Babu Rana Daggubati is a young stage artist who performs with Surabhi, a theatrical troupe led by his passionate grandfather, Subrahmanyam Kota Srinivasa Rao. Though he is exceptionally gifted in his craft, Babu resents the precarious earnings of the stage and dreams of a better life in the USA. This tension weighs heavily on Subrahmanyam, and the old man dies in his sleep, leaving the troupe to grieve and reconsider their future. In memory of Subrahmanyam’s wishes, the group travels to Ballari to scatter his ashes in the Tungabhadra River, a ceremonial turn that underscores their bond and duty.
Shortly after their arrival, an altercation with Saida, a local goon, ends in tragedy: Saida severs the tongue of a fellow troupe member and defiles Subrahmanyam’s ashes with a humiliating act. Enraged, Babu pursues Saida and crosses paths with Devika Nayanthara, a journalist and CBI informer who is investigating the illegal mining operations of Reddappa, Saida’s ruthless boss and a powerful industrialist. Along the way, Jogamma Annapoorna, an elderly woman searching for Babu, reveals his origins: he was born to Jogamma’s friends, Ramamurthy Naidu Adithya Menon, a forest ranger, and his wife. In infancy, Babu’s parents were murdered by his uncle Chakravarthy Milind Gunaji, who was wanted for another crime. Jogamma escapes with the infant and entrusts him to Subrahmanyam, who adopts him and raises him with unwavering love. Hearing this, Babu understands the depth of Subrahmanyam’s devotion and swears revenge on Chakravarthy.
Continuing the chase after Reddappa and Saida, Devika and Babu become entangled in the crossfire of an attack on Reddappa led by Chakravarthy and his men. Although Reddappa survives, Devika and Babu are wounded and forced to seek shelter in a nearby forest, finding refuge with a native tribe. The tribe explains how they were displaced from their homeland by Reddappa’s mining schemes, a tragedy that deepens Devika’s resolve to expose the crimes while leaving Babu wary of getting drawn into the conflict. Devika later encounters Chakravarthy, who reveals that he is the real Reddappa and that the true Chakravarthy killed Babu’s parents and committed other crimes. In a later twist, Chakravarthy does capture Reddappa and renders him mute to bury the earlier assault.
Back with the troupe, Babu decides to stage Subrahmanyam’s final work, Krishnam Vande Jagadgurum. When Chakravarthy arrives with Saida to watch the performance, Babu confronts him, defeats Saida, and reveals his knowledge of his parents’ deaths and his intent to kill Chakravarthy. Chakravarthy tries to foist the real Reddappa onto Babu, but Jogamma and Devika arrive in time to reveal the truth. A furious Babu overpowers Chakravarthy and delivers him to the tribe displaced by his greed, who burn Chakravarthy alive in vengeance for their losses. The story concludes as Babu fulfills Subrahmanyam’s final wish by dispersing his grandfather’s ashes in the Tungabhadra River, saluting a life spent in art, loyalty, and justice.
