Year: 2002
Runtime: 160 mins
Language: Tamil
Director: Vincent Selva
On his wedding day, Shiva learns his bride, cousin Aruna, has fled because she refuses to marry a cook. He brushes it off and travels to Chennai with her brother Shyam Ganesh in search of work. One night he rescues Sandya from attackers; she thanks him with a kiss. As they keep crossing paths, Shiva falls for her and hopes his feelings are returned.
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Read the complete plot breakdown of Youth (2002), including all key story events, major twists, and the ending explained in detail. Discover what really happened—and what it all means.
On his wedding day, Shiva discovers that his cousin and bride, Aruna, has run away because she does not want to marry a cook. However, he takes it in stride and moves to Chennai with Aruna’s brother Prabhu to look for a job. One night, Sandhya is rescued by him from a group of goons, and in a moment of gratitude she kisses him. Shiva begins to fall in love with her, and after several chance encounters, he harbors a hopeful belief that she might feel the same about him.
However, at [Sandhya] birthday party, she announces her engagement to computer engineer Pratap. Shiva is devastated by the news and quietly leaves the room. [Sandhya] finds him standing alone by the swimming pool and asks his opinion of Pratap; he confesses that he loves her, leaving her stunned. She clarifies that she only feels friendship toward him and tells him to stop loving her.
After receiving a urgent telephone call, Shiva goes to the police station and locates Aruna. She had eloped with her would‑be lover, but he abandoned her and left her penniless. With no one to turn to, Aruna attempts suicide. Shiva brings her back home to care for her, and even though Prabhu remains angry and contacts their parents, Shiva speaks up for Aruna and helps the family forgive her. Before returning to the village, Aruna encounters Pratap and realizes that [Sandhya]’s fiancé is in fact the lover who abandoned her.
On the eve of [Sandhya]’s wedding, she finally understands that she loves Shiva and tells her father that she does not want to marry [Pratap]. Her father refuses to cancel the wedding and instead hands Shiva a cheque for 10 million to persuade him to leave Sandhya. Sandhya runs away on her wedding day to search for Shiva and confesses that she loves him too. She longs to elope with him, but he brings her back to the wedding venue.
Before the ceremony starts, he calls Pratap into a room and closes the door. When the door reopens, Shiva and Pratap have swapped clothes—Shiva in the groom’s attire, and Pratap in ordinary clothes. [Shiva] marries [Sandhya] in the end. On their wedding night, Shiva reveals what happened in the room: he offered [Sandhya]’s father’s cheque to Pratap in exchange for calling off the engagement, which Pratap accepted. He also explains that he anticipated the father would later cancel the cheque, thinking that Shiva was cheating him, and that this indeed comes to pass.
Last Updated: October 09, 2025 at 15:31
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.
Emotional character arcs where resilience leads to a satisfying, happy ending.Discover movies like Youth that feature protagonists overcoming deep emotional wounds. If you enjoyed seeing Shiva's hopeful journey from rejection to love, you'll appreciate these similar dramatic stories with heartfelt resolutions and satisfying endings.
These stories typically begin with a protagonist experiencing a profound emotional wound or rejection. The narrative follows their steady, character-driven journey as they face further setbacks, but maintain a core of hope. The resolution is often clever and satisfying, rewarding the character's resilience rather than punishing their vulnerability.
Movies are grouped here for their shared emotional journey from pain to happiness. They balance medium emotional weight with a consistently hopeful tone, creating an uplifting experience even when tackling serious themes like abandonment or unrequited love.
Romantic dramas where love triumphs over social barriers through ingenuity.Explore movies similar to Youth, where romance blossoms across social divides. If you liked how Shiva's cleverness resolved the class differences in his pursuit of love, you'll enjoy these romantic dramas about overcoming societal obstacles with wit and heart.
The narrative pattern involves a romantic pursuit complicated by societal expectations or class differences. The protagonist faces tension and setbacks related to their social standing, but the story avoids melodramatic confrontations. Instead, the satisfying ending is earned through a smart, often unconventional solution that bypasses the central obstacle.
These films share a focus on romance challenged by class or social status, a steady dramatic pace, and a key narrative beat where a clever trick or emotional insight provides the path to a happy ending, avoiding traditional conflict.
Don't stop at just watching — explore Youth 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 Youth is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.
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