Shakhahaari

An injured fugitive named Vijay collapses inside Subbanna’s vegetarian restaurant in a rural village. Subbanna is hesitant at first but decides to hide him from the police and offers shelter in the back bedroom. He tends to Vijay’s wounds while beginning to learn about Vijay’s troubled past.

Subbanna keeps Vijay safe when questioned by authorities and contemplates a quick escape to another village. He acts to shield the fugitive from the investigation and the risk of arrest, blurring the line between mercy and law. The shelter marks a turning point for Subbanna’s sense of responsibility.

Vijay’s childhood friend Harsha arranged his marriage to Saugandhika. After two years of military training, Vijay returns and learns that Saugandhika had an affair with Madan. A letter from Harsha reveals the affair, heightening Vijay’s emotional turmoil.

Vijay, reportedly intoxicated by the affair, is said to have witnessed Madan strangling Saugandhika in their home. The next morning he is arrested by police for her murder. The case appears closed on the initial evidence, prompting Subbanna to intervene.

Driven by Vijay’s insistence on innocence and Subbanna’s growing sympathy, he shelters Vijay and starts planning an escape to another village. He aims to shield him from the investigation and possible punishment. The plan remains clandestine within the restaurant.

Before the escape plan is carried out, Vijay dies under unclear circumstances. Subbanna quietly disposes of the body to avoid suspicion, attempting to bury the truth in the kitchen while the investigation wends forward. The case takes a darker turn as Subbanna’s actions blur moral lines.

Subbanna mutilates Vijay’s body and burns it on the kitchen pyre with other stock wood to erase evidence. He thoroughly cleans the restaurant to remove traces, hoping to avoid detection by customers and authorities. A lingering odour begins to worry him as the investigation edges closer.

A regular customer complains about a persistent odour in the restaurant, drawing Subbanna’s concern. Shastry, a nosy local, grows suspicious and begins a probe for amusement. His questions push Subbanna and others toward suspecting something is off.

Mallikarjuna, the local inspector, continues the investigation with suspicion of Vijay’s guilt lingering unsatisfied. He hopes a proper resolution will speed his transfer to his ailing wife back home. His pursuit widens as new clues emerge.

As inquiries proceed, Mallikarjuna traces Madan and learns he is Subbanna’s stepbrother, reframing the killer’s circle. Meanwhile Subbanna receives a letter from Subhadra explaining her failed marriage and asking to rekindle their relationship.

Shastry’s probing prompts further questions, and Mallikarjuna confirms that Madan is linked to Subbanna by blood. The revelation shifts the blame away from Vijay and places the focus on Subbanna’s family connections.

Subbanna finally discloses the full truth about Madan: his extortion against people involved in affairs and his role in Saugandhika’s murder. He explains why he protected Vijay and kept the truth from authorities.

During a confrontation, Mallikarjuna strikes Subbanna, and a nail pierces his temple, causing a fatal injury. In a grim move, Mallikarjuna disposes of Subbanna’s body in the same manner as the previous victims.

Afterward, Mallikarjuna dies from a drink laced with rat poison that Subbanna had given him earlier. The restaurant remains a sealed crime scene, and Subhadra enters the establishment to find her letter—partially burnt on the stove—leaving her devastated.