Navagraha 2008

At a tense summit between world crime syndicates, the plan unfolds to steal the Ambari, a golden ceremonial object used in Mysore Palace’s religious celebrations, and auction it for US$500 million. The job is pitched to be led by Darshan Thoogudeepa Srinivas, a master thief who has just earned a bail from a prior bank heist. The deal is brokered by Diwan, who funds Jaggu’s release to ensure the operation goes ahead. Jaggu’s sister Gowri and his friend Kumbhi urge him toward the plan, arguing it’s the kind of score that could change their lives, and Gowri’s loyalty and affection for Kumbhi help seal their resolve to join.

To assemble the crew, Jaggu proposes four associates he met in prison: a tunneling expert, a pair of duplication specialists, and a getaway driver named Gende. Though the others initially hesitate—partly due to the Jamboo Savari festival and the belief that the Ambari is protected by the goddess Chamundeshwari—the rising weight of financial pressure persuades them to participate. Once the core team is set, they begin laying out their approach, balancing risk, timing, and the festival’s significance as both cover and obstacle.

The operation moves toward Mysore, where Jaggu’s old associate Kiran brings in Sharmiela Mandre to involvе Vicky, the son of the palace chief security guard, who supplies crucial information about three tunnels. One tunnel is positioned to be used when the Ambari is placed on display for Ayudha Puja. Tony, the tunneling expert, along with Vicky, test the routes to identify the shortest, most secure path. With the route mapped, the team begins the meticulous preparations for the heist.

As the plan progresses, the group tunnels inside the palace, replaces the real Ambari with a convincing replica, and makes a hasty getaway on a disguised bus toward Mangalore Harbour. Police pressure soon closes in: the Mysore city police appoint Assistant Commissioner Bhagath to oversee palace security, with Sub Inspector Prathap coordinating on the ground, while Vicky’s closer circle becomes tangled in the investigation. When Ayudha Puja commences, Bhagath quickly suspects foul play and ramps up his inquiry.

Bhagath learns from a sculptor that Jaggu had created replicas of the Ambari, a ruse intended to mislead authorities. He contends that the replicas may contain RDX explosives to trap the real culprits, adding another layer of threat and urgency to the chase. Jaggu’s team reaches the border and, sensing Bhagath’s plan, improvises a new route. In a volatile turn, Jaggu’s crew eliminates two suspicious officers, intensifying the pursuit. Bhagath grows suspicious of Vicky and orders a deeper search, while Kumbhi confides in Gowri that he suspects Jaggu plans to kill them all to safeguard the loot, even changing the password to the account used to pay the others.

While the group rests on a hillside to repair a flat tire, Kumbhi passes Gowri a pendrive containing the heist plan, the bank account number, and the password. In a brutal twist, Jaggu kills Kumbhi and incapacitates Gowri to secure the pendrive, deciding to press onward with the mission. The news hits Vicky hard when he discovers that Kiran has been using him all along and has developed genuine feelings for Jaggu, not for himself. Gowri, overwhelmed with despair, climbs from the bus and leaps to her death.

With Gowri dead and Kumbhi gone, Tony realizes that Jaggu cannot be trusted and confronts him, forcing a tense standoff inside the moving vehicle. A Mexican standoff erupts as more revelations come to light. Vicky phones Prathap to reveal the Ambari’s location, but Kiran raises the gun, threatening Vicky and injecting a final dose of danger into the journey. The bus veers into a remote, forested region, and a brutal fight breaks out, leaving only Jaggu and Vicky standing by the time the bus reaches a dangerous stretch.

A fierce struggle ends with Bhagath’s team firing on the bus, sending it crashing over a bridge edge. Bhagath executes a risky move—tying a rope to the Ambari so a police helicopter can lift it away. He pulls Vicky from the wreck as the bus tilts and plunges into a deep chasm, killing Jaggu in the process.

In the aftermath, during the Vijayadashami festival, the Ambari is restored to its rightful place and the Jamboo Savari proceeds with its splendor. For his part, Vicky resolves to work even harder in the future, a quiet acknowledgment of the dangers crossed and the hard lessons learned from the night’s chaotic pursuit.