Tenali Ramakrishna

The poet Ramakrishna migrates with his wife Kamala and son Madhava toward Hampi to seek work as a scholar. On the road, he stops at a Kali temple, where the goddess appears and offers him a choice between wisdom and wealth. He accepts both, angering Kali who warns that the boon may turn him into a mere entertaining jester; she disappears after granting the blessing.

Ramakrishna reaches Hampi and seeks employment in King Sri Krishnadevaraya's court, approaching Tatacharya. He is initially dismissed by Tatacharya and his aides, leaving him dejected. This setback foreshadows the rise he will achieve through wit and perseverance.

The king cannot figure out how to distribute 17 elephants among three brothers, but Ramakrishna solves the puzzle with clever logic. Impressed, Krishnadevaraya appoints him as a member of the court, and Ramakrishna earns respect for his wit and loyalty. Tatacharya resents his success, seeing him as a threat.

Deccan sultanates send Kanakaraju to Hampi as a spy; he later attempts to assassinate Krishnadevaraya. Tatacharya blames Ramakrishna for sheltering a spy, increasing the danger surrounding the poet in the court.

Ramakrishna overhears a spy bribing the court astrologer to delay the war with Bijapur so the sultanates can prepare. He escapes execution, seeks Prime Minister Timmarusu, and helps reveal the astrologer's manipulation. The astrologer is killed, Tatacharya is spared blame, and their relationship improves.

The Bahmani Sultanate sends the courtesan Krishnasani, whose dancing captivates Krishnadevaraya and leads him to order that anyone entering his private chamber will be beheaded, isolating the king. Timmarusu and Ramakrishna grow alarmed that the sultanates will exploit the instability.

Ramakrishna disguises himself as a woman to reach Krishnadevaraya's private chambers, but the king ignores him and expels him, illustrating the king's obsession with Krishnasani and the dangers of court intrigue.

Tirumala Devi falls seriously ill, prompting Krishnadevaraya to realize his mistakes and his duty to his queen and realm. Ramakrishna waits for the right moment to intervene again as the danger to the kingdom grows.

After returning, Ramakrishna enters Krishnasani's chamber in disguise as a saint and catches her red-handed with her gang of spies, signaling hidden soldiers to surround her. She chooses suicide over capture, ending a key threat to the king and his court.

Ramakrishna resolves to travel to Delhi to urge Emperor Babur not to send his elephants in support of the Sultanate, risking danger to himself for the sake of Vijayanagara.

In Delhi, Ramakrishna appears as an aged fakir and flatters Babur while secretly counting on Babur's generosity. He drains Babur's wealth to demonstrate the plight of Vijayanagara, convincing Babur to reconsider his position.

Babur withdraws his support and elephants, leading the sultanates to abandon their plans. Krishnadevaraya learns of Ramakrishna's efforts from Timmarusu, remorseful for his earlier skepticism, and invites Ramakrishna back to the court. Ramakrishna rejoins Vijayanagara as the queen's and realm's savior.