Chenkol

Sethumadhavan is released after seven years in central jail for murder that happened to save his life. Society quickly brands him as a hardcore criminal and treats him with suspicion and scorn. He resolves to rebuild his life, but the stigma continues to shadow his every move.

Sethu visits the medical college to meet his younger brother, Rameshan, who studies there. Rameshan responds coldly and subtly warns him to stay away, fearing it could ruin his own reputation. Back at home, his mother Ammu welcomes him warmly, while his father Achuthan Nair remains distant and alcoholic.

Sethu struggles to reintegrate and cannot find steady work because of the ex-convict tag. He tries to catch up with life, but repeated rejections push him toward precarious options. The social stigma hardens his resolve to change his path.

Sethu meets Parameshwaran, who is now physically paralyzed and runs a cycle repair shop with his wife and daughter. Parameshwaran's altered life becomes a bridge for Sethu, offering him a way to earn and start anew by selling fish.

Indu, Keerikadan Jose's illegitimate daughter, shows Sethu sympathy and encourages him to pursue a better life. After Jose's death, his illegitimate wife and children face constant threats from his surviving family. Sethu's small gesture of compassion plants a seed for possible redemption.

Facing humiliating police attention and relentless stigma, Sethu spirals into crime to defend himself. He becomes a thug for a local businessman and accumulates several criminal cases. With political help, he is able to withdraw those cases and gradually entrenches himself as a hardened criminal.

As his relationship with Indu deepens, Sethu asks for her hand in marriage. Indu's mother refuses, insisting that a criminal's life offers no security. The rejection hurts Sethu and pushes him toward a deeper crisis of identity.

Sethu learns that his sister is involved in prostitution under the pretense of drama, with their father acting as the pimp. The revelation shatters him and he reacts violently toward his father. Unable to cope, Achuthan Nair hangs himself in a hotel where the family business operates.

Sethu returns to the village with his family and takes up farming, seeking tranquility away from city troubles. The move marks a reset, as he hopes to rebuild trust and live a simple life. The family adjusts to the slower pace of rural life.

Madhavi agrees to Indu's marriage to Sethu, but their teenage son harbors a strong hatred toward him. The boy's hostility complicates the couple's plans and tests Sethu's resolve to change his life. The family tension underscores the fragility of his rehabilitation.

Karadi Antony, Keerikadan's dangerous younger brother, is released and returns to seek vengeance. He hunts Sethu and Indu's family, creating a fresh wave of danger. Sethu ultimately confronts and defeats him in a struggle.

Karadi Antony is killed when Sethu defeats him; however, Keerikadan's illegitimate son fatally stabs Sethu at the climactic moment. He dies after warning the son to run, and the film ends with the tagline about a prince who lost his crown and a sceptre.