| Director | Santosh Sivan |
|---|---|
| Genre | action film, adventure film, drama film, historical film, thriller film, war film |
| Country | India |
| Budget | ₹20 crore |
The executives of the multinational mining corporation Nirvana Group inform Goa-based Krishna Das that his ancestral property in North Kerala, which was leased to a non-governmental organization (NGO) by his late grandfather, is rich in minerals and can be sold because the lease period has expired. Nirvana Group offers him a large sum of money as an advance on the purchase. The NGO currently runs a tribal school on the property, which is situated within the Kannadi Forest Range. When Krishna Das and his friend Thanseer visit the property, they are kidnapped by tribal men and taken to a cave deep in the forest. There, Krishna Das meets the tribal chief, Thankachan, who explains that Krishna Das is a descendant of a certain Chirakkal Kelu Nayanar.
In the early 16th century, Portuguese sailors under Vasco da Gama capture a Muslim pilgrim ship and take all the passengers as prisoners. The general of Chirakkal kingdom (northern Kerala), the Kothuwal, sends a Brahmin negotiator and his own son, Kelu (as per the customs of the land), to the captured ship to negotiate the prisoners' release. However, Vasco da Gama rejects their attempt at negotiation, cutting off the negotiator's ears. He then orders that the prisoners be locked in the hold and the ship set on fire. Kothuwal storms into the burning ship to rescue his son, Kelu. Although Kelu escapes, Chirakkal Kothuwal is killed during a fight that ensues. Vavvali, a Tamil Muslim boy, takes the orphaned Kelu with him to his home and treats him as his brother. Kelu crafts an urumi from the leftover ornaments of the dead women and children of the pilgrim ship. He takes an oath to kill Vasco da Gama one day.
Many years later, Kelu and Vavvali are hunting in a forest somewhere in Chirakkal. During their hunt, they rescue the princess of Chirakkal, Bala, from a group of abductors armed with Portuguese pistols, who apparently have been sent by her cousin, Bhanu Vikraman. Under the orders of Bhanu Vikraman, Kelu and Vavvali are captured by the Chirakkal guards at Puthoor Ferry and tried before the king of Chirakkal. During the trial, Bala reveals that the two young men in fact saved her life from the goons. Chenichery Kurup, the king's minister, convinces the king that the abductors might be from the Arakkal kingdom.
The king grants Kelu and Vavvali an audience. During the conversation, Kelu learns that Vasco da Gama is scheduled to return to India as Viceroy. They plan to infiltrate Fort Arakkal and capture Gama during the execution of the "pirate" Balia Hassan. Instead, they capture Estêvão da Gama and bring him to Chirakkal as a prisoner. In the process, Kelu and Vavvali encounter and are aided by Ayesha, a fiery warrior princess of the Arakkal palace. With Ayesha's help, Balia Hassan is freed from the gallows, and chaos ensues.
Unbeknownst to Kelu and Vavvali, a group of Chirakkal warriors simultaneously raids the Arakkal palace, assassinates Harabichi Beevi, and takes a large number of women from the palace as prisoners. Back in Chirakkal, the king bestows upon Kelu the honor of becoming the new general ("Kothuval"). Vavvali, however, is somewhat unhappy that the king fails to acknowledge his role in the capture of Estêvão. Princess Ayesha, among the captives taken during the raid on Arakkal, is presented to the spoiled prince Bhanu Vikraman as a concubine. She attempts to kill the prince in his chamber, but Kelu saves him.
In Cochin, Vasco da Gama is enraged upon learning of the capture and mutilation of his son Estêvão. Later, Kelu helps Ayesha escape from Chirakkal and asks her to flee from "this cursed land". With the help of Kelu and Vavvali, Ayesha