Original subtitles

Easy…

-Hey, Narasimha! -Huh?

-Seethaiah! -Sir?

-Leave the jeep at the station. -Sure, sir.

Sir, Ramakrishna is here.

You asked me to hurry. What is it?

Veeranna’s body is missing.

We looked everywhere around.

We couldn’t find it.

Another thing.

His hut is also gutted to the ground.

(Man) More… wrap around it more.

Take it around.

Pull it!

Pull it hard!

Huh! Why is the chief coming here?

Hey, come on.

-Greetings, Chief. -Greetings, Chief.

Greetings, Chief.

Who is he?

Pashupati… chief of the hamlets around.

Oh!

Chief, it was this tree that made our people go crazy.

When the culprit is a person, why do you blame a tree?

Huh?

For every mishap in this village, the royal family is the reason.

Where is your king?

Won’t he step out of his fort?

His son Mahadev’s blunder cost a hundred lives on the hill.

How hard did I plead to stop the wedding?

No one paid heed.

The forest has been peaceful all these years.

I thought Mother Goddess’s curse was finally lifted.

But three months ago, it started all over again.

Until this village is submerged in water,

maybe Mother Goddess won’t be pacified.

What happened to my son?

What did his words mean?

Will you find out, Ramayya?

His final words to me were…

“To the east of the fort.”

Hey!

O, Ramayya!

Couldn’t you find you anywhere in the forest. Where were you?

Who are you looking for?

Nobody.

I want to meet someone.

Whom?

The guy who spoke at the burnt tree.

Some Chief…

Yes. Pashupati.

Yes. I must meet him.

Get on. Let’s go.

Mallanna, go get some leaves and herbs from the forest.

Let’s give me the sap.

Greetings, Chief.

What is it, officer?

What brings you here?

Uh, nothing, Chief.

This city boy wanted to meet you.

-This is Rama… -Rama Krishna.

Huh?

Hey! Hmm!

I am getting it, Chief.

Please, be seated.

Sit.

Why are you propagating that the tree is responsible for all the issues in the village?

What is going on?

Huh?

Why are you deceiving the villagers saying the Goddess’s curse is making them mad?

What do you mean deception?

All this is Veeranna's doing.

It wasn’t some deity or devil.

When there are thousands of villages in this country,

why did he choose ours for all his nasty acts ?

That is how the Goddess’s curse works.

Why would your Goddess curse you?

The king’s son, Mahadev, married one of our girls from the hamlet.

Also, he breached the code of this hamlet.

Mother Goddess cast a curse.

She rained fire on Devathala Gutta.

Let us assume your story is true.

Mother Goddess punished hundreds for one man’s fault.

Hmm?

In my opinion,

she is no Goddess at all.

Huh?

Huh!

Ramayya! Keep quiet.

What are you blabbering? Are you mad?

(all clamour)

Stop!

-Officer! -Sir?

Take him away.

Huh. Ramayya! Let’s go.

You came all the way from Hyderabad only to bury me, didn’t you?

What did I do to you, Ramayya?

Hey, nothing of that sort, officer.

Why do you want to mess with the old man?

The hamlet has its own belief system.

Why do you want to finger everyone?

For what someone had done, why blame Gowri and Mahadev?

They would, Ramayya. They would say a hundred things.

Why are you getting worked up about Mahadev and Gowri?

As if they are your parents!

Or this village is your grandpa’s!

Why don’t you speak?

Huh?

When you are his grandson,

why don’t you bring your mom and inform the king?

This village is dangerous in some way, officer.

That is why mom never wanted to come here.

She didn’t want me to either.

Mother Goddess caused a torrential rain here.

My mother is dead scared of rain there.

A hundred people dying from rain on Devatahala Gutta 25 years ago,

and people going crazy in this forest now are both somehow connected. I believe it.

If we got to find out how…

Whoever sent the masked man...

Who is he working for? And why? We must find out that first.

Who are you talking about?

Raghupati.

Huh?

Raghupati sir?

What are you saying, Ramayya?

Yes, officer.

Raghupati’s man is following me.

Hey, throw him out.

I saw him to the east of the fort today.

The entire village fell victim to the tree.

But Raghupati was in Srisailam.

As if he knew what was going to happen here.

‘We are leaving for Srisailam today.’

