Drushyam (2014) Plot Summary Explained

Rambabu is a cable network operator who lives in Rajavaram, a village located in the Araku region, with his wife Jyothi and their daughters – Anju, a twelfth-grade student, and Anu, who is in primary school. Through his job, Rambabu spends a lot of time watching films in multiple languages. He does so with much interest that it prompts him to take major life decisions by subconsciously taking on the behaviors of characters from these films.

During a school trip to a camp, a nude video of Anju is taken on a cell phone camera hidden in the bathroom. The culprit is revealed as Varun, the spoiled son of the Inspector-general of police, Geetha. When Varun meets Anju later to extort her for sexual favors, she breaks his cell phone and inadvertently kills him. With her mother's help, she hides his body in a compost pit that was originally made for manure. Unknown to them, this is witnessed by Anu. Jyothi tells Rambabu about the incident and he devises a plan to save his family from imprisonment. He gets rid of the broken cell phone. However, as he is disposing of Varun's car, Rambabu is seen by a corrupt police constable named Veerabhadra, who holds a grudge against him. Rambabu then takes his family out on a trip to Vizianagaram, where they attend a religious meeting, watch a movie and dine at a restaurant.

Meanwhile, Geetha starts an investigation when she realizes that her son has gone missing. After a preliminary investigation, Geetha calls Rambabu and his family in for questioning. Rambabu, predicting that this would happen, coaches his family on how to present their alibi. As a result, when questioned individually, their responses are consistent. They also produce the restaurant receipt, the movie tickets, and the tickets for the bus journey as proof of their alibi. The statements of the people who own the establishments that the family visited in Vizianagaram further solidify Rambabu's alibi. However, after a thorough investigation, Geetha realizes that Rambabu had acquired the tickets and the receipt on the day of the incident, made an acquaintance with the owners, and had only actually taken the trip a day later with his family.

Geetha arrests Rambabu and his family, and Veerabhadra uses force to beat the truth out of them. As Rambabu, Jyothi and Anju are severely injured, Geetha's husband, Prabhakar, asks her to put a stop to this. Out of fear, Anu reveals what she saw and Varun's friend describes the transgression at the camp. After digging up the compost pit, the police find the carcass of a pig instead of Varun's body, indicating that Rambabu had already moved it. Jyothi's brother, Rajesh, and her father call the media and Anu complains to them about Veerabhadra's ill-treatment of her family. After Veerabhadra manhandles Rambabu and his relatives, he is beaten by the local people who learn about him from the media. Rambabu's goodwill remains intact and all the locals extend their support to him. Veerabhadra is suspended, the remaining staff transferred, and Geetha resigns from her post as IG.

Before leaving for the United States, Geetha and Prabhakar meet Rambabu to apologize for their deeds and express their hope that Varun will return someday. But Rambabu indirectly tells them that he killed Varun to save his family and asks them to forgive him.

The film comes to an end with Rambabu signing a register at the newly constructed Rajavaram police station. As he leaves, a flashback shows him during the construction of the station with a shovel in hand, indicating that Varun's body is hidden in the building's foundation.