Aruvam

Aruvam

Year: 2019

Runtime: 133 mins

Language: Tamil

Director: Sai Shekhar

Echo Score: 38
ThrillerHorror

A food safety officer and a teacher who has no sense of smell come together to fight the practice of food adulteration and its devastating effect on people.

Warning: spoilers below!

Haven’t seen Aruvam yet? This summary contains major spoilers. Bookmark the page, watch the movie, and come back for the full breakdown. If you're ready, scroll on and relive the story!

Timeline – Aruvam (2019)

Trace every key event in Aruvam (2019) with our detailed, chronological timeline. Perfect for unpacking nonlinear stories, spotting hidden connections, and understanding how each scene builds toward the film’s climax. Whether you're revisiting or decoding for the first time, this timeline gives you the full picture.

1

Jyothi's life as a smell-impaired schoolteacher

A few months ago, Jyothi worked as a primary schoolteacher and lived with the burden of anosmia, feeling inferior because she cannot smell. She continues her work despite this challenge, educating students and dealing with everyday duties. Her condition shapes her self-perception and interactions with others.

A few months ago Primary school
2

Jagan notices Jyothi and falls in love

Jagannathan, a Food Safety Officer, watches Jyothi free a parakeet used for parrot astrology and is immediately drawn to her. He later confesses his love, but Jyothi remains distant. The moment seeds a troubled romance that will drive much of the film's conflict.

Shortly after Around Jyothi's life / at school
3

Jagan visits Jyothi's home to talk

Jagan visits Jyothi's father to discuss their potential marriage. Jyothi explains she does not want to be a burden because of her anosmia and recalls that her mother died in a gas explosion she couldn't smell. The scene sets up the stigma she faces regarding marriage and safety.

Soon after confession Jyothi's home
4

Temple prayer and the sari fire

Jyothi goes to a temple to pray for Jagan and her family's acceptance of the match. Her sari catches fire from the temple diyas, and she cannot smell or hear the surrounding commotion. Jagan intervenes, pours milk over the flames, and urges that someone is needed to protect her before leaving.

A few days later Temple
5

Paranormal attack near the banyan tree

A watchman at Jyothi's school is beaten by an apparition near a massive banyan tree, signaling a rising supernatural danger. The event unsettles the school and foreshadows the deadly forces at work. The incident widens the mystery surrounding Jyothi.

The next day Banyan tree near school
6

Papers fly and the fall at the school

The headmaster grows angry over destroyed food as Jyothi is asked to prepare exam papers. A sudden gust blows the blinds and the papers fly into the air. She chases them, slips on the stairs, and is hospitalized with injuries.

Next day School
7

Smell returns in the hospital

While recovering, Jyothi unexpectedly begins to smell again. She and her father are ecstatic when she identifies an electrical fire in a hospital room, realizing her sense of smell is returning after the ordeal.

That night Hospital
8

A string of murders prompts an investigation

Mysterious deaths begin with Mahadevan being strangled and impaled, observed by the health minister who notes the murder. The next day, the health minister himself is strangled. Vikram, Dinesh, and Daniel investigate, tracing a hair found at the scene to a woman's DNA and Jyothi.

Following nights City / investigative offices
9

Jyothi is identified and confronted

Vikram, Dinesh, and Daniel zero in on Jyothi, who is beaten by Daniel and his henchmen during an attempted assault. As the confrontation escalates, Jyothi is possessed by a supernatural force who reveals itself as Jagan's soul. The possession culminates in Jyothi stabbing Daniel with a crane hook.

During the confrontation Investigation site / hospital
10

Jagan's life as a vigilante foe

Through a flashback, Jagan explains his past as a Food Safety Officer who fought adulteration and made powerful enemies. He dies after being lured to a banyan tree when he falls off a train, and Daniel burns his body. He reveals that he killed the three rogues through Jyothi.

Past Flashback
11

Present-day plea for justice

Back in the present, Jyothi tells Jagan to leave her alone after hearing about the murders he caused. She also reveals to her father that Jagan is dead. Meanwhile, ten students at her school are affected by adulterated eggs and five die as a result, but the staff refuse to acknowledge the injustice.

Present day Present-day school / home
12

Exorcist trap and kidnapping plan

An exorcist traps Jagan's soul and directs Vikram and Dinesh to capture Jyothi and kill her to stop Jagan's revenge. Goons hired by the schemers abduct Jyothi, beating her as the danger escalates. She begins to realize the deadly impact of adulteration and urges Jagan to act.

After the trap Exorcist location
13

Jyothi's realization and resolve

While captive, Jyothi realizes the consequences of adulteration and pleads for Jagan to take action against the villains. She resolves to cooperate with Jagan to expose corruption and protect the innocent.

Present day Captivity / city
14

Jagan possesses Jyothi and enacts revenge

Escaping the exorcist's trap, Jagan takes over Jyothi's body and murders Vikram, Dinesh, and their rogues to exact revenge. The film ends with a grim note that Jagan's hunt will continue, hinting at a sequel.

Finale Present day

Last Updated: November 22, 2025 at 16:00

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Aruvam Summary

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Aruvam Summary

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Characters, Settings & Themes in Aruvam

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