Naandhi 2021

Surya Prakash, Allari Naresh, is an earnest software engineer who shares a simple, upright life with his parents. His single driving goal is to repay the sacrifices his family made to raise him, and that duty guides every choice he makes. As his life slowly settles into a quiet rhythm, he becomes engaged to Meenakshi, a bond that promises happiness and a future built on trust.

Tensions ripple through the state when a righteous lawyer, Rajagopal, is murdered. The police are under immense pressure to deliver a swift breakthrough, and the investigation falls into the hands of the blunt and relentless CI Kishore [Harish Uthaman]. When Kishore learns of a ₹10 lakh loan Surya took to buy a house, he uses this to construct a frame-up, planting fake evidence and dragging Surya into the case. In a series of shocking twists, Surya finds that nearly everyone who could vouch for him turns hostile, pressed by Kishore’s intimidation.

The sense of injustice deepens as Surya is arrested and subjected to coercive interrogation. He endures brutal treatment in prison, and the weight of the accusation bears down on him as his parents, unable to bear the strain, tragically take their own lives by immolating themselves. At the funeral, Kishore coldly reveals that he coerced Surya’s parents into death in exchange for leniency toward Surya, a revelation that fuels Surya’s rage and triggers a violent confrontation with Kishore. This act of defiance earns Surya another legal blow, and Meenakshi withdraws from the relationship, overwhelmed by the brutal reality of the charges and the manipulations surrounding them.

Years pass, and Surya’s case remains stalled in the courts, leaving him a broken man. A turning point arrives when he meets Radha Prakash, a controversial YouTuber, and begins to tell his side of the story. The narrative then pivots to the arrival of Aadhya, a tenacious advocate [Varalaxmi Sarathkumar], who steps in to defend him and secures Surya’s bail. Yet the struggle is far from over: Surya is beaten by imprisoned goons in a staged incident orchestrated by Kishore, landing him back in prison. It’s later revealed that Radha Prakash is actually Aadhya’s brother, and he captured the assault on video, uploading it to bring attention to the case. A human rights office intervenes, and Surya’s file is fast-tracked to the High Court with Aadhya leading the defense.

In the Fast Track High Court, Aadhya’s arguments shine and Surya is acquitted of the initial charges. Buoyed by the verdict, Surya vows to confront Kishore and seeks redress under IPC Section 211. The defense is headed by Satyamurthy, and the pursuit of truth leads to a dangerous turn when Surya abducts Chandraiah, the man who testified against him in Rajagopal’s murder. Chandraiah provides a crucial confession: Kishore bribed two goons to kill Rajagopal, but political pressure forced a switch. The goons escaped with the full knowledge of the truth, drawing Kishore deeper into the ring of falsified evidence and manipulation.

Chandraiah agrees to reveal the full truth in court, but is kidnapped by the henchmen of Naagendar, an ex-Home Minister who is revealed as the mastermind behind Rajagopal’s murder. Aadhya asks the judge for more time, and the judge grants it. Chandraiah is killed by Kishore, who fakes the death as a riot casualty. With the truth inching closer, Aadhya and Surya uncover that Naagendar ordered Rajagopal’s demise to quash his own land scam exposure. They also seek to tap Naagendar’s phone to cement the case, but a risky night-before-court kidnapping by Naagendar tests their resolve. Despite heavy injuries, Surya frees himself and reaches the courtroom, where a decisive confrontation unfolds.

In the courtroom, Naagendar and Kishore are finally brought to justice: Naagendar receives life imprisonment, and Kishore is handed a death sentence. The verdict marks a cathartic moment for Surya, who finds solace in the idea that his parents’ deaths were not in vain. The case closes with a sense of closure and the belief that truth, no matter how long it takes, ultimately prevails.

Key performances are anchored by a tightly wound cast, with Rajagopal Rao and his family shaping the emotional backbone of the story, the ethical gravity provided by Rajyalakshmi as Meenakshi’s mother, and the protective legal firepower of Varalaxmi Sarathkumar as Aadhya, whose advocacy pierces through years of fear and injustice. The film traverses personal loss, political corruption, and the resilience of a man determined to reclaim his name, offering a prolonged, thoughtful look at how corruption ripples through families and communities, and how courage, when paired with legal acumen and public accountability, can overturn the darkest schemes. The intense courtroom drama is matched by intimate scenes of family loyalty, sacrifice, and the unyielding pursuit of truth.