Raghavendra Stores 2023

Hayavadana is a 40-year-old diligent bachelor from Malnad, working as the cook at his father Gunda Bhat’s hotel, “Raghavendra Stores,” and also providing meals to an orphanage. Despite his steady livelihood, he faces repeated rejections from prospective brides because of his age and occupation, a frustration that grows as his younger brother gets married. In a turning moment, Hayavadana saves Vaijayanthi, a Carnatic vocalist, from an embarrassing situation at a wedding catered by the family’s hotel. Their connection deepens quickly, and the couple eventually marries.

A traditional warning grounds their early days together. An astrologer advises the newlyweds to keep distance for three days due to religious beliefs, a pause that adds a quiet tension to their romance. When they do decide to consummate, they set out for a resort in Thirthahalli, hoping for privacy and a fresh start to their married life.

Meanwhile, the political world intrudes. Hayavadana’s friend, “Catch” Kumar, a publicity-hungry politician, arrives with his men, eager to drum up support to destabilize the government and position himself as an MLA candidate. The political maneuvering tees up a backdrop of power struggles that will soon collide with personal loyalties. In a twist of fate, Kumar’s gang inadvertently kidnaps Hayavadana, complicating the couple’s plans and prompting Gunda Bhat to send Hayavadana and Vaijayanthi on a careful honeymoon, hoping to shield them from danger.

The honeymoon marks a deepening of their bond but reveals a lack of the couple’s dream. On their getaway, Hayavadana and Vaijayanthi consummate their marriage and confront the reality that they cannot bear children. They decide to pursue surrogacy, a choice that underscores themes of family, genetics, and the search for parenthood in a complicated world.

A web of scandal erupts, testing trust and power. Ramachandra, a photographer and Kumar’s aide, exposes Kumar’s extramarital affair with a party worker by sharing incriminating photos with the media. Enraged by the humiliation, Kumar seeks to redirect attention by orchestrating a devastating plan: setting the orphanage on fire to sensationalize the story and damage any naysayers under the banner of “social service.”

Justice and family rise from turmoil. Hayavadana and his friends race to thwart Kumar’s schemes, exposing his involvement in both the arson and the questionable conduct surrounding the orphanage and the charity’s public image. Kumar flees in fear of arrest, unable to withstand the mounting scrutiny.

In the end, a new kind of family emerges. Rejecting the path of surrogacy in the face of deceit, Hayavadana and Vaijayanthi choose to welcome children into their lives by adoption, adopting two children and reaffirming the values of care, resilience, and integrity that guided them from the start. Their story moves from personal struggle to a shared commitment to a larger, hopeful family, rooted in love and ethical choices.