Nanban

Venkat receives a call from his old college friend Srivatsan who claims to know the whereabouts of Pari. He and Senthil hurry to meet Srivatsan, who reveals that Pari is believed to be in Ooty. The trio decides to set off in search of him, driven by the hope of reconnecting with their long-lost friend.

In a flashback, Venkat is forced by his father to study engineering, shaping the path his life will take. He befriends Senthil, whose family relies on his success to escape poverty, and Pari, a carefree student who loves learning. Their college principal, Virus, is strict and unsympathetic, creating a backdrop of academic pressure.

Paneerselvam is denied graduation by Virus for missing a project deadline. He explains that he delayed the submission to care for his ailing father. Pari and his friends complete his project for him, only to discover that Paneer has taken his own life; Pari tries to challenge Virus’s rigid mindset on pressure and suicide, but is rebuffed.

Virus sends letters to Venkat’s and Senthil’s families about their poor performance. The trio crashes Virus’s daughter’s wedding for food and meets Riya, Virus’s other daughter. Virus warns them that Pari is a bad influence, heightening the tension between their rebellious streak and his authority.

Senthil moves in with Srivatsan, who values rote learning over curiosity. Pari and Venkat prank Srivatsan, leading to public humiliation, and a bet is formed on who will succeed first—Pari or Srivatsan—setting up a rivalry that will echo through their later choices.

Pari influences Riya to break up with her money-minded fiancé, Rakesh. Senthil’s father suffers a heart attack, and Pari helps save him, prompting Senthil to reconcile with Pari. Riya grows closer to Pari, and the friends finish their exams with Pari achieving the top score.

In the present, Venkat, Senthil, and Srivatsan reach Ooty and meet someone believed to be Pariventhan. He reveals that their supposed friend is actually Pappu, the gardener’s son who stole Pari’s identity while the real Pari studied abroad. They learn Pappu is in Dhanushkodi and head there to track him down.

During their final year, Pari and Riya begin a relationship. A break-in at Virus’s house leads Virus to threaten Expulsion unless Senthil testifies against Pari. Senthil tries to protect his friends, even as he contemplates suicide, but his friends save him. Virus rescinds the expulsion threat, and Senthil secures a job; Venkat decides to pursue wildlife photography.

In the present, Venkat and Senthil bring Riya from her wedding to help locate Pari. The search compels the group to reunite and reexamine their past choices, culminating in a renewed sense of purpose to find Pari.

Virus decides on a difficult exam to fail Senthil and block his path to a job. Pari and Venkat steal the exam paper without Virus’s knowledge, but Senthil refuses to cheat and discards the stolen paper. Virus notices the theft and expels the trio in a harsh response to their defiance.

Following the expulsion, Riya confronts her family and reveals that her brother, once believed dead in a train accident, actually committed suicide under the pressure to become an engineer. The revelation underscores the film’s critique of parental pressure and rigid expectations.

During a flood, Shwetha goes into labor and the roads to the hospital are blocked. The trio helps deliver the baby, a crisis that catalyzes a shift in Virus’s stance. After this act of solidarity, Virus revokes the trio’s expulsion and allows them to continue their exams.

After taking the final exams, Pari disappears on graduation day, leaving Venkat and their friends to grapple with what comes next. The absence hints at a larger, uncharted future for Pari beyond the academic world.

In Dhanushkodi, Venkat, Senthil, Riya, and Srivatsan reunite with Pari, now revealed as Kosaksi Pasapugazh, a successful entrepreneur. Srivatsan accepts defeat in their ongoing rivalry, marking a maturation of all four friends and the realization of Pari’s extraordinary journey.