Navaratri Story

The film revolves around a girl spending nine nights with nine different persons, highlighting Navarasam—the nine human emotions played by a single entity. It begins with Radha, the daughter of Bhima Shankar, who flees from home to escape a forced marriage. She loves her colleague Venu Gopala Rao but is unaware he is her intended groom. Venu teases her through his friend Raju, claiming he is marrying someone else. Heartbroken, Radha attempts suicide but is saved by Ananda Rao (Wonder), a widower, who introduces her to his daughter, explains the value of life, and decides to drop her home. However, Radha silently slips away at dawn. Tragically, she ends up in a brothel where Devadas (Fear), a drunkard grieving his wife’s illness, nearly seduces her before fainting. Escaping, Radha is caught by patrol police, pretends to be insane, and is sent to a mental asylum under Dr. Karunakar (Compassion). There, she spends a night among lunatics. When her father arrives, Radha flees again and collapses near Gopal Rao (Anger), a ruthless killer seeking revenge for his brother’s murder. He tends to her for a night, but during a shootout, Gopal Rao is killed.

Terrified, Radha joins a group of farmers where Shantanna (Equanimity), a naïve peasant, shelters her as a sister. Misled by a fraudulent wizard, Gauraiah, she grows disillusioned and leaves. On her way, she meets Siripuram Sundararamaiah (Disgust), once a wealthy tycoon, now a destitute leper who lost everything to charity. Compassionately, Radha takes him to a doctor, one of his old admirers. Next, she encounters Bhagavatha Rao (Elegance), a stage artist desperate for a heroine. Radha agrees to perform on the condition she is released afterward. The play succeeds, but when an agent misbehaves, Bhagavatha Rao rescues her, and Radha flees in disguise. Attacked by a tiger, she is saved by hunter Veerabhadra Rao (Bravery), who welcomes her warmly. She later discovers he is a police commissioner and Venu’s maternal uncle. Shocked, she tries to run, but he reveals the truth of her love. Finally, Radha reunites with Venu (Bliss), who is about to harm himself. Having left on the first day of Navaratri, Radha returns on the ninth day. The film ends happily with the marriage of Venu and Radha, attended by all characters except Gopal Rao.