Vanaja

Vanaja

Year: 2006

Runtime: 111 mins

Language: Telugu

Director: Rajnesh Domalpalli

Drama

Set in a rural South Indian village, fifteen‑year‑old Vanaja becomes a maid for the local landlady hoping to study the classical Kuchipudi dance. A budding attraction to the landlady’s son soon sours, thrusting her into a harsh confrontation with entrenched caste divisions and personal animosity, forcing her to fight for dignity and her dreams.

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Timeline – Vanaja (2006)

Trace every key event in Vanaja (2006) with our detailed, chronological timeline. Perfect for unpacking nonlinear stories, spotting hidden connections, and understanding how each scene builds toward the film’s climax. Whether you're revisiting or decoding for the first time, this timeline gives you the full picture.

1

Prophecy after Rama Devi's performance

Vanaja and her friend Lacchi attend a theatrical performance by Rama Devi in rural Andhra Pradesh. A soothsayer proclaims that Vanaja will become a great dancer. The prediction plants a seed of ambition in Vanaja and her family.

Rural Andhra Pradesh
2

Vanaja starts work at Rama Devi's house to learn Kuchipudi

With her father's permission, Vanaja leaves home to work as a farmhand in Rama Devi's house. She hopes to learn Kuchipudi through mentorship. Her tasks include tending to the landlady's chickens.

Rama Devi's house
3

Chickens and pranks; lie to conceal

Vanaja is tasked with tending chickens but gets in trouble after playful chases. To avoid punishment, she lies about the incident. Her quick thinking catches Rama Devi's attention and begins her ascent.

Rama Devi's house yard
4

Promotion to kitchen and meeting Radhamma

Impressed by Vanaja's vivacity, Rama Devi promotes her from farm hand to a kitchen underhand. There she meets Radhamma, the loyal cook who becomes her ally. The new role brings Vanaja closer to music and dance.

Rama Devi's house
5

Mastering music and dance begins after ashta chamma

Vanaja is invited to play ashta chamma and deliberately loses, knowing the mistress's reputation. The loss secures Rama Devi's mentorship in music and then in dance. She begins to excel on the path to performance.

Rama Devi's house
6

Shekhar returns from the United States; attraction

Rama Devi's son, Shekhar, arrives from the United States to run for local office. He and Vanaja feel a growing attraction, with flirtation blooming despite her being underage. The dynamic introduces tension between social classes.

Rama Devi's house
7

Father's boat confiscated; debt and sorrow

Meanwhile, Somayya's fishing boat is seized by creditors, plunging the family deeper into debt. He sinks into despair and turns to drinking, worsening their financial strain. The family begins to crumble under economic pressure.

coastal village
8

Public confrontation humiliates Shekhar

Vanaja's sharp wit leads to a public incident that humiliates Shekhar in front of his mother. The episode sharpens the conflict within the landlady's household. The incident highlights the power struggle between Vanaja and her employer's son.

The landlady's house
9

Rape and pregnancy

Vanaja is assaulted by Shekhar, resulting in pregnancy. The event becomes a turning point that threatens her future and forces a harsh social reckoning. She confronts the betrayal within the same household that had offered her opportunity.

Landlady's house
10

Job loss and social fallout

Vanaja loses her job after the pregnancy, facing isolation and stigma. Rama Devi and the household withdraw their support, complicating her already fragile situation. She grapples with the consequences of the assault.

Rama Devi's house
11

Birth of the child and contested custody

Vanaja gives birth to a boy. Rama Devi would have preferred abortion, while Shekhar resists marrying someone from a lower caste. The pregnancy underscores caste tensions and control within the household.

Landlady's house
12

Custody granted to Rama Devi and Shekhar; Vanaja's hopes

Rama Devi and Shekhar gain possession of the child, denying Vanaja maternal rights. Vanaja hopes the child's existence will bring about justice, but the adults hold power. The infant is set to be raised as an upper caste boy.

Landlady's house
13

The child grows into an upper-caste boy

As the boy grows, he embodies the caste-based social order that the parents uphold. The film closes with the implication that Vanaja's tragedy shapes the future through the child.

the village

Last Updated: October 09, 2025 at 15:07

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