Onamalu Story

The film begins in the [[United States|US]], where Narayana Rao, a retired schoolteacher of high moral values, lives with his son Venkatesh’s family. Though abroad, his heart remains tied to his hometown in India, which he left many years ago. He constantly teaches his grandchildren about village life, customs, and traditions. Feeling neglected by his busy son and daughter-in-law, Narayana Rao quietly returns to India, yearning to spend his last days in the land he cherishes. On the way, a taxi driver named Erramanjil accompanies him, and the journey becomes a touching revisit of Narayana Rao’s past—his deep bonds, affection, and contributions to the village. The narrative introduces a range of colorful characters: his brother-in-law and sister, who exploit others; the kind-hearted but bankrupt Zamindar Peddiraju; skilled tailor Ismail; proud dairy farmer Raghavaiah; friendly grocer Subbarayudu; postman Ramkoti; and the comical troublemaker Subba Rao. Narayana Rao fondly remembers guiding the village’s children—Khadar, Chitti Raju, Ramakrishna, Sundaram, Suresh, Chalapati, Surendra, and Sarala—instilling in them responsible citizenship through value-based education. He once lived happily with his wife, Rukmini, until her death forced him abroad.

Upon returning, Narayana Rao is disheartened by the stark changes caused by urbanization. His once-promising students now face hardships: Chitti Raju struggles as a poor farmer, Chalapati abandons his mathematics talent to work as a waiter, Sundaram has become president through questionable means, and Sarala endures as a teacher with limited support. He is pained further when he learns his nephew Ramakrishna abandoned his own mother, Mahalakshmi, in a nursing home, which Narayana Rao personally rectifies. Though proud to see Khadar thrive as an honest journalist despite poverty, he is devastated when Chitti Raju dies in an accident—a symbol of how greed and materialism have destroyed bonds of sentiment and kinship. Determined to stop this decline, Narayana Rao calls back all migrated villagers, making them confront their mistakes and rediscover human values. In a powerful resolution, he declares October 2nd as “Motherland’s Day”—a pledge for every Indian, including the nation’s leaders, to compulsorily return to their native place each year to honor their roots. The film ends on a patriotic and emotional note, underscoring the importance of heritage, unity, and moral values in an age of modernization.