Romans 2013

Convict train escape

Akash and Shibu are being transported to a jail on a train with another convict. The duo beat the guards and Shibu jumps off the moving train with an unwilling Akash, starting their unlikely escape. The incident marks the beginning of their journey away from prison.

Arrival in Poomala

The convicts reach the village of Poomala, sitting near the Kerala–Tamil Nadu border, coinciding with the arrival of two priests. The locals mistake them for the new priests due to their appearance. The chance encounter drags them into the village’s unusual upcoming events.

Mistaken identity and disguise

Surrounded by curious townsfolk, Akash and Shibu realize they are mistaken for clergy. To stay hidden and gain safety, they decide to pretend to be priests, with Akash taking the name Fr. Paul and Shibu becoming Fr. Sebastian. The masquerade begins to shape the village’s faith and fears.

Miracle-like signs boost faith

As the masquerade unfolds, small miracles seem to occur around them. Shibu’s actions contribute to apparent divine signs, reinforcing the townspeople’s belief in the new priests. The line between trick and miracle begins to blur for the villagers.

A mother cured by a mysterious accident

During the events, Mathukutty’s mother attacks the priests and is electrocuted after hitting an open socket. She unexpectedly recovers from her insanity, a turn that the villagers interpret as a miracle. The incident deepens the aura of the priests’ powers around the community.

Geevarghese’s breakdown

Geevarghese, a preacher who distrusts the impostor priests, is inadvertently electrocuted and loses his sanity. His reaction underscores the ambiguous nature of the events and fuels more rumors about the priests’ powers. The village remains divided in belief and fear.

Growing belief in miracles

The sequence of odd incidents leads the townspeople to increasingly believe the priests possess divine abilities. Their growing influence reshapes the village’s customs and expectations around the Perunnal festival. The line between skepticism and faith becomes dangerously thin.

Backstory of the church and the curse

Achankunju explains the church’s troubled past, including Fr. Rodriguez’s suicide after a tragic love confession and the belief that his ghost curses the Perunnal. This history fuels the villagers’ fear that priests arriving at the church will die during the festival. The idea of a curse now looms over every new priest.

Escape attempt loops back to Poomala

Akash and Shibu attempt to flee again but end up circling back to Poomala. Their plans to escape the net of the village and its myths are repeatedly thwarted. The cycle of deception and danger drives them deeper into the town’s secrets.

Ornament theft plot and reconciliation

Shibu schemes to steal ornaments for the Perunnal and escape, but Akash objects to the plan. Shibu locks him in a room, and Achankunju eventually frees him. The two priests-pretenders reconcile, realizing they must navigate the festival together.

Perunnal Day and supposed deaths

During Perunnal, a ritual is staged where the priests are believed to die. Akash pretends to consider Fr. Rodriguez the source of the curse and moves to destroy his gravestone. He then appears to bleed to death, heightening the village’s hysteria.

The truth emerges and a killer is exposed

The apparently dead Fr. Paul/Akash returns to reveal the real culprit: Pappichayan, the father of Fr. Rodriguez, who has poisoned the priests with the Vayanayappam to frame the church. Shibu confirms the night he saw the poisoning, forcing the truth into the open. Pappichayan is arrested at last.

Escape during prayer and a spark of hope

In a tense moment, the priests-turned-escapees try to flee while the townsfolk pray with closed eyes. Eleena appears and motivates Akash to keep moving, giving him a glimmer of hope amid the pursuit. The escape attempt ends with the police catching up.

Punishment and a winking return

Inspector Vetrimaaran informs the duo that their punishment will be reduced, acknowledging their clever evasion and the village’s complicity. Akash winks at Eleena as they are led away by the authorities. The moment mixes grim justice with a sense of reluctant relief.