Vaisakhi List 2016

Tarsem Lal is seen slipping out of a hidden hole in the jail garden, almost getting snagged by the friendly Jailer Jalaur Singh Johal. Their brief exchange is interrupted by a confrontation between Jarnail Singh, a prisoner, and Aman, a woman who was supposed to marry him before her arrest. Tarsem consoles Jarnail Singh and asks about the quarrel, and Jarnail opens up about his past.

Before his arrest, Jarnail worked as a dairy farmer who sold milk in the village. He had visited Aman’s family to propose, hoping for a lifelong partnership rooted in love. Aman privately confides that she wants a love marriage, while Aman’s brother pushes for a marriage arranged with his friend in exchange for drugs. Refusing the coercive plan on Aman’s behalf, Jarnail shares the decision with his friend Baljit, and commitment to Aman begins to shape the story that follows.

Sometime later, Jarnail begins attending a class Aman teaches for the elderly to learn English, and a genuine affection develops between them. Jarnail returns to Aman’s family to rekindle the marriage proposal, but Aman’s brother seems unhappy with the renewed plan. On the way home from Aman’s house, a police stop reveals opium hidden in one of Jarnail’s milk cans. Though Jarnail protests his innocence, he is arrested, and Aman’s family cuts ties with him. Aman refuses to abandon him, believing him, while Jarnail suspects Aman’s brother’s involvement. Aman visits the jail today to say that her marriage is fixed for Vaisakhi, and Tarsem suggests they could escape, though Jarnail is wary, knowing Tarsem’s history of failed escapes.

Tarsem then narrates his own backstory. He sold toys on a bike and found joy in his young son, hoping his son would have a happy life even more than perfect grades. A traffic incident nearly resulting in tragedy for his son leads Tarsem to slap a police officer in anger, which triggers his arrest. His original sentence was meant to be brief, but his repeated escape attempts — including pole-vaulting over walls — extended his time in prison. Tarsem’s motive for escape is simple and heartfelt: to see his son again. He reveals that he dug a tunnel in the jail’s garden and kept copies of each cell block’s keys.

That night, Tarsem and Jarnail execute their plan, slipping out through the tunnel, stealing two prisoners’ shirts and a car, and driving off. Tarsem drops off at his home to reunite with his family, while Jarnail heads to Aman’s house, where the two elope. Tarsem visits his grandparents, who are unhappy to learn he escaped with only a month left on his sentence. He then sees his son, who declines to go with him, leaving Tarsem to cope with the hurt and to wait outside in hope of reconciliation.

The next morning, Jalaur prepares the prison for Vaisakhi celebrations as the Jail Minister and his aide arrive. He orders the constables to bring Jarnail and Tarsem to his office, but the two are nowhere to be found. Jarnail and Aman decide to contact Jalaur to prevent any damage to his position, and Jalaur, in a mostly unexpected turn, reveals a plan: on Vaisakhi, those arrested for minor crimes would be released, including Jarnail and Tarsem. Jarnail informs Tarsem that they earned a chance at freedom, but Jalaur asks them to return to the prison via the tunnel before the truth comes out. The officers learn of the tunnel’s existence but fill it with sand to hide their discovery from the minister’s sight.

Jarnail and Aman race to Tarsem, and his son’s newspaper proves that both Tarsem and Jarnail are slated for release. They head to Baljit’s house first to shelter Aman from her family until Tarsem’s name is cleared. Aman, however, calls Jarnail back to keep her bond intact with Baljit, and the trio heads back toward the prison while avoiding Aman’s brother.

Back at the prison, Tarsem’s brother-in-law, Bheem, reads about the release in the paper and goes to see Tarsem. Learning of the escape, Jalaur tasks a constable to track Tarsem down at his favorite spots. As Tarsem and Jarnail drive toward the prison, they are chased by a persistent officer and the car’s former owners, but Bheem and the nearby constable stall the pursuit.

To manage the media, Jalaur sets up a playful ruse: he invites reporters — including the Jail Minister’s niece — to interview two other prisoners named Tarsem and Jarnail, who have recently been jailed for a serious crime, to distract them from the real fugitives. The plan buys the escapees some time while the real search continues.

The pursuit nears a dramatic turn when Baljit, her father, and a band of thugs confront the fugitives. Baljit reveals his long-standing desire to marry Aman and accuses Jarnail of undermining that plan. He admits hiding drugs in Jarnail’s milk cans and tries to force Jarnail to drop Aman. Tarsem and Jarnail fight Baljit and his men, pushing forward despite the danger.

As Vaisakhi celebrations loom, the Jail Minister arrives, and Jalaur grows increasingly anxious. The prisoners-turned-escapees push toward safety as the minister’s speech continues. When all seems lost, Tarsem and Jarnail leap into view just as the minister signals for them to come forward, and their official release is signed.

In the end, Tarsem reunites with his family and reconciles with his son, while Jarnail meets Aman’s family and, together with Aman, restores the alliance that had brought them together in the first place. The story closes on a note of renewed hope, with both men moving forward under the new Vaisakhi dawn.