Upendra

Betala begins narrating the puzzling tale to Vikramāditya, introducing Naanu and the entangled story of three women. He frames the tale as a meditation on ego, truth, and hypocrisy, hinting at a moral reckoning to come. The narrative then shifts from Betala's frame into Naanu's world.

From childhood, Naanu hates hypocrisy and speaks the truth without flinching. He quickly earns a reputation for exposing hidden pretenses, unsettling those who prefer comfort over honesty. This unflinching honesty sets the course for his later entanglements with love and wealth.

A young woman named Rathi is drawn into the tale as a swami’s hypocrisy is exposed by Upendra, revealing his open disdain for his daughter. The episode lays bare the sting of religious hypocrisy and family power dynamics. Rathi’s perception of truth and trust starts to waver and sharpen.

Rathi falls in love with Naanu, captivated by his fearless candor. Their romance unfolds against a backdrop of faith and family tensions that threaten to pull them apart. The connection marks a turning point in Naanu's pursuit of belonging and affection.

Naanu schemes to win over Keerthi, a billionaire whose wealth will be inherited by her husband. He prints wedding cards and distributes them to many, including Keerthi's employees, trying to prove his commitment. Keerthi grows angry as the plan threatens her wealth and autonomy.

Keerthi's ally, Marimuthu's son, attacks Naanu to derail his plans and tortures a woman living in Naanu's house. Naanu rushes to Swathi’s rescue, discovering she is actually his wife. The assault exposes the fragility of the relationships and the lengths people will go to control him.

Rathi confronts Naanu and confirms Swathi is his wife, threatening to kill Swathi, Keerthi, and herself if he leaves any of them. Naanu agrees to stay, and Swathi leaves briefly, testing loyalties and boundaries. The confrontation deepens the love-triangle’s danger and complexity.

Swathi later rescues the couple from Keerthi's henchmen and, at Naanu's urging, returns. She again threatens to kill Rathi and Keerthi if Naanu leaves her, and Naanu pleads to keep the arrangement intact. The relationships remain tangled as Naanu juggles two women who both claim his loyalty.

Naanu continues his relationship with Rathi while concealing it from Swathi, and Swathi remains entangled in danger and affection. His lingering fixation on Keerthi intensifies the triangle, pulling multiple loyalties toward a breaking point. The web of deceit becomes increasingly perilous.

Naanu traps Marimuthu, and Keerthi eventually agrees to marry him, seemingly giving him access to wealth and influence. The arrangement appears to stabilize his ambitions but only deepens the underlying conflicts. The coming days threaten broader consequences for everyone involved.

Rathi and Swathi learn of Naanu's marriage to Keerthi and hurry to the harbor where the trio hides from Marimuthu's henchmen. Keerthi withdraws after learning of the plans, and Naanu abducts all three women, while Marimuthu and his son are killed in the ensuing chaos. The harbor becomes a crucible where loyalties fracture and fates hinge on fear and power.

The quartet converges on an old building hosting a lavish party. Gopala, a wealthy man, is revealed to have been advised by Naanu to seek money rather than chasing women. The scene juxtaposes wealth with moral danger, hinting at the consequences of power and desire. The tension between fortune and fidelity fuels the escalating drama.

A wealthy observer watches as wealth corrupts relationships, mirroring the downfall of a man once rich but ruined by his girlfriends. Naanu faces a stark moral test: chase wealth or reform his path. The women’ s presence intensifies the stakes as they weigh interventions.

Betala interrupts the tale and asks Vikramāditya to decide whether Naanu would survive this test. Vikramāditya reveals the allegory: Naanu, Rathi, Swathi, and Keerthi symbolize ego, beauty, responsibilities, and money. The fateful conclusion declares that the self must die and be reborn.

The narrative returns to Naanu, who gazes at his reflection and resolves to shed his ego. He tears the shirt bearing his own face, and the three women disappear. In the rain, he walks forward as a humbled man ready to begin anew without the tyranny of I.