Aa Naluguru

The film opens as agents of death arrive to claim Raghuram's soul. He asks to witness his funeral rites, and the agents grant him this final moment. He expects his mourners to gather in sorrow, but the moment reveals a reversal that tests his belief in life’s values. The scene sets up the central tension between money and love that drives the story.

The film introduces Raghuram as editor-in-chief who donates half of his earnings to charity and holds a deep affection for society and family. He lives with his wife Bharati and three children, and his high ethical standards contrast with their pursuit of money. This contrast establishes the personal stakes of the story.

Subramanyam, Raghuram's closest ally, warns him that his path may be corrupted by power and wealth. He urges restraint and staying true to humanitarian ideals. The warning foreshadows the later pressures from moneyed interests that test Raghuram's integrity.

Raghuram takes a stand to shield Mastan during a religious flare, risking his own safety. His action demonstrates his commitment to justice over sectarianism. The incident deepens his reputation as a principled advocate for communal harmony.

Kotaiah, a ruthless loanshark, wagers that Raghuram will never approach him for debt if love is more important than money. The gamble crystallizes the core conflict between financial coercion and ethical stance. It foreshadows how debt and moral obligations pull at Raghuram's family later in the story.

Venkat Rao, the managing director, pressures Raghuram to publish tabloid photos to boost circulation. Facing the coercion, Raghuram resigns in defiance of the unethical demand. Later, Venkat Rao admits his fault, apologizes, and reappoints Raghuram with a pledge to stay clear of such meddling.

Indira secretly pursues Ravi, and Raghuram greets them with a grand reception. He welcomes the union and treats them as part of the family despite the social improprieties involved. The episode highlights the tension between personal happiness and moral discipline within the next generation.

Shekar qualifies for the police but resorts to bribery, while Chinna seeks an engineering seat through donations aided by Kotaiah and Subramanyam. Ravi and Indira also pressure for funds to emigrate to the US. Raghuram condemns the shortcuts and resolves to uphold his principles even as the family presses him to compromise.

Raghuram refuses to fund his children's schemes, and is met with scorn from his family. Bharati's trust in him is tested as the confrontation deepens the family’s emotional distance. He remains steadfast, refusing to let money dictate virtue.

As finances tighten, Raghuram borrows from Venkat Rao and Mastan, but the funds prove insufficient to avert disaster. He ultimately confronts Kotaiah and yields to his pressure, presenting himself as defeated to clear his debt. This moment marks a painful surrender of his unwavering ethics to practical necessity.

On the day of the funeral, the public pours onto the streets while his son Shekar and son-in-law are missing, hiding from debt collectors. Doctors arrive to collect Raghuram’s donated eyes, and a note reveals he believed his ideology had failed. Subramanyam shields the family’s honor by concealing the truth from Bharati and the crowd.

Bharati collapses as she realizes her husband’s saintly virtue and her children’s moral failings. The revelation shifts her from denial to acceptance of Raghuram’s ideals and the damage caused by the pursuit of money. This emotional turn fuels the final reckoning and reconciliation.

Raghuram's soul travels through a procession as society honors him, but his sons and son-in-law are forced to participate. Kotaiah blocks Shekar from lighting the pyre until the debt is cleared, prompting the crowd to step in financially. Kotaiah ultimately acknowledges Raghuram's reforming influence and declares the elder’s greatness.

Bharati prevents Shekar from performing the final rites, urging the public to complete the ritual and uphold Raghuram’s memory. The crowd’s involvement cements his legacy as a reformer who trusted love over money. The agents of death transform into heavenly beings, signaling that Raghuram’s grief has given way to heavenly happiness.

As Raghuram’s soul departs, his final message proclaims that birth gives nothing and death takes nothing, but the love created by society endures. The film closes on the reminder that moral integrity and communal care outlive an individual life. His legacy remains in the people he touched and the ideals he lived by.