Rocket Driver

Prabha is an ambitious graduate who drives an auto-rickshaw to make ends meet in bustling Chennai. He resents his father for not providing the life he expected and rails against the injustices he sees around him. His dream of rocket science feels distant, tethered to a harsh present instead of a bright future.

Prabha is inexplicably transported to a different world where a young boy appears before him. The boy claims to be Abdul Kalam from 1948 who has time-traveled to 2023. The encounter is startling, and Kalam speaks with a calm certainty about his improbable journey.

The young Kalam requests a ride to Madras University, insisting on reaching his destination despite the strange circumstances. Prabha, though skeptical, agrees to help the boy and sets off with him. The journey unfolds with a sense of purpose that belies the surreal situation.

Kalam asks Prabha to accompany him back toward his roots in Rameswaram. Seeing a chance to do something meaningful, Prabha chooses to join the boy on a journey that blends science, memory, and duty. They steer their unlikely mission along the Indian coast toward the island town.

They reach Rameswaram, but progress toward Kalam's return stalls as they fail to grasp a clear purpose. Prabha tries to anchor Kalam with glimpses of his future, showing him books and ideas Kalam may someday publish. Kalam cannot recognize those works, suggesting a gap between memory and reality.

After watching a horror movie together, Prabha and Kalam discuss whether the time travel was driven by personal needs or a loftier national mission. Kalam remains enigmatic, hinting at motives beyond what Prabha can grasp. The conversation deepens their bond as they grapple with purpose and fate.

Kalam encounters his elderly childhood friend Sasthri, who initially fears a ghost before recognizing the truth. The trio travels to Kalam's childhood home, where a diary from 2015 is found. The discovery links Kalam's past with the present journey and hints at a larger reason for the time slip.

The 2015 diary mentions Annachi, a local shop owner who was close to Kalam and Sasthri in their youth. Kalam becomes fixated on returning the one anna to Annachi, a personal debt that seems to anchor him to his past. Prabha argues that their mission must be about a greater purpose, not a single coin, creating tension between the two.

Before Kalam's niece can uncover the truth, the trio escapes with their revelations intact. They begin a long search for Annachi's living heirs who might carry the memory of the one anna. The quest shifts from a local debt to a broader pursuit tied to Kalam's deeper hopes.

They locate Savarimuthu, Annachi's heir, who is desperate after a quarrel with his wife. In a moment of crisis, Savarimuthu leaps into the sea, and Prabha dives after him to pull him to safety. Kalam's involvement leads to the resolution of the debt, marking a turning point in the journey.

With the debt resolved, Kalam believes the time travel may end, and life will return to normal. Prabha remains skeptical, sensing there may still be unseen reasons behind their odyssey. They reflect on memory, sacrifice, and the value of small acts.

The bus Kalam boarded in 1948 reappears before them, underscoring Kalam's claim that the journey was about cherishing memories more than achieving fame. Kalam departs, and Prabha, touched by the experience, becomes more courteous and grateful toward his father. He resolves to live with empathy and appreciation for those who sacrificed for him.