Captain Miller

In a village oppressed by caste norms, Eesa longs for respect and a chance to prove himself. He believes enlisting in the British Indian Army would earn him standing that his caste denies him at home. However, his elder brother Sengannan resists this path, seeing it as alignment with the colonizers.

Sengannan, Eesa's elder brother, becomes the figurehead of a local uprising against colonial rule. He views the army as betrayal and channels the family's energy into the revolutionary movement. The family is divided as Eesa pursues the army while Sengannan fights the British on his own terms.

While navigating village life, Eesa meets Velmathi, a doctor and the niece of King Rajadhipathi. A bond forms between them, giving Eesa hope for a future beyond caste and conflict. Velmathi's presence also ties Eesa to the king's circle.

Eesa discovers Velmathi loves someone else and must come to terms with losing her. He resolves to move forward, burying romantic hope as he concentrates on his future. The setback strengthens his resolve to prove himself in other ways.

Eesa signs up to the army, where language barriers lead to him being branded as 'Miller' by those who cannot pronounce his birth name. He begins to earn his place and adopts the title Captain Miller as he rises through the ranks. The harsh realities of colonial military life soon test his ideals.

During a mission, the soldiers are ordered to attack freedom fighters gathered publicly, crushing any pretense of innocence. Stephen, guilt-ridden by the carnage, commits suicide, revealing the moral rot festering inside the unit. Eesa then kills General Buller, a turning point that fuses guilt with rage.

Distraught, Eesa contemplates ending his life, but Rafiq intervenes and persuades him to desert the army and return to his village. He learns that Sengannan and other freedom fighters were killed in the massacre, deepening his sense of loss. The villagers repudiate him, driving him away from his former life.

Joining the rebels, Eesa takes part in guerrilla attacks against British forces. He and fellow freedom fighters, including Rafiq and Sembatta, strike at strategic targets and begin turning the tide in their village's favor. Each hit strengthens Eesa's resolve and deepens his commitment to the cause.

After a skirmish, Velmathi treats wounded Eesa and reveals that her husband died in the earlier massacre. She urges Eesa to strike back by killing Riley, the son of a British Governor, to avenge her husband and many slain villagers. The personal and political lines blur as romance and revenge intertwine.

The British learn of a precious 600-year-old gemstone and discreetly obtain it with help from Kanagasabai, Rajadhipathi's minister. He reveals that the gemstone is buried under the temple deity, Shiva, and Rajadhipathi intends to keep the gemstone for himself. He also assigns his son Jayavardhan to oversee operations and to eliminate the revolutionary threat.

Eesa infiltrates British lines, retrieves the gemstone, and eliminates Riley, who was complicit in the massacre. Realizing Rajadhipathi's true plan, he escapes with the gemstone, choosing exile in Ceylon rather than returning the gemstone to the conspirators. The escape marks a turning point in his personal vendetta.

A flashback recounts the mother's death at the festival and Sengolan's arrival amid the chaos. The British torture villagers to reveal Eesa's whereabouts, and in the morning he returns with the gemstone, confronting the tormentors and rescuing the villagers. The Indian soldiers surrender to Eesa, and news of Wandy's looming 700-strong force spreads.

Eesa returns to the village with the gemstone and leads a counterattack against the torture squads. He and the revolutionaries drive away Wandy and his 700 soldiers, while the Indian soldiers lay down arms in support. Velmathi and others safeguard the villagers, and the revolutionaries gain momentum.

Velmathi's group and the villagers kill Rajadhipathi and his son Jayavardhan, allowing the temple to finally be opened to the people after 600 years. Eesa and the revolutionaries attack the British army with unexpected numbers, aided by Rafiq and Sengolan's resurfacing. The gemstone is restored to the temple.

In the epilogue, Princess Shakunthala learns Velmathi's role in the death of her father and brother through a sly Kanagasabai. She sets out to exact vengeance on Velmathi, Eesa, Rafiq, Sengolan, and the other revolutionaries, foreshadowing further conflict.