Virumaandi

Civil rights activist Angela Kathamuthu, with her cameraman, enters Madras Central Prison to interview inmates serving life terms or facing death. Her PhD study on the death penalty motivates this ground-level inquiry. The conversations begin to reveal the human stories behind the cases.

Inside the cell blocks, Angela records the prisoners’ thoughts on justice, mercy, and imprisonment. The conversations are intimate and sometimes hopeful, sometimes bleak, painting a nuanced portrait rather than a simple verdict. These interviews plant the seed for her broader investigation.

Before leaving, Narayanan covertly reveals a troubling rumor: the prison is entangled in immoral practices, including drug trafficking led by Chief Jailer Jayanth. He hints at immorality within the prison's operations. This revelation plants the seed for a broader investigation.

A sit-in protest erupts among inmates and staff over Narayanan's death by cardiac arrest, demanding accountability. In the turmoil, Angela meets Kothaala Thevar, who offers his own version of the events that shaped his conviction. His account invites Angela to question the spin of the story from those who live inside the system.

Kothaala Thevar outlines Virumaandi Thevar’s early life: losing his mother, being sent away to Chennai and Singapore, and returning to Chinna Kolarupatti after his father’s death. The tale frames the land and water conflicts that will later pull him into the power struggles surrounding Nayakkar. It sets Virumaandi on a path between pride in his land and violence.

Virumaandi forms a bond with Annalakshmi, a relative of Kothaala, as they navigate love, courage, and the harsh realities of life under threat. Annalakshmi's presence introduces a softer, human dimension to the tale and deepens Virumaandi's sense of responsibility. Their relationship becomes a counterpoint to the village's brutal power struggles.

During Virumaandi’s grandmother’s funeral, local authorities offer a bid for his land. He refuses the quick payoff, choosing dignity and independence instead. This decision anchors his resistance to corruption and highlights his values.

A festival becomes the setting for an assassination attempt on Virumaandi, testing his resolve under threat. Annalakshmi shelters him, deepening their bond as danger intensifies the conflict around land and power.

Virumaandi testifies in a village dispute to prevent a bloodbath. The confrontation spirals into a massacre of twenty-six people, a brutal consequence of the power struggle. He pays a heavy price for his honesty as the events haunt him.

In the claustrophobic prison, Angela presses for the truth and uncovers evidence of the drug-running network implicating jail wardens. A revolt among staff erupts and Jayanth is wounded, with Virumaandi helping protect Angela and preserve crucial evidence.

Virumaandi confronts Kothaala in a volatile clash where loyalties are tested and the truth about who killed whom begins to surface. The power dynamics shift as the two men confront the consequences of their choices.

In court, Virumaandi is convicted of rapes and the larger murder plot, and he becomes a key witness against Kothaala’s gang. The proceedings raise the central question of whether harsh punishment can be tempered by mercy and humanity within the system.

Angela's evidence implicates jail wardens in the drug trade, while Jayanth's fate remains uncertain. Virumaandi publicly pleads for a swift resolution, offering the possibility of death by hanging or a chance at a quieter life.

Angela files for clemency before the President, arguing that the six-year sentence already imposes enough punishment and that Virumaandi should live to seek repair or justice. The film ends on a somber note, inviting viewers to consider whether justice can lie beyond the letter of the law.