Pedarayudu

In the village, Pedarayudu sits on the ancestral throne and hears every case with calm authority. He dispenses justice and punishes wrongdoers, earning the respect of his wife Lakshmi. His sense of duty defines the order of the community.

Pedarayudu treats his brothers Raja and Ravindra as if they were his own children, guiding them with stern discipline and care. They fear his strictness but deeply respect his wisdom. This dynamic shapes their characters throughout the story.

Raja marries Bharathi, the daughter of an industrialist. Bharathi initially dislikes Pedarayudu for his verdicts and dislikes Raja for seeming timid with his brother. She later learns of Pedarayudu's true greatness from her father and begins to change.

Ravindra falls in love with Bhupathi's daughter, adding tension to the already fragile family balance. This romance connects rival factions and foreshadows future conflicts. The feelings complicate loyalties within Pedarayudu's circle.

In a flashback, Paparayudu orders Bhupathi to marry the servant's daughter whom he had raped, a bitter demand that sparks resentment. Bhupathi's brother-in-law shoots him, ending the plot prematurely. Paparayudu dies just after delivering his final verdict: abandon their family and never share water, and that any wrong verdict brings death to the giver.

Bhupathi nurtures envy toward Pedarayudu's family and hatches a plan to ruin them. He hires a village schoolteacher to make Raja fall for her, and manipulates events to protect her father who is in Bhupathi's hands. She pretends to fall for Raja, but Bhupathi kills her and makes the villagers believe Raja murdered her.

Believing Raja is implicated in the murder, Pedarayudu orders Bhupathi's family into exile for ten years. This punishment shifts the balance of power and deepens Bhupathi's vendetta. The village is left watching the fallout of a supposed crime.

Bhupathi sends goons to kill Ravindra, triggering Raja to rush to his brother's aid. Bharathi, now pregnant, travels to Pedarayudu to inform him of the danger and to convey the truth behind Bhupathi's machinations. The trio converges on a moment of emergency in the village.

Paparayudu's aunt arrives, fatally striking Bhupathi and ending his scheme. She then reveals to Pedarayudu that Raja was innocent and that Bhupathi was the real culprit. The revelation unsettles Pedarayudu and sets the stage for a reckoning.

Pedarayudu grapples with the truth that he punished the innocent due to his wrong verdict. He dies upon realizing the fatal mistake, a turning point that shakes the village's faith in justice. The moment marks the end of his era.

With Pedarayudu gone, Raja takes his place on the ancestral throne and vows to govern with justice and responsibility. The village watches as the rightful heir begins a new chapter. He begins to restore order and legitimacy to Pedarayudu's lineage.

Bharathi, having learned the truth about Pedarayudu's deeds, supports Raja's reign and aligns with the village's new sense of justice. Her transformation mirrors the maturity of relationships within the family saga. The community witnesses a reconciled path forward.

The story closes with a sense that truth and reform endure beyond tragedy. Raja's ascent promises a fairer future for the village, grounded in the elder's lessons and the family’s revelations.