Zapatlela

On a dark night in Mumbai, Tatya Vinchu confronts Baba Chamatkar in his cave and demands the Mrityunjay Mantra. Baba, terrified, reluctantly provides the deadly chant to satisfy the crime lord. The mantra enables Tatya to transfer a soul into any living or non-living object.

CID Inspector Mahesh Jadhav raids Tatya's warehouse and pursues him to a post office. In the ensuing confrontation, Mahesh fatally shoots Tatya Vinchu. With his last breath, Tatya transfers his soul into a ventriloquist's puppet using Baba Chamatkar's mantra.

Following the shootout, Mahesh arrests Kubdya Khavis for his crimes and believes Tatya Vinchu is dead. The immediate danger seems over, even as the puppet remains in play as Tatya’s vengeful vessel. The stage is set for Tatya’s comeback through manipulation.

A few days later, Superintendent Jairam Ghatge is transferred to Shrirangpur, Maharashtra. Gauri, his daughter, arrives from the USA to pursue a PhD in criminal psychology. Lakshya lives with his widowed mother Parubai and is entangled in a relationship with Aavdi, while Dhanajirao is their landlord.

Gauri, fond of ventriloquism, sends Lakshya a puppet from the USA. Lakshya initially believes the puppet is merely an imported audio tape recorder for his hobby, unaware of Tatya’s possession activated by the mantra.

Dhanajirao confiscates Lakshya and Parubai’s furniture, including the puppet, under the pretext of unpaid rent. Tatya Vinchu reveals his true identity to Dhanajirao and threatens him, causing Dhanajirao to die of heart failure. Lakshya arrives at the warehouse, finds the body, and is arrested by Mahesh for the alleged murder.

The next day, Dhanajirao's postmortem confirms Lakshya's innocence, and Mahesh releases him from prison. Lakshya remains convinced that Tatya Vinchu is the real culprit and vows to prove it.

Tatya Vinchu’s puppet travels to Mumbai and meets Baba Chamatkar again. Faced with the threat, Baba explains that Tatya must transfer his soul into a living person—the one he has confessed to first, Lakshya. Tatya agrees to the transfer plan.

During the Holi festival, Tatya Vinchu returns to Shrirangpur and attempts to enter Lakshya’s house to begin possession. Lakshya manages to lock the puppet inside a closet, stalling Tatya’s immediate plan.

That night, Aavdi takes the puppet and buries it underground, but Tatya digs his way out, terrifying Lakshya. Tukaram and Sakharam deem Lakshya mentally unstable and forcibly take him to a mental hospital in Shrirangpur.

Gauri informs Mahesh about Tatya’s true identity and danger. The duo travels to locate Baba Chamatkar’s cave to learn how to kill Tatya. Baba Chamatkar reveals the only effective method: shoot Tatya between his two eyebrows.

Tatya Vinchu attempts to reach Lakshya on the roof and possesses him during a final confrontation. Mahesh shoots Tatya between the eyebrows; the puppet falls lifeless, and Kubdya Khavis is arrested. The threat to Lakshya is ended, and the community starts to heal.

Tukaram and Jairam approve Lakshya’s marriage to Aavdi and Mahesh’s to Gauri. Renowned ventriloquist Ramdas Padhye presents Lakshya with a new puppet as a bravery award, though Lakshya remains fearful of puppets as a reminder of his ordeal.