Yuva

Yuva

Year: 2004

Runtime: 161 mins

Language: Hindi

Director: Mani Ratnam

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An accident on a bridge ties together three young men from different social classes, sparking a course of events that will forever alter their lives.

Warning: spoilers below!

Haven’t seen Yuva 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 – Yuva (2004)

Explore the full timeline and setting of Yuva (2004). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

Early 2000s

Set against the early 2000s Indian political climate, the film portrays a vibrant campus activism scene and the rise of student leaders. The era is marked by political maneuvering and corruption, where idealism often collides with pragmatism. The events unfold in a contemporary urban India, where elections become a battlefield for influence.

Location

Kolkata, Vidyasagar Setu

Kolkata, a bustling metropolis in eastern India, frames the story's political and street-level battles. The Vidyasagar Setu serves as a dramatic backdrop for confrontations between crime and power. The city’s crowded streets and campuses reflect the grind of ambition, loyalties, and political maneuvering.

🏙️ Urban life 🗳️ Political intrigue 🌆 Cityscape

Last Updated: October 03, 2025 at 14:12

Main Characters – Yuva (2004)

Meet the key characters of Yuva (2004), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Michael Mukherjee (Ajay Devgn)

A charismatic student leader determined to keep politicians out of college elections. He builds a reformist movement with Vishnu and Trilok, resisting offers meant to quiet him, including a foreign scholarship. His personal life with his neighbor Radhika adds a human dimension to the political turmoil. In the climax, he arrives to rescue Arjun and helps secure the four seats they contest.

🏛️ Leadership 💪 Courage ❤️ Compassion

Lallan Singh (Abhishek Bachchan)

A Bihar-born goon turned hitman, Lallan drifts into Kolkata's brutal power games. His violent, controlling relationship with Sashi shows the personal cost of power. He takes on a contract for Prosenjit and pushes the plot toward deadly escalation. In the end, Michael spares him and hands him to the police.

🗡️ Violence 💼 Crime 🔥 Ruthlessness

Sashi Biswas Singh (Rani Mukerji)

Lallan's wife, a victim of a relationship built on control and violence. Her life reveals the personal costs of political and criminal power. She is part of the volatile domestic environment around Lallan, showing the strain of power games on personal life. Her perspective adds emotional depth to the film's examination of loyalty.

💔 Domestic Violence 💪 Resilience 🧭 Loyalty

Prosenjit Bhattacharya (Om Puri)

An ambitious politician who uses power to manipulate and buy off opponents. He tightens control over Lallan and orchestrates events to derail the students. He kills Gopal after an eyewitness account connects the crime to their scheme. His influence grows as the plot escalates, pitting him against the student movement.

🗳️ Political power 🧠 Manipulation 🔥 Autority

Arjun Balachandran (Vivek Oberoi)

Carefree son of an IAS officer who hopes for a future in the United States. He meets Meera and quickly connects with the student movement, joining Michael's cause. He is attacked by Lallan and then partners with Michael to contest elections, playing a pivotal role in the campaign's evolution.

🎓 Youth 🤝 Alliance ❤️ Romance

Meera (Kareena Kapoor Khan)

Arjun's love interest who becomes entwined with the political turmoil. Their relationship adds tenderness and personal stakes amid the chaos of campaigns and threats. Meera's presence helps ground the narrative in human experience beyond politics.

❤️ Romance 💫 Connection 🕊️ Emotion

Vishnu (Karthik Kumar)

Michael's right-hand man who supports the movement and helps drive their campaign. He stands by the leaders through pressure and danger, contributing essential planning and loyalty to the cause. Vishnu's steadiness helps balance the more volatile elements of the plot.

🤝 Loyalty 🧭 Strategy 💪 Support

Dablu (Vijay Raaz)

A former ally with mixed loyalties who tries to help the trio escape. He pays with his life when Lallan betrays him while aiding Arjun's escape. Dablu's fate underscores the brutal costs of shifting loyalties in a corrupt landscape.

🗡️ Betrayal 🔒 Escape ⚖️ Risk

Gopal Singh (Sonu Sood)

Lallan's brother who deserts him, pushing him to hustle for money and become entangled with Prosenjit’s scheme. His role foreshadows how fractured loyalties feed the cycle of crime and power. His actions contribute to the escalating tension of the political plot.

💔 Family ties 🧭 Loyalties 🕊️ Betrayal

Dr. Gopal (Saurabh Shukla)

A doctor involved in the broader power play connected to Prosenjit’s scheme. He becomes entangled as the plot thickens and is indirectly linked to how eyewitness accounts surface in the narrative. His presence highlights the reach of influence across different social spheres.

🧬 Influence 🏥 Medicine 🕵️‍♂️ Intrigue

Last Updated: October 03, 2025 at 14:12

Major Themes – Yuva (2004)

Explore the central themes of Yuva (2004), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

🏛️ Power

The film centers on the pursuit of power and the moral compromises it demands. It shows how political influence can twist ideals, weaponize violence, and coerce individuals into loyalty to a cause or a person. Leaders grow rich on favors, while the vulnerable bear the consequences. The tension between ambition and integrity drives many pivotal choices.

🎓 Student Activism

A campus movement acts as the catalyst for the plot, with students rallying around reform and resisting political meddling. The characters' activism reveals the courage and risks of youth in a system permeated by corruption. Aligning with leaders, facing threats, and enduring violence, they push for a voice in governance. The story frames activism as both idealistic and dangerous in equal measure.

🤝 Loyalty & Betrayal

Loyalty binds friends and allies, yet betrayal threads through every alliance. Characters switch sides under pressure, and personal bonds collide with political expediency. The tug of loyalty tests ethics when violence and manipulation come into play. The climax exposes who remains true when power is at stake.

❤️ Love

Romance adds a personal layer to the political chaos, grounding the story in human connections. Michael's connection with Radhika, and Arjun's bond with Meera, offer moments of tenderness amid danger. Love becomes a counterpoint to ambition, showing how relationships complicate and humanize the pursuit of power. The relationships illuminate the stakes beyond elections and streets.

Last Updated: October 03, 2025 at 14:12

Unlock the Full Story of Yuva

Don't stop at just watching — explore Yuva 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 Yuva is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.

Yuva Summary

Read a complete plot summary of Yuva, 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.

Yuva Summary

Yuva Timeline

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

Yuva Timeline

More About Yuva

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More About Yuva