Baana Kaathadi

Ramesh chases a falling kite and collides with Priya. In the scramble, Priya's pendrive—six months of her work—slips into his pocket, unseen by either of them. Priya pleads with the college principal for an extension and scours the campus to locate the pendrive. When they finally cross paths again, she humiliates him and he stubbornly denies having it.

Ramesh and his friends spot Priya on a road and tease her after college. The provocation escalates until Priya slaps him, a sharp reminder of how pride can flare into conflict. The moment hardens their early tension and seeds the complicated dynamic to come.

A few days later, Ramesh's mother discovers the pendrive while washing his pants. Realizing the fault lies with him, Ramesh hurries to return it. Priya is impressed by his unexpected sense of responsibility, and their broken ice begins to thaw as they form a fragile friendship.

As time passes, Priya and Ramesh grow closer through small moments and missed chances. Their easy rapport deepens into mutual affection, even as social differences loom overhead. The subtle shift makes their dynamic the emotional center of the story.

Urged by friends, Ramesh gathers the courage to tell Priya that he loves her. Just as the moment seems to connect, a comic misstep occurs: he borrows money from Kumar and accidentally pockets a condom. He realizes the mistake too late, and the awkward moment disrupts the confession.

The slip becomes a public confrontation when Priya discovers the condom; she denies knowing Ramesh, and he is arrested and transported to the police station. The tense moment ends their current interaction and forces a painful separation. Fear and misunderstanding threaten the budding romance.

Back at home, Ramesh is brought in and stops talking to Priya. His friends try to bridge the gap, but Priya remains stubborn. The distance between them grows as each clings to grievances, until a glimmer of forgiveness starts to appear.

A friend's confession about how deeply Ramesh loves Priya begins to soften her stance. She also learns that he bought her a grain of rice with her name written on it, a tiny token revealing the depth of his feelings. The discovery makes her fear of their class difference feel more surmountable.

In a parallel thread, Maanja Ravi witnesses a murder that rattles Ramesh. He runs away in shock and later trips over an elderly man, an incident that alters his path and heightens the danger surrounding Ramesh.

Ravi sends Ramesh away to Gujarat, fearing for his safety. The move isolates Ramesh and pushes him toward a distant, uncertain journey as danger tightens around him.

In the Commissioner’s office, the ex-MLA's son appears with the elderly man who can identify the boy. The commissioner decides to handle the case while the inspector warns Ravi and his gang to neutralize the witness. The danger surrounding Ramesh intensifies as the plot thickens.

Priya’s mother informs her that her father must undergo surgery and she should return to the United States. Priya vows to wait for Ramesh at the bus stop—the place where they first met—believing that if he truly loves her, he will come.

With Kumar’s nudge, Ramesh travels to meet Priya, but danger follows. On the road, Ravi makes another attempt on her life; a second goon on the same bus is ready to strike. Ramesh bravely shields Priya and they briefly hold hands as danger narrows, but he slips on the bus steps and is fatally struck by the bus.

In the aftermath, Priya sits in a car, gazing at the grain of rice that bears her name—the tiny keepsake Ramesh gave her. It becomes a symbol of a love cut short and a memory that will outlive the tragedy.