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Timeline

Kolla (2023) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Release, runtime and language
2023 · 123 mins · Malayalam
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Directed by
Suraj Varma
Starring
Vinay Forrt, Prem Prakash, Prasanth Alexander, Alencier Ley Lopez, Shebin Benson, Jeo Baby
Budget
$60M

Two young women establish a beauty salon in a quiet, small town and initially enjoy the support of the local community. However, a sudden incident creates a dangerous situation, turning the townspeople against them. They must then embark on a tense journey to escape the escalating conflict and the trap they find themselves in.

Drama Thriller Cast, crew & box office
On this page (5)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 Events in order (13)
  3. 3 Timeline questions answered
  4. 4 Movie threads
  5. 5 Every angle
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13 events in order · contains spoilers

Kolla Timeline: Events in Chronological Order

Every key event of Kolla (2023) in order, scene by scene, with when and where it takes place. Use it to untangle flashbacks, time jumps and parallel storylines, to refresh your memory before the sequel or to find the exact scene you are thinking of.

  1. Planning the robbery to fund a beauty parlour

    Annie and Shilpa are short on funds to open a beauty parlour. They decide to rob the nearby co-operative bank and enlist Stephen, a friend of Annie's father, to help execute the plan. They pose as workers to gain access and plot the heist as a quick, high-stakes solution.

    When
    Before the robbery
    Where
    Nearby co-operative bank

  2. Bank robbery carried out with Stephen

    With Stephen's aid, they successfully pull off the bank heist next door, masking their identities as ordinary workers. The operation goes smoothly, and the trio escapes with the stolen money. The robbery marks the start of a dangerous investigation that will threaten them all.

    When
    During the robbery
    Where
    Co-operative bank next door

  3. Investigation launches

    Police Inspector Farooq Rahman launches an inquiry into the robbery and quickly narrows in on Annie and Shilpa as suspects. He begins collecting evidence and tracing leads that could link the women to the crime. The investigation tightens around their circle, signaling trouble ahead.

    When
    Shortly after the robbery
    Where
    City police headquarters

  4. Stephen questioned and dies

    As Farooq interrogates suspects, CI Stephen—an erstwhile officer turned thief— collapses and dies of a heart attack. The death shocks all involved and leaves the investigation with a troubling gap. Annie and Shilpa's names linger under the shadow of Stephen's demise.

    When
    During investigation
    Where
    Interrogation scene

  5. The search for the hidden money begins

    Annie visits the supposed hiding place where Stephen claimed to stash the money, but finds it empty. She pieces together hints from Stephen and his wife to guide her search, chasing a lead that might still salvage their plan. The search intensifies as time wears on.

    When
    After Stephen's death
    Where
    Location where Stephen claimed to hide the money

  6. Discovery: money found at Thenmala Church burial chamber

    After following the clues, Annie discovers the real stash in a burial chamber at Thenmala Church. The money now in her hands gives the duo renewed confidence and shifts the balance of power in the scheme. The discovery also raises the stakes for Farooq's next moves.

    When
    Discovery moment
    Where
    Thenmala Church burial chamber

  7. Farooq sets a trap to catch them

    Convinced of their involvement, Farooq devises a trap to ensnare Annie and Shilpa and ensure they face consequences. He tightens surveillance and plots a public exposure that could end their schemes for good. The tension between investigator and suspects reaches a breaking point.

    When
    After money is recovered
    Where
    City operations center

  8. Threat from Stephen's brother-in-law

    Stephen's brother-in-law, another local thief, pursues Annie and threatens her as she blurs the lines between flight and confrontation. The chase forces Annie to rely on her wits to stay ahead of danger. The danger compounds the impending collision with Farooq's trap.

    When
    Between the trap planning and arrest
    Where
    City streets

  9. Annie confronts Farooq at his house

    To complicate the truth, Annie goes to Farooq's house to cut his niece's hair, attempting to project normalcy while testing the detective's allegiance. Farooq uncovers the lie and exposes her maneuverings, undermining her credibility. He uses the confrontation to demand leverage over her and the money.

    When
    Same day
    Where
    Farooq's house

  10. Payoff to keep quiet

    Farooq demands half of the stolen money in return for keeping quiet about Annie's involvement. Desperate, Annie agrees and hands over the money, hoping to avoid further trouble. The payment deepens the rift between truth and survival in the case.

    When
    That day
    Where
    Farooq's house

  11. Public revelation and arrest

    The next day, Farooq publicly exposes Annie's involvement in the robbery, shattering the women’s already fragile alibi. Annie and Shilpa attempt to flee, but are ultimately captured and arrested. The community reaction swings between vindication of the detective and sympathy for the accused.

