Iruvar

In the late 1940s, Anandan roams studios in Madras in search of opportunities. He encounters Tamizhselvan, a rationalist writer whose Dravidian ideas impress him. Their conversations spark Anandan's resolve to land film roles.

Tamizhselvan broadens Anandan's horizons by introducing him to Ayya Veluthambi and the Dravidian political movement he leads. Anandan is drawn to the party's ideas and the sense that art can influence society. The meeting ties cinema to politics in a way that will shape his career.

Anandan marries Pushpavalli, while Tamizhselvan weds Maragatham from his village. The unions bind two creative minds to two political families as they begin to balance personal happiness with looming public life. The couples are setting the stage for the intertwined paths ahead.

Tamizhselvan marries Maragatham from his village, cementing a personal alliance that mirrors the growing ties between their political circles. The ceremonies take place in their home villages as both men prepare for Madras-bound careers. Soon after, they return to Madras to pursue their respective ambitions.

Returning to Madras, Anandan's film project is canceled because of financial difficulties. The setback dents his early momentum and highlights the precarious nature of cinema funding. He must navigate a new reality where opportunities are scarce.

Tamizhselvan's party grows into the main opposition while Anandan is reduced to minor roles in films. His stardom wanes as political currents reshape the industry. The two strands of his life drift further apart.

Pushpavalli dies from illness, leaving Anandan devastated. Tamizhselvan consoles him and suggests he might consider joining the army to cope with the loss. The personal tragedy deepens his existential doubts about fame and purpose.

Weeks after Pushpavalli's death, Anandan's fortunes rebound when he is offered the lead role again. He persuades the director to hire Tamizhselvan as screenwriter, and the film receives an extraordinary response. Anandan becomes a cinema star and a household name in Tamil cinema within years.

As the next elections loom, Tamizhselvan urges Anandan to use his popularity to support the party. Around this time, Anandan marries Ramani, a fellow actress whose life had been troubled by her family. Their union reflects the intertwining of personal life and public ambition.

Five years pass before Ayya Veluthambi asks Anandan to contest the upcoming elections, while Tamizhselvan believes other devoted workers deserve candidacy. The disagreement foreshadows strains within the party and sets the stage for a political feud. Anandan's star power becomes a tool for campaigning.

During a film shoot, Anandan is shot in the neck by a prop gun. The party sweeps the elections with 152 of 234 seats, but Veluthambi refuses to become chief minister and leaves the decision to Anandan and Madhivannan. Tamizhselvan is ultimately chosen as chief minister with Anandan's wholehearted support; Anandan declines the health minister post to avoid clashing with his acting career.

Senthamarai moves in with Tamizhselvan and has a daughter, expanding the inner circle around him. Anandan's new film co-star Kalpana, who resembles his late wife, grows close to him, but his indecision about remarriage drives a wedge between them. Kalpana ultimately leaves him.

At Veluthambi's memorial, Anandan accuses governance of corruption as a cause of his mentor's death. Tamizhselvan expels him from the party, triggering a split and the formation of a new faction led by Anandan. The political landscape of Tamil Nadu begins to shift as the rival camps mobilize.

Using his films as a megaphone, Anandan leads his new party to power in the next elections with 145 of 234 seats, but governance mirrors the old system. Tamizhselvan's eloquent diatribes spark protests, and Anandan orders arrests in a bid to maintain control. Kalpana dies in a car crash at a disaster-relief site, leaving him shattered.

At Ayya Veluthambi's granddaughter's wedding, Anandan and Tamizhselvan share a tense handshake and a few words. The next morning, Ramani finds Anandan dead in his bed, and Tamizhselvan recites a moving monologue mourning his former ally and rival, closing a chapter in Tamil politics and cinema.