare her parents the pain if they eloped; and two, that he separated his boss from Stacy to protect his boss’s future. Mumtaz stops Govinda as he confesses to Venkata Rathnam that Mumtaz was the only woman who showered unconditional love on him, and he let her down. The couple reconciles, and a frustrated Venkata Rathnam walks away with a glimmer of hope, only to later encounter a beautiful girl who accepts his proposal.