Yarigu Helbedi 1994

Govinda, Anant Nag, is a crafty con artist who thrives on spotting easy targets among people who dream of a better life. He thrives on the chase and the moment when others reveal their vulnerabilities, always looking for a way to extract money or some small benefit. He is in love with Champa, [Vanitha Vasu not linked here since her page isn’t provided] whom he plans to marry, much to the displeasure of Champa’s father, Shivaram, who sees Govinda as a lazy, no-good fellow loafing around without a real job.

Set in a close-knit housing complex owned by Obaliah, a circle of neighbors becomes the stage for the central gossip and schemes. Sarojamma, Vinaya Prasad, Subbamma, Jalajamma, and Susheelamma are longtime friends whose daily routines revolve around shared meals, stories, and the small dramas of their lives. Jalajamma’s husband lives in Dubai and only visits once a year, which feeds the women’s sense of community and their longing for stability and a place they can call their own. Sheela, a widow who lives with her young daughter, faces taunts from the others, despite her innocence, while Naveen, Ramakrishna’s character in the story, is treated with suspicion by the group even though he is a decent man and a steadfast friend to Sheela.

The women dream of owning their own homes, but their husbands balk at the idea, citing insufficient funds or the burden of high loan interest. Govinda sees an opportunity in their desperation and begins to approach the wives while their husbands are at work. He fabricates a tempting vision: if they keep the arrangement secret and pool their money, he can secure housing plots for them. One by one, the wives are drawn into the promise, selling jewelry and dipping into long-saved money, sometimes depleting their lifetimes of savings to fund Govinda’s scheme. With the money in hand, Govinda purchases a plot and begins constructing a house, presenting himself as the man who will deliver the dream of a home.

Perceptive and suspicious, Ramaraya notices Govinda around the construction site and asks questions. Govinda claims he’s preparing to get married and wants a home ready for that life change, and Ramaraya offers to oversee the project to ensure its quality. Govinda accepts this help, thinking it will smooth over his growing deceit. Meanwhile, the truth begins to surface as the husbands realize their wives have fallen prey to Govinda’s ruse. The women’s concerns pivot from personal pride to fear over their financial losses, and Sheela even attempts suicide, a desperate act that nearly destroys the fragile balance of the community. Naveen, steadfast in his friendship with Sheela, proposes to her, and she accepts, hoping for stability amid the chaos.

The tension erupts at Govinda’s house-warming ceremony when the husbands confront him with the full extent of his deception. Govinda tries to wriggle out, but the web tightens as Ramaraya steps forward with a crucial truth: the plot Govinda is building on was, in fact, purchased by Ramaraya without his wife’s knowledge. The revelation makes Govinda realize the depth of the trap—what he believed was a simple case of prosperity was actually a clash of two concealed purchases on the same piece of land. The contractual documents reveal that the plot—and the house—belong to Ramaraya, not Govinda.

Trapped by the undeniable evidence, Govinda faces the consequences of his actions. He makes amends, offers a sincere apology, and is ultimately forgiven, though he is sternly warned never to cheat again and to lead a more honest life. The story closes on a note of cautious optimism: a community scarred by deceit finds a path to healing, and Govinda begins to reckon with the responsibility that comes with trust and integrity.