Year: 2016
Runtime: 130 mins
Language: Telugu
Director: Puri Jagannadh
An undercover journalist finds himself hunted by corrupt politicians and the gangster whose daughter he betrayed in order to obtain evidence against him.
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Read the complete plot breakdown of Ism (2016), including all key story events, major twists, and the ending explained in detail. Discover what really happened—and what it all means.
Javed Bhai is a high-profile gangster who is in hiding on Tenerife with his gang and daughter Alia Khan as his scams come back to light in India. On a night filled with tension, Kalyan Ram spots her during a brawl at an illegal fight club and falls head over heels, sparking a dangerous, secret romance. He even befriends Javed Bhai after offering him local Indian Karim Beedis, but neither of them reveals their true identities to the other.
With the help of the marriage broker Don Bosco, Javed Bhai orchestrates Alia’s engagement to the Prince of Persia, weaving a tangled web that keeps the lovers apart while he watches and waits. Meanwhile, Javed Bhai also helps Kalyan woo a girl he likes, unaware that the girl is actually his daughter. Alia slowly falls for Kalyan Ram, and informs Javed Bhai, who, realizing her lover is Kalyan, tries to convince her that he is cheating her. Yet, love finds a way to complicate everything, and when Javed Bhai sees them together, Kalyan bolts, leaping into the sea.
Back in India, The Grand Leakage Company unveils Javed Bhai’s whereabouts, sparking a revelation that shocks everyone: the founder behind the mysterious company is none other than Kalyan Ram. Alia, still deeply in love, escapes their yacht and returns to India to reunite with him. At the same time, Sathya Marthand emerges as an undercover journalist whose father, Dasaradh Rao, was crippled by a corrupt contractor who used faulty cement in building projects. The plan behind Sathya’s mission is steeped in exposing systemic corruption rather than merely pursuing personal vengeance.
Sathya’s investigation leads him to the Bank of Paradise, a Tenerife-based bank owned by Javed Bhai, rumored to hold an enormous stash. The Grand Leakage Company has trained thousands of anonymous journalism students to fight corruption, pooling their efforts in a nationwide drive for accountability. Alia lands in India again, tracking Sathya’s address and threatening to harm his parents—and herself—if he doesn’t return home. Sathya returns, but insists he does not harbor feelings for her, while his parents grow fond of Alia and push for a union.
After gathering crucial information about Sathya, Javed Bhai informs the police about his activities and outlines a plan to wipe out the funds in Bank of Paradise. The operation nearly succeeds, but Sathya and his four teammates are captured; the attackers brutally murder them, striking a heavy blow to Sathya’s cause. Yet he delivers a powerful courtroom speech that wins public sympathy and reinforces his commitment to justice for families living below the poverty line.
Sathya reveals a bold plan to hack into the Bank of Paradise, distributing the money to Indian citizens above the poverty line while urging them to donate at least 10% to farmers and poor families, arguing that failure to do so could ruin the country. He is then taken toward a Central Jail, but his fate is not sealed yet. En Route, Sathya is kidnapped by Javed Bhai’s men, and Javed Bhai orders him to marry Alia. The attempt is thwarted when Kotilinga, the minister entangled in Javed’s schemes, orders his own men to kill Sathya, but Javed and Sathya finally fight back, overpowering the gang.
The climactic showdown leaves Javed Bhai returning to Tenerife to resume his illicit operations, while Alia and Sathya are dropped off in Goa and go underground once more, continuing their fight from the shadows.
Last Updated: October 09, 2025 at 16:00
Discover curated groups of movies connected by mood, themes, and story style. Browse collections built around emotion, atmosphere, and narrative focus to easily find films that match what you feel like watching right now.
Protagonists living a lie, where every move could mean exposure and death.If you liked the tense undercover mission in 'Ism', you'll find similar movies here. These thrillers feature protagonists embedded in dangerous worlds, where their fabricated identities are constantly tested, leading to high-risk confrontations and heavy moral dilemmas. Discover more films about deep cover operations and the personal cost of deception.
The narrative follows an individual who must assume a false identity to infiltrate a powerful, dangerous organization. The central conflict arises from the deepening personal connections they form, which jeopardize the mission and their own safety. The plot is driven by a series of close calls, betrayals, and the psychological toll of maintaining the deception under extreme pressure.
These films are grouped by their shared focus on the intense psychological and physical danger of undercover work. They create a specific, claustrophobic tension where the protagonist is isolated and constantly vulnerable, leading to narratives with high intensity, fast pacing, and a heavy emotional weight centered on betrayal and sacrifice.
Stories where exposing corruption comes at a devastating personal price.For viewers who appreciated the complex, costly victory in 'Ism', this list features similar crime stories. These movies involve exposing corruption or taking down criminals, but the conclusion is bittersweet—the main threat may be neutralized, yet the larger system remains, and the heroes are scarred by their journey. Find more films where the fight for justice leaves deep wounds.
The narrative arc involves a protagonist challenging a deeply entrenched corrupt entity, such as a political machine or crime syndicate. While they may succeed in their immediate objective, the resolution is incomplete; the villain might escape true justice, or the systemic problem persists. The ending emphasizes the heavy cost of the struggle, often leaving the characters to continue their fight from a compromised position.
This thread connects movies that share a specific emotional and narrative payoff: a victory that feels hollow or incomplete. The shared experience is one of heavy emotional weight, where the audience is left contemplating the immense sacrifice required for even a small measure of justice, creating a thoughtful and sobering conclusion.
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