Varthamanam

Varthamanam

Year: 2021

Runtime: 150 mins

Language: Malayalam

Director: Sidhartha Siva

Drama

The film follows the experiences of students in northern districts facing displacement based on their religious affiliation. Forced off campus, they choose to resist, determined to challenge the situation. The narrative explores whether their struggle will spark a wider revolution and what challenges they will face along the way.

Warning: spoilers below!

Haven’t seen Varthamanam yet? This summary contains major spoilers. Bookmark the page, watch the movie, and come back for the full breakdown. If you're ready, scroll on and relive the story!

Timeline & Setting – Varthamanam (2021)

Explore the full timeline and setting of Varthamanam (2021). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

Early 2020s

The narrative unfolds in a contemporary Indian university environment amid rising political polarization. It centers on real-time campus activism, seminars, and public demonstrations that mirror current socio-political tensions. The story is anchored in a period where media coverage and social discourse play pivotal roles in shaping public perception.

Location

Delhi University, New Delhi, India, Malabar, Kerala, India

The film largely unfolds on the Delhi University campus, a bustling hub of student life and political debate. It also nods to Malabar in Kerala, grounding the story in a broader Indian regional context tied to a freedom fighter. The campus setting and the legacy of social movements shape the confrontations between anti-fascist students and fascist elements, with seminars, protests, and performances serving as the battleground for ideas.

🎓 University 🗺️ Delhi 🕊️ Social justice

Last Updated: October 01, 2025 at 10:12

Main Characters – Varthamanam (2021)

Meet the key characters of Varthamanam (2021), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Faiza Sufiya

Faiza Sufiya is a research student at Delhi University investigating Abdurahiman Sahib, a freedom fighter from Malabar. Her curiosity about history draws her into campus politics, where she allies with Amal and other students. She becomes a focal point of the anti-fascist movement, facing false accusations and eventually arrest, highlighting courage under pressure.

🎓 Student 🗳️ Activist 🧭 Researcher

Amal

Amal is Faiza’s ally within the student movement, balancing idealism with practical strategies. He helps organize protests and seminars and supports Faiza when she is targeted by fascist forces. His loyalty and perseverance underscore the power of friendship in social activism.

🤝 Ally 🧭 Strategist 🗣️ Communicator

Tulsa

Tulsa is Faiza’s roommate, a student from a Scheduled Caste who becomes a symbol of systemic injustice. Her family’s tragedy—her brother’s killing over a cow—exposes caste and communal tensions. Tulsa’s resilience motivates the campus to stand with marginalized communities and demand fair treatment.

👥 Roommate 🧬 Caste Awareness 🕊️ Resilience

Rohan

Rohan is a student from the Scheduled Caste who is at the center of the rights campaign on campus. He embodies the everyday struggles against discrimination and becomes part of the collective effort to challenge unfair practices. His presence reinforces the film’s focus on caste-based injustice and solidarity.

🧭 Ally 🧪 Student 🧩 Community

Pothuvaal

Pothuvaal is a supportive figure within the activist circle, lending resources and moral backing to Faiza and her friends. He collaborates with others to organize the skit and mobilize campus support. His involvement shows the importance of community networks in sustaining movements.

🤝 Supporter 🕊️ Activist 🧭 Organizer

Faiza's grandfather

Faiza’s grandfather is a veteran freedom fighter who provides historical perspective and moral guidance. He collaborates with Amal and Aadarsh in safeguarding Faiza and fostering the movement’s ideals. His legacy anchors the film’s exploration of courage across generations.

🕰️ Freedom Fighter 🧭 Mentor 🗺️ History

Aadarsh

Aadarsh is a close ally within the activist circle, contributing to strategy and coordination of protests. He works with Faiza, Amal, and others to ensure the movement’s voice remains strong even under pressure. His presence adds to the film’s theme of collective leadership.

🤝 Ally 🧭 Organizer 🗣️ Communicator

Last Updated: October 01, 2025 at 10:12

Major Themes – Varthamanam (2021)

Explore the central themes of Varthamanam (2021), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

✊ Caste & Injustice

The film foregrounds caste-based discrimination and the struggle for dignity within a university setting. It highlights the vulnerability of marginalized communities, exemplified by Tulsa and her family’s experiences. The wrongful labeling of Faiza as anti-national exposes how prejudice can infiltrate institutions and media. Through collective action, the characters confront entrenched hierarchies and demand accountability.

