Vanaja

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.