‘Pack both of your clothes.’

The next day, the village was panicking.

But he looked very calm walking into the fort.

When Lakshmi fainted because of the tree, Veeranna had come to her rescue.

He gave her the antidote.

Why did Veeranna ignore everyone else and saved only Lakshmi?

Yes, why?

Because Lakshmi… is Raghupati’s daughter.

‘Lakshmi!’

‘She is Raghupati sir’s daughter.’

What is it?

A smoked butt. I could buy a new one.

You can’t even if you want to. You will have to order it.

Order?

It’s a Cuban cigar.

The British officials used to smoke it.

Our lords too specially got them to India.

Oh!

Your Raghupati sir smokes the same brand.

I found this in Veeranna’s hut.

Oh!

Hmm. Take it.

Sir! The king has sent for you.

The government has granted funds for the rehabilitation of our villagers.

-I will distribute the funds in four or five days… -Enough.

-and will send them word. -Good.

Please, find some time to come, father-in-law.

-The minister is also coming. -Hmm.

Sit.

-Serve him too. -Hmm.

So, you met Pashupati?

How is Pashupati?

As usual. Very angry with you.

Two men from their hamlet were here. To complain against you.

I believe you disrespected the Goddess? Huh?

What was the task I assigned to you? And what are you doing?

Hmm?

They have been abusing your son, Mahadev.

Did you ever question them?

Rama Krishna!

Sure, we are at the same dining table. But don’t take liberty.

Forget the residents of this village.

For whatever is happening here…

Do you also believe your son and daughter-in-law are responsible?

Why would I believe that?

I went there to find out about Mahadev and Gowri.

To decipher Mahadev’s last words,

I must first know about him.

How he behaved and how he spoke.

When young, he was aggressive and walked around with a gun.

When Mahadev was 15 years old, I sent him to London for higher studies.

He grew up away from home for many years.

In 1948, my son returned home.

(crowd ululating and shouting)

How are you, father?

Great, son.

Pashupati! How are you?

I am good, sir.

Where is my younger sister?

How are you my brother ?

How are you sister?

Iam good brother.

Come inside.

One minute, father.

Wait I will bring my luggage bag

Brining the bag sir.

How were your studies?

Quite well, father.

Hmm.

I am done with my research.

I am not here because you wrote to me.

I want to use my education for our people and our dominion and so here I am.

Hmm…

Good.

This region has been under our rule for decades.

River Krishna on one side and the Nallamala on the other.

Shaiva temples all around.

The virtue collected over several lifetimes…

gave our family the opportunity to rule this region.

Some want freedom.

Some want to join the Indian Union.

A few others suggest being a part of Hyderabad Kingdom.

The future is uncertain.

I want to gather the courage, leave things to God Mallanna…

and write to Sardar Patel to merge our dominion with India.

If we slip into the hands of religious fanatics, like Kolkata,

we might also face a ‘Direct Action Day’.

Why didn’t you write to him till now?

Because of the fear that we many not forestall the Razakars.

The other day, they attacked Singota temple and dropped beef on the deity.

Be brave and write it, father.

If necessary, let us hand over Amaragiri to the Indian Army as a base camp.

This Trilinga dominion situated in the centre of three Lingas,

shouldn’t become another Pakistan.

I will instruct the clerk to get the letter ready.

What’s the matter, father?

Why are you still preoccupied?

I always get problems in pairs.

You have emboldened me regarding the village issue.

Will you stand with me in a family issue too?

Family issue?

Hmm.

Your sister was studying in Osmania and she fell in love with a boy.

He is a revolutionary.

She is educated.

Wouldn’t she know good from bad?

You say he is also educated.

The world is changing, father.

We must change too.

The decision you are going to make now shall be exemplary to our people.

You must show equality.

My dominion was merged into India.

My daughter got married.

One love got me a son-in-law.

Another love took away my son.

Pashupati was here one day.

To complain against my son.

King!

We have our own traditions.

You must give them due respect.

The girls of our hamlet marry only our boys. It is our tradition.

Mother Goddess will be pleased only then…

and giving us timely rains will protect us and it is our belief.

I have strong faith in your belief system.

What is the problem? Be open.

Lord!

Keep your son under control.

He is eyeing Gowri, a girl from our hamlet.

