Pournami

In 1953, in a remote village of Andhra Pradesh, Subramanyam begins teaching Kuchipudi to his daughter Pournami as part of the family tradition. He passes on the dance as a living memory of their lineage. This early training plants the seeds for the village's rain-temple ritual that will shape generations.

The elder recounts the legend of a woman in 1507 who danced in the temple for seven days and nights to plead for rain. Her sacrifice pleases Lord Siva and brings rain, ending the drought. Since then, the ritual recurs every twelve years with a girl from her line performing.

In 1951, the woman's mother performed the ritual, continuing the family duty at the temple. The dance remains a bridge between the temple, the rain, and the lineage's fate. The cycle preserves the belief that rain follows the sacred performance.

As the next cycle approaches in 1963, the village prepares for the temple ritual once again. Pournami is expected to be the dancer, keeping the lineage alive.

In 1963, just before the festival, Pournami vanishes under mysterious circumstances. The villagers quickly conclude that she has eloped with someone, leaving the temple's rite in suspense.

Attention shifts to Chandrakala, but Subramanyam refuses to teach her the dance, fearing the zamindar Veerabhadra's predatory interest. The family struggle over tradition grows more fraught as time runs out.

Their stepmother rents out the penthouse and courtyard to Siva Kesava, a western-style dance instructor. Kesava's arrival introduces a new mentor and a different approach to training.

Pournami has not eloped; Subramanyam explains that he sent her away to protect her from Veerabhadra's advances. Kesava promises to shield Chandrakala from danger while she learns the dance.

Kesava reveals his past: he had married Pournami, who sacrificed herself to save his life. Before dying, she made Kesava promise that Chandrakala would perform the temple dance.

Chandrakala, learning of her sister's fate, begins training under Kesava, receiving her father's blessing after a difficult, protective search for safety. Her progress ties the family's future to the temple's ritual.

Chandrakala becomes a skilled dancer and, during the festival, performs the ritual dance in the temple. Her performance coincides with rain returning to the village, validating the tradition.

Veerabhadra's interference creates additional obstacles, and Kesava faces tension with his former fiancée Mallika, complicating the couple's path. Yet the festival's outcome remains tied to Chandrakala's art.

Kesava and Chandrakala become engaged, binding their families and securing the ritual's future. Their union marks a new chapter for the dance and the village's faith.

Years later, the couple has a daughter named Pournami who does not want to learn the family dance. The cycle of tradition is threatened by her reluctance, echoing old doubts about carrying on the legacy.

At the film's close, Kesava narrates the tradition to his daughter inside the temple, preserving the story for the next generation. The temple remains the shared stage where rain, ritual, and lineage converge.