Porinju Mariam Jose

In 1965, Porinju Joy and Jose are the best of friends, and Jose tries to persuade Porinju to confess his love to Alappattu Mariyam Varghese. Porinju is timid and balks at revealing his feelings. Their bond anchors the early years of the story as Mariyam remains a central figure in their dynamic.

A boy bullies Mariyam at school, igniting a fight between Porinju and the bully. The teacher punishes Porinju alone by striking him repeatedly, while the rest of the class watches. Porinju and Jose protest the injustice and run away from the school, and Mariyam openly condemns the teacher's behavior in front of everyone, earning a scolding herself.

By 1985, Porinju has earned a fearsome nickname 'Kattalan' and works as a village butcher under Iype Muthalali, a powerful real estate figure. He remains close to Iype, though his sons don’t approve of the bond. Jose pursues his dream as a disco dancer and Mariyam works as a money lender; the three friends still share a fragile camaraderie even as Mariyam grows critical of their lifestyles.

During a perunnal procession in front of Mariyam's house, Prince gropes Mariyam and Jose defends her by beating him. Prince reports to his uncles, and they retaliate by beating Jose; Porinju intervenes but is beaten as well. The fight continues until Porinju and Jose overpower Prince and his uncles, leaving Iype to witness but stay silent.

Mariyam's father Varghese publicly threatens to hang himself if she elopes with Porinju. He struggles to take action, loses his grip on the rope, and accidentally hangs himself. The tragedy pours fuel into Mariyam's isolation, as she continues to love Porinju without being able to marry him.

A year after Varghese's death, Prince arranges hitmen to eliminate Porinju and Jose as the perunnal nears. Jose is killed in a crowded movie theatre, while Porinju survives but his life becomes a target. The violent undercurrents of their friendship deepen the tragedy.

Porinju exacts brutal revenge by hacking Prince to death right in front of the ongoing perunnal procession. The act cements Porinju's status as a feared figure in the eyes of Iype and his family. The crowd is stunned as the violence unfolds before their eyes.

Iype's uncles hire more hitmen to finish Porinju, but Porinju defeats them all and scares the uncles away. Despite the threats, Porinju spares the uncles for Iype's sake, insisting his vendetta ends there for the sake of the families involved.

Mariyam arranges to post bail for Porinju in case he faces a court trial for the killings. Her loyalty to Porinju remains unwavering as she navigates the legal system to protect him. The couple’s fate depends on the legal process that follows.

As the perunnal procession passes by, Porinju arrives and dances with Mariyam, sharing a rare moment of happiness. Iype then draws a hidden blade and stabs Porinju multiple times, declaring that his grandson’s life mattered to him but not Porinju's. The crowd gasps as Porinju collapses.

Mariyam rushes to Porinju's side as he succumbs to his wounds, dying in her arms. The spectacle underscores the harsh costs of rivalries and the lovers' doomed fate. Bystanders look on as the tragedy darkens the celebration.

Sometime later, Mariyam visits Porinju's grave and stands before his headstone. The stone bears her own name inscribed with a blank death date, signaling a lasting, unresolved memory of their love. The ending lingers on the loss that defines her years to come.