Nagavalli

Nagavalli

Year: 2010

Runtime: 159 mins

Language: Telugu

Director: P. Vasu

ActionThrillerFantasyDrama

After a family member wins a Nagavalli/Chandramukhi portrait in a dance competition, strange phenomena begin to afflict the household. Seeking answers, they turn to veteran exorcist Ramachandra Acharya and psychiatrist Dr. Vijay, who must unravel the haunting mystery and protect the family.

Tense
Happy ending
Moderately emotional
High intensity
Steady pacing
Moderate complexity

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline & Setting – Nagavalli (2010)

Explore the full timeline and setting of Nagavalli (2010). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

Present day with historical flashbacks

The main events unfold in a contemporary setting, with a crucial backstory centering a 125-year-old king and Chandramukhi's tragedy. The legend stretches across generations, reappearing whenever the portrait surfaces. Modern medical and occult interventions intersect as characters seek both psychiatric and supernatural explanations. The chronology highlights how past deeds continue to haunt the present.

Location

Tirupathi, Thanjavur

The Rao family's home base is in Tirupathi, a temple town known for religious devotion and cultural traditions. The modern thread moves to the historic city of Thanjavur, where Chandramukhi's house and the long-ago royal legend unfold. The setting shifts between a contemporary family household and the ancestral sites tied to the Nagavalli saga. The environments underscore the clash between superstition, memory, and healing.

🕌 Temple town 🏰 Historic city

Last Updated: November 22, 2025 at 15:37

Main Characters – Nagavalli (2010)

Meet the key characters of Nagavalli (2010), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Gowri (Richa Gangopadhyay)

The youngest Rao sister whose fragile mental state intersects with a centuries-old legend. On the wedding day turmoil, she becomes the vessel through which Chandramukhi's spirit re-enters the Rao family. Her actions reveal the link between personal vulnerability and supernatural possession, driving the investigation forward.

🎭 🧩 ⚖️

Gayathri (Sana)

An elder sister and former dancer who first received the ancient portrait. She and her husband die years later, with the painting resurfacing as a source of inexplicable disturbances. Her history anchors the haunting and ties the present family to the Nagavalli legend.

💃 🕰️ 🖼️

Dr. Vijay (Venkatesh)

A psychiatrist who partners with the Acharya to diagnose a paranormal crisis. He traces the mystery to Chandramukhi's backstory, differentiating between alleged possession and post-traumatic symptoms. He ultimately aids in healing Gayathri and exposing Gowri's role as the conduit for the spirit.

🧭 🧠

Acharya Ramachandra (Avinash)

A learned astrologer and exorcist who leads the attempt to ward off Chandramukhi's influence. He interprets signs, performs rites, and starts the exorcism process, though the diagnosis evolves as medical insight evolves. He embodies the traditional approach to handling the haunting within the family.

🔮 🕊️

Chandramukhi / Nagavalli (Anushka Shetty)

The legendary dancer whose spirit haunts the royal palace, vowing revenge for past betrayals. Her presence drives the series of supernatural events and the moral questions about justice and vengeance across centuries. In the present, her essence possesses Gowri and confronts Nagabhairava's legacy.

👑 🗝️

Shankar Rao (Sarath Babu)

Patriarch of the Rao family, protective and troubled by the strange events engulfing his household. He represents the traditional family structure under pressure from inexplicable phenomena and the burden of past sins surfacing in the present.

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 🏷️

Geetha (Shraddha Das)

Gayathri and Gowri's sister who engages in painting and repainting Chandramukhi's portrait, symbolizing how art interacts with history and superstition. She acts as an observer in the family drama, highlighting the impacts of legends on personal ambitions and relationships.

🎨 🧭

Last Updated: November 22, 2025 at 15:37

Major Themes – Nagavalli (2010)

Explore the central themes of Nagavalli (2010), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

👻 Haunting Legacy

A vengeful spirit bound to a painting haunts a modern family. The haunting links a royal tragedy from 125 years ago to present-day events, driving fear, possession, and mysterious signs. The story uses the supernatural as a lens on guilt, revenge, and unresolved history. Resolution hinges on uncovering the truth and breaking the curse.

🧠 Trauma & Healing

The plot ties psychological distress to a paranormal crisis, showing how trauma manifests as symptoms and fear. Gayathri's and Gowri's fragilities become focal points for investigation, blurring medicine with superstition. Dr. Vijay's approach emphasizes care, therapy, and understanding in the pursuit of healing. The narrative suggests trauma can be treated even when afflicted by uncanny forces.

🔎 Truth & History

Modern mystery and ancient legend collide as investigators uncover Chandramukhi's past. The timeline shifts between present-day family turmoil and the king Nagabhairava's era, illustrating how legends persist in memory and place. Clues reveal the real source of disturbances is the spirit itself, not merely superstition. The ending reframes the ghost story as a shared, multi-generational history.

Last Updated: November 22, 2025 at 15:37

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