Hey! What are you blabbering?

Raghu…

I can sense what they say is true.

You said you have come back to make the village better.

You don’t have to make it better.

But don’t introduce your foreign culture here.

Leave the girl alone.

I am in love with Gowri, father.

I promised her.

Why can’t you stay here and study?

Why should you go so far?

Will you come back?

Or stay there permanently?

I will come back.

Promise?

Promise.

Is your love greater than their customs?

If I have to choose between my son and my village,

I will always choose my people.

If I have to choose between love and customs,

I shall always stand for love.

Like Srirama who left Ayodhya to live in the jungle,

my son left this bungalow for his love,

went to Nallamala and lived there for a year.

Until my grandson was born, I didn’t see my son.

-Yashoda! -Hmm?

During the fair tonight,

you must light the sacred lamp before Mother Goddess.

You know better and how can you say this, Pashupati?

As long as my mother was alive, she was lighting the lamp every year.

This time, as the daughter-in-law of the house,

my sister-in-law, Gowri, will light the lamp.

I was worried my son may not get Mallanna’s symbol.

You are very kind.

Thank you, Chief.

This child carries the blood of our clan.

All rituals shall be conducted as per our customs.

I will make sure of it.

It is my responsibility.

That doesn’t mean I am not angry with you.

(Sanskrit incantations)

Oh, no. It’s done, Young Lord.

Gowri!

How can you pierce an infant with needles?

Have you lost your senses?

This is his christening day, lord.

It is our custom to tattoo Mallanna’s symbol.

Don’t stall it, lord. It spells calamity.

Why should my baby suffer for your customs?

Our baby needs love. Not tattoos.

Don’t rub your superstitions on the baby.

Let’s go, Gowri.

Lord! Breaking a custom midway, spells doom.

Please, understand!

I cannot organize a fair, where you are disrespected, Mother.

Please, forgive me.

My son’s transgression that day,

just as Pashupati foresaw,

might have made Mother Goddess curse us.

That same night during the fair on the Gutta,

it rained, and a hundred people died.

That night,

I found my son hanging between life and death.

Mahadeva! Please, speak.

Deva!

Hey, please, speak!

Hey, Deva! Deva!

Deva, please, speak.

To the fort’s…

East side.

To the fort’s…

East… east… east side.

East…

Oh, no! Deva! Deva, please, speak.

Hey, Deva!

That day…

I lost my son.

Till today…

Raghupati,

like a son…

stood by me.

I should go to Palamuru tomorrow morning.

-I take your leave, father-in-law. -Hmm.

The night that the rain killed a hundred people,

was there an eyewitness?

There was one.

The look you have been giving me for 25 years,

he gave me the same look today.

Because you had given me this look,

I made sure you didn’t walk in 25 years.

Have you forgotten?

Huh?

Have you forgotten? Bloody bitch!

I will make sure Rama Krishna meets with the same fate like yours.

Do you want to see?

Keep giving me those looks.

And I will keep growing.

I will become an MP.

I will land in Delhi.

I want power.

I want to be the master.

No matter who…

Everyone should grovel at my feet saying, “I am your slave.”

Do you get it?

Hey, dear! You didn’t go to bed yet?

What was that noise?

Where is mom?

All these years I thought he was not a good dad.

That he was not a good husband.

But only today I realise… he is not a good person.

Dad’s true colours...

will be out soon, mom.

Residents of Amaragiri!

This is your final warning of danger.

Because of the Srisailam dam, all the surrounding areas will be submerged.

Hence, all the residents are requested to evacuate immediately...

and set up shelter in the land allotted to you by the government.

All the effort we have been putting in for years is being ruined by one man.

The kind of look he gave me last night, I wanted to kill him right away

and dump his body in River Krishna.

But…

he is ready to unearth the answer to a question we have been plagued with for years.

I wanted to wait only for that.

He discovered our secret that no one else could.

Let’s see.

Whether we will get the answer to a 25 year old question.

Or I will kill him with my own hands on the coming full moon night.

Raghupati!

You will find it.

He tried to kill me by ramming his jeep into the tree.

I had a brush with death but escaped.

Today, it’s full moon.

No one in the village can escape tonight.

Go to Srisailam along with your family.

Another thing.

Place the detective before the Panchayat. I will take care of him.

Hmm.