Aa Naluguru Story

The film begins with two agents of death arriving to take the soul of Raghuram. On his way to the afterlife, Raghuram requests to witness his own funeral. Expecting his family to be devastated, he is instead shocked to see their indifference, which draws ridicule from the agents. Troubled, Raghuram reflects on whether life is truly governed by money or love and is granted a chance to return. A man of high principles, Raghuram works as the editor-in-chief of a newspaper, living with his wife Bharati and their three children—Shekar, Chinna, and Indira. He spends half his earnings on charity, often clashing with his family’s materialistic outlook. His closest confidant, Subramanyam, warns him about his idealism, while Mastan, whom Raghuram once protected during a religious riot, remains loyal. Kotaiah, a ruthless moneylender, wagers that Raghuram will one day abandon his ideals and beg for money. When his managing director, Venkat Rao, pressures him to publish scandalous photos to boost sales, Raghuram refuses and resigns. Venkat Rao later repents, reinstates him, and vows not to interfere again. Meanwhile, Indira secretly marries Ravi, but Raghuram welcomes them wholeheartedly. His other children, however, demand bribes and donations to secure careers and foreign dreams, which Raghuram staunchly refuses.

Frustrated by their father’s ideals, his family scorns him, and Raghuram, overwhelmed, takes loans from friends but still falls short. At last, he approaches Kotaiah, conceding defeat. Soon after, Raghuram dies, and the public mourns him deeply, though his children and son-in-law hide to avoid creditors. Doctors arrive to collect his donated eyes, and a suicide note reveals his despair at his principles’ downfall. Subramanyam hides the note to preserve his honor. Bharati eventually realizes her husband’s true greatness and her children’s folly. Raghuram’s funeral procession swells into a sea of mourners, symbolizing the love he gave society. When his son Shekar prepares to light the pyre, Kotaiah intervenes, demanding repayment of debts. Shockingly, the public unites to settle the dues in gratitude, leaving the children remorseful. Kotaiah then reveals his scheme was meant to reform them and honor Raghuram’s legacy. Bharati, however, forbids her children from performing the final rites, asking society to do so instead. In the end, the agents reveal themselves as heavenly beings, declaring that Raghuram’s suffering on earth was his hell, and now, through the love of the people, he has attained heaven. The film closes with his soul departing peacefully, leaving behind the message: “We bring nothing at birth and take nothing at death—but Raghuram carries with him the love of society.”