Aptharakshaka

The mysterious painting travels from distant realms to a village, where a dedicated painter tries to restore its original beauty. He refuses to sell the portrait even if it costs him his life. Soon after, the painter is found dead, with his death left open to interpretation as suicide.

The painting travels into a dance competition and is awarded as a prize to Saraswathi and her husband and their family. The aura surrounding the portrait shadows the celebrations and hints at misfortune to come.

On Gowri's engagement day, a 30-foot snake appears and vanishes, alarming everyone. One of Gowri's friends collapses, and the groom flees in fear. The sequence of chilling incidents triggers a deeper search for answers.

Desperate for clues, the family calls Ramachandra Shastry, an astrologer-sage, and Dr. Vijay, a psychiatrist. The two experts begin to untangle a web of clues that stretches from the present into a storied past. Their involvement marks the start of a formal investigation.

The investigation traces a trail back 125 years to Raja Vijaya Rajendra Bahadur, whose life and enmity with Nagavalli echo across generations. Vijay notes that the portrait bears a striking resemblance to Bahadur, fueling questions about fate and identity. The historical link deepens the mystery and raises the possibility of unfinished business from the past.

Consultations with the book Sastry reveal that Bahadur's elder brother Vinaya Rajendra Bahadur was killed by Bahadur in a bid to seize power. The chronicles grow murky, and scholars wonder whether Bahadur survives in some hidden form. The revelation intensifies the sense that Nagavalli's shadow may reach across time.

The clues multiply as the painting's room in the outhouse shows a hidden rectangular mark on the wall. Saraswathi's fate appears inexorably linked to Nagavalli. The library hints reveal a larger truth, and a mysterious old man at Nagavalli's home in Peddapuram recounts a tale of a young woman who vanished into madness after a portrait appeared.

The doctor pieces these threads together and reveals that Saraswathi's supposed death after a truck accident, which claimed her husband and the painting, was a carefully staged deception. The deception was meant to mask Nagavalli's lingering influence. The discovery shifts the investigation from accident to a deliberate, occult-driven plot.

Vijay confirms Bahadur's supposed fate by printing an astrological profile and presenting it to the fort's elders. A dramatic confrontation unfolds at Bahadur's stronghold, forcing buried histories into the open. The clash tests the limits of science, astrology, and vengeance.

Sastry conducts a ritual to cast Nagavalli out of Saraswathi, and her madness subsides. Yet Nagavalli's influence continues to affect the family, hinting at a deeper attachment to the lineage. The ritual marks a turning point but does not fully sever the painting's hold.

Gowri's behavior alternates between her own self and Nagavalli's, revealing she studied Nagavalli's lover Ramanatha and even borrowed Nagavalli's portrait to probe the past. This makes Gowri a conduit for Nagavalli's will rather than a mere vessel. The revelation reframes the family crisis as a battle of wills across generations.

Gowri travels to the fort to face Bahadur, with Vijay following to protect those around her. A fierce confrontation ensues, and a sudden downpour provides a brief mercy that allows Gowri to survive. In the climactic moment, a bolt of lightning strikes Bahadur and seals his doom, freeing Gowri from Nagavalli's grip.

With Nagavalli's influence lifted and Bahadur defeated, Gowri is freed, and the couple prepares to marry. Geetha and the others are also ready to wed, bringing the family back to peace and a normal life free from the long shadow of the past. The story closes on reconciliation and restored harmony.