    When
    The following day
    Where
    Public area / town square

  12. Flashback reveals the scheme against Farooq

    In a revealing flashback, it’s shown that Annie and Shilpa had already suspected Farooq might cheat them and followed him to discover where he hid his share. They even plotted Shilpa’s arrest to funnel Farooq’s portion to Annie. The revelation reframes the motives behind the arrest and the menacing web of suspicion.

    When
    Flashback
    Where
    City

  13. Three years later: new life and a new plan

    Three years pass and Annie and Shilpa work as waitresses at a cafe in a new city. Their hunger for wealth persists as they plan to rob a diamond shop near the cafe, continuing their pattern of crime. The trio’s uneasy dynamics suggest a looming repeat of past mistakes.

    When
    Three years later
    Where
    New city cafe

Last updated: October 09, 2025 at 14:16

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Timeline questions answered

Kolla Timeline Explained: Your Questions Answered

When does it happen, and why in that order? The questions people ask about the chronology of Kolla (2023): time jumps, flashbacks, cause and effect between scenes and the correct order of events, each answered with spoilers.

Q1

Why did Annie and Shilpa decide to rob the bank?

Annie and Shilpa had always dreamed of opening a beauty parlour but lacked the necessary funds. Facing economic desperation and limited opportunities in their small town, they made the bold decision to rob the nearby co-operative bank. They enlisted Stephen, a trusted friend of Annie's father, to help execute the plan, posing as workers to gain access to the bank.

  • bank robbery
  • beauty parlour
  • Stephen
  • Annie
  • Shilpa
  • heist motivation
Q2

How did CI Stephen die during the investigation?

CI Stephen, the former police officer who helped Annie and Shilpa pull off the bank heist, was interrogated by Police Inspector Farooq Rahman. During the questioning, Stephen collapsed and died of a heart attack. His death left the investigation with a significant gap and created suspicion around his involvement with the criminals.

  • Stephen
  • heart attack
  • interrogation
  • Farooq
  • police investigation
  • death
Q3

Where did Annie find the hidden money?

After Stephen's death, Annie discovered the money was not at the location Stephen originally claimed to have hidden it. She pieced together clues from conversations with Stephen and information from his wife, eventually tracing the money to a burial chamber at Thenmala Church. This discovery gave Annie and Shilpa renewed confidence in their scheme.

  • Thenmala Church
  • burial chamber
  • hidden money
  • Annie
  • Stephen
  • money stash
Q4

Why did Inspector Farooq demand money from Annie?

After Annie visited Farooq's house under the pretense of cutting his niece's hair (a cover to gather information), Farooq confronted her about her true intentions. He demanded half of the stolen money in exchange for keeping quiet about her involvement in the robbery. Annie reluctantly agreed and handed over the money, hoping to buy peace and avoid further trouble.

  • Farooq
  • bribe
  • money demand
  • Annie
  • blackmail
  • niece haircut
Q5

What did the flashback reveal about Annie's real plan?

The flashback revealed that Annie and Shilpa had suspected Farooq might cheat them from the beginning. They had secretly followed Farooq to discover where he hid his share of the money. Their plan was more sophisticated than initially understood - they even arranged Shilpa's arrest as part of a scheme to funnel Farooq's portion to Annie. The flashback recontextualized their motives, showing they were trying to outmaneuver Farooq all along.

  • flashback
  • Farooq
  • scheme
  • Annie
  • Shilpa
  • betrayal
  • trap
Q6

Why did Farooq expose Annie after taking the bribe?

Despite accepting half the money from Annie in exchange for his silence, Farooq publicly exposed her involvement in the robbery the following day. This betrayed their agreement and shattered the women's fragile alibi. The public revelation forced Annie and Shilpa to attempt fleeing, which ultimately led to their arrest. The move reflected Farooq's moral ambiguity and his desire for both personal gain and professional vindication.

  • Farooq
  • public exposure
  • arrest
  • betrayal
  • bribe
  • police
Q7

Who was Stephen's brother-in-law and what role did he play?

Stephen's brother-in-law was another local thief who became aware of the situation after Stephen's death. He pursued Annie and threatened her as the police search intensified. His threats added another layer of danger to the already precarious situation, forcing Annie to navigate between his advances and Farooq's investigation.

  • Stephen
  • brother-in-law
  • thief
  • threats
  • Annie
  • danger
Q8

How were Annie and Shilpa finally arrested?

After Farooq publicly exposed Annie's involvement in the robbery, the women attempted to flee town to escape the mounting pressure. Their escape attempt failed, and they were apprehended by police. The arrest marked the end of their initial scheme and resulted in a prison sentence.

  • arrest
  • flee
  • Annie
  • Shilpa
  • Farooq
  • prison
  • escape attempt
Q9

What happened to Annie and Shilpa three years later?

Three years after their arrest, Annie and Shilpa reemerged as waitresses working at a cafe in a new city. Despite their previous capture, their ambition for financial freedom remained unchanged. They began planning to rob a local diamond shop near their workplace, indicating their willingness to return to criminal ways.

  • three years later
  • waitresses
  • diamond shop
  • new city
  • Annie
  • Shilpa
  • new plan
Q10

Why did Inspector Farooq suspect Annie and Shilpa?

Inspector Farooq Rahman launched a methodical investigation into the bank robbery and quickly narrowed his suspicions to Annie and Shilpa. He began collecting evidence and tracing leads that linked the women to the crime, eventually constructing a trap to capture them. His persistence in pursuing them despite limited evidence demonstrated his determination to solve the case.

  • Farooq
  • investigation
  • suspicion
  • evidence
  • trap
  • police
  • Annie
  • Shilpa
Q11

Why did Annie go to Farooq's house to cut his niece's hair?

Annie's visit to Farooq's house was a calculated move to gather intelligence. She used the pretext of cutting his niece's hair to get close to Farooq and potentially discover where he had hidden his share of the stolen money. The mission was part of her broader effort to recover the full amount and outmaneuver the inspector.

  • Annie
  • Farooq
  • niece
  • haircut
  • intelligence
  • reconnaissance
  • money

Movie threads

More Movies Like Kolla, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes Kolla tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Fast-paced fugitive thrillers like Kolla

Desperate characters on the run, trapped by a tightening web of danger. Explore movies like Kolla where protagonists are on the run in tense, high-stakes thrillers. If you enjoyed the desperate escape and constant pursuit in Kolla, you'll find similar stories of fugitives trapped by corruption and betrayal, all sharing a fast pace and anxious mood.

  • suspenseful
  • desperate
  • anxious
  • pursuit
  • on the run
  • claustrophobic
  • Tone: tense, anxious
  • Pacing: fast, relentless
Why these movies?

The story pattern: Stories in this thread often begin with a catalyst event—often a crime or betrayal—that propels the main characters into a state of flight. The narrative structure is a linear chase, with escalating obstacles and narrow escapes, focusing on survival against overwhelming external forces.

Why they belong together: These movies are grouped by their shared core premise of a desperate flight, their fast and tense pacing that creates constant suspense, and their high-intensity atmosphere. They deliver a specific, nerve-wracking viewing experience centered on pursuit and survival.

Fled movie poster

Fled

1996
The Fugitive movie poster

The Fugitive

1993
Fast Track: No Limits movie poster

Fast Track: No Limits

2008
Honest Thief movie poster

Honest Thief

2020
The Threat movie poster

The Threat

1949
Woman on the Run movie poster

Woman on the Run

2017
Hit-and-Run Squad movie poster

Hit-and-Run Squad

2019
The Chase movie poster

The Chase

1991

Movies where plans unravel like in Kolla

A simple plan spirals into chaos, testing loyalties and survival instincts. Discover films similar to Kolla where a simple plan leads to dangerous consequences. If you liked watching the beauty salon venture collapse into a trap of betrayal in Kolla, you'll appreciate these stories of schemes gone awry, moral ambiguity, and the tense unraveling of order.

  • tense
  • unsettling
  • betrayal
  • moral ambiguity
  • desperation
  • crime gone wrong
  • Tone: tense, unsettling, morally ambiguous
  • Pacing: fast, escalating
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative pattern follows a catalyst event that disrupts a fragile equilibrium. The story then explores the domino effect of this disruption, focusing on the breakdown of trust and the moral compromises characters make as their situation becomes increasingly perilous and inescapable.

Why they belong together: These films are united by the core theme of a plan collapsing under the weight of betrayal and escalating conflict. They share a tense, unsettling mood and often feature morally ambiguous characters making difficult choices in high-pressure situations, leading to a sense of inescapable consequences.

Company Business movie poster

Company Business

1991
Heist movie poster

Heist

2001
Narrow Margin movie poster

Narrow Margin

1990
Bluff movie poster

Bluff

2007
Money Money More Money movie poster

Money Money More Money

2011
Thick as Thieves movie poster

Thick as Thieves

2009
Kolla movie poster

Kolla

2023
Turning Point movie poster

Turning Point

2009

Every angle

Kolla (2023) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

Everything about Kolla in one place: what happens in the plot summary, the timeline in chronological order, the characters and meaning and a spoiler-free summary. What's After the Movie adds the cast, box office and post-credit scenes.

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