📣 Activism

Campus activism drives the plot as students organize seminars, protests, and creative performances. The group’s solidarity—Faiza, Amal, Aadarsh, and others—demonstrates how collective action can confront intimidation and fascist pressure. The narrative examines both the courage and risks involved in dissent within a charged political climate.

🎭 Art as Protest

The skit performed by the student group becomes a central vehicle for expressing grievances and mobilizing support. Even as fascists attempt to suppress it, the performance catalyzes public attention and reveals power dynamics. The story uses theatre-like acts to give voice to personal and communal struggles that data alone cannot convey.

Last Updated: October 01, 2025 at 10:12

Mobile App Preview

Coming soon on iOS and Android

The Plot Explained Mobile App

From blockbusters to hidden gems — dive into movie stories anytime, anywhere. Save your favorites, discover plots faster, and never miss a twist again.

Sign up to be the first to know when we launch. Your email stays private — always.

Explore Movie Threads

Discover curated groups of movies connected by mood, themes, and story style. Browse collections built around emotion, atmosphere, and narrative focus to easily find films that match what you feel like watching right now.

Defiant student movement movies like Varthamanam

Stories of student activists risking everything to challenge powerful, unjust systems.If you liked Varthamanam, explore more movies about student activism and political resistance. These films share a tense, high-intensity mood, featuring young protagonists who organize against oppressive systems, facing threats and personal tragedy while building movements of solidarity and hope.

urgenttensedefianthopefuloppressiveanxiousresilientsolidarity

Narrative Summary

Stories in this thread typically follow a group of students who become politically awakened by injustice. The narrative escalates from initial protests to severe retaliation from authorities, often involving personal loss and imprisonment, culminating in a defiant, public act of resistance that tests their resolve but reaffirms their cause.

Why These Movies?

These films are grouped by their core conflict: youthful idealism clashing with rigid, oppressive power structures. They share a consistently high emotional weight and tense tone, driven by the urgent, high-risk nature of the protagonists' activism and the heavy theme of fighting for justice against overwhelming odds.

Movies about hope after tragedy like Varthamanam

Characters endure profound personal tragedy but find strength in collective action.For viewers who appreciated the emotional journey of Varthamanam, this section collects films that balance heavy themes of loss and trauma with an ultimately hopeful and resilient ending. These movies explore how personal tragedy can fuel a collective fight for a better future.

resilienthopefultragictensecatharticsolidaritydefiantanxious

Narrative Summary

The narrative pattern involves a triggering personal tragedy that deepens the protagonist's commitment to a larger cause. The story navigates the raw pain of loss while methodically building towards a cathartic act of resistance or healing, proving that hope can persist even in the darkest of times.

Why These Movies?

These films are united by their specific emotional arc: they subject characters to immense sorrow but ultimately celebrate the human capacity for resilience and hope through unity. The shared experience is one of enduring heavy emotional weight while being carried forward by a steady, determined pace towards a meaningful, positive resolution.

Unlock the Full Story of Varthamanam

Don't stop at just watching — explore Varthamanam in full detail. From the complete plot summary and scene-by-scene timeline to character breakdowns, thematic analysis, and a deep dive into the ending — every page helps you truly understand what Varthamanam is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.

Varthamanam Summary

Read a complete plot summary of Varthamanam, including all key story points, character arcs, and turning points. This in-depth recap is ideal for understanding the narrative structure or reviewing what happened in the movie.

Varthamanam Summary

Varthamanam Timeline

Track the full timeline of Varthamanam with every major event arranged chronologically. Perfect for decoding non-linear storytelling, flashbacks, or parallel narratives with a clear scene-by-scene breakdown.

Varthamanam Timeline

Varthamanam Spoiler-Free Summary

Get a quick, spoiler-free overview of Varthamanam that covers the main plot points and key details without revealing any major twists or spoilers. Perfect for those who want to know what to expect before diving in.

Varthamanam Spoiler-Free Summary

More About Varthamanam

Visit What's After the Movie to explore more about Varthamanam: box office results, cast and crew info, production details, post-credit scenes, and external links — all in one place for movie fans and researchers.

More About Varthamanam