Pencil 2016

Rivalry and School Life

Shiva is the top student and his rival Nithin constantly harasses him, both verbally and physically, making them known enemies in the school. The tension colors life at school and sets up the central conflict between them. Other students watch their clashes with a mix of fear and curiosity.

Maya and the Science Lab Accident

Maya Srinivasan, Shiva's classmate and love interest, survives a dangerous science-lab incident, and Shiva saves her from harm. After this rescue, Maya reciprocates his feelings, deepening their connection. The moment marks a personal turning point for Maya and foreshadows her role in solving the mystery.

Thesis Burn Incident and Public Confrontation

Nithin burns Shiva's thesis, triggering a public confrontation in which Shiva assaults Nithin in front of the entire school. The school management intervenes to stop the fight and restore order. The incident raises the stakes and catalyzes the events that follow.

Nithin's Death Discovered

Shiva returns to his class intending to continue the fight, only to find Nithin dead with a sharp pencil stabbed into his neck. He removes the bloody pencil from the wound, unwittingly placing himself at the center of the investigation. Maya arrives at the scene, sees the incriminating moment, and chooses to believe Shiva's innocence.

Maya Believes and Joins the Hunt

Maya believes Shiva's innocence and offers to help solve the murder. With only about 40 minutes before the rest of the class returns, they begin a tense and urgent mystery hunt. They assemble a plan to uncover the real killer while keeping Shiva's name intact.

The Suspects Emerge

The list of suspects broadens: the school driver with a hidden wall behind the campus; a local goon who uses the wall to reach his girlfriend; Sridhar the chemistry teacher whose affair with Nandhini is exposed through a blackmail video; Indhulekha, Nithin's ex-girlfriend, whose friend Divya dies tragically; all have possible grievances against Nithin. The complexities hint at multiple motives and cover-ups within the school.

Pursuit and Interviews

Maya, Shiva, Indhulekha, and Napoleon push through clues, interviewing suspects and gathering fragments of truth. They navigate layers of alibis and misdirections as the clock ticks toward discovery. The investigation threads begin to converge as key details emerge.

Open Wall and Goon Plot

A potential lead centers on the open wall behind the school used by the goon to reach his girlfriend, suggesting a possible point of access for the murder. The team tests alibis and discovers how connections between suspects may have allowed Nithin's elimination. The tension rises as new possibilities challenge Shiva's innocence.

Divya's Father Revealed

In a pivotal turn, Divya's father is revealed as the killer, seeking vengeance for his daughter's death. The motive ties back to Divya's death and the way Nithin exploited others, exposing a darker undercurrent in the school community. The revelation shifts the investigation from suspicion to concrete accountability.

Aftermath and Relationship Strain

With the killer identified, Maya and Shiva's relationship surfaces at the forefront as they reflect on the case. A brief verbal fight erupts between them at the end, hinting unresolved tension despite solving the crime. They remain united by the experience, but their dynamic is tempered by the strain of the events.

Resolution for the Students

The crime is resolved and the class and staff must come to terms with what happened. The investigation exposes hidden motives and the fragility of trust in the school environment. Maya's partnership with Shiva stands as a bright spot amid the turmoil.