The plot unfolds in a rural village in Southern Kerala in 1986, where Subhash Chandrabose, known to locals as Chandran, carries a name borrowed from Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose by his illiterate father, a local activist who mistook Nethaji for a prominent Communist figure. After his father dies, Chandran lives with his mother, two sisters, and his nephew, while nurturing a relationship with Rani. His closest confidant is Yatheendran Nair, a relative of Rani who often serves as a steady sounding board for Chandran’s dreams and troubles.
The story kicks into motion during a Sunday visit to Yatheendran’s house to watch television. A tense moment arises when Yatheendran’s bedridden father-in-law dies, and the ensuing funeral preparations bring feelings of sorrow and pressure. When Chandran’s nephew accidentally switches on the TV, Prameela, Yatheendran’s wife, lashes out in anger. This sparks a quarrel between Chandran and Yatheendran, and Chandran makes a bold, almost defiant challenge: he would buy a color television, even if it meant climbing above the black-and-white set that defined the family’s modest status.
As a low-wage worker, Chandran struggles to realize that dream. He turns to Chettiyar, the factory owner who employs him, hoping for a loan or some favorable arrangement. But the factory soon shuts down due to a labor strike, throwing Chandran’s plans into jeopardy. In a moment of desperation, he resolves to steal the color TV from the owner’s locked office, with the help of his uncle Sunichan, who is also a thief. The heist succeeds, and Chandran brings the TV home in a new box, instantly making him the first person in the village to own a color television and earning him a new, gleaming status among his neighbors.
A week later, during the temple festival, Chandran learns that the labor dispute has been settled and the factory will reopen on Monday. Panic grips him as he realizes his theft may soon be exposed. Meanwhile, Sunichan falls into police custody for another crime, leaving Chandran to shoulder the burden of the truth. He rekindles his friendship with Yatheendran by admitting the whole story, and the two of them set out to return the TV to the factory. The road back is strewn with obstacles, but they persevere and eventually manage to place the color TV back in its rightful place at the office.
Back at home, the pair stumble upon a thief—an associate of Sunichan—trying to steal the same TV. In a tense moment of pursuit, the thief escapes, and Chandran, now faced with the consequences of his actions and the fragility of his new status, cries out that his TV has been stolen. The scene closes on a note of unresolved tension, reflecting the fragile line between aspiration and risk in a community where a single possession can redefine status and provoke scrutiny from friends, family, and neighbors alike.
The film features performances by Dharmajan Bolgatty, Jaffer Idukki, and Vishnu Unnikrishnan, who bring warmth, humor, and a grounded sense of village life to the narrative. Their presence helps anchor the emotional beats of Chandran’s pursuit, the humbling consequences of a bold theft, and the enduring ties of friendship, family, and community that shape this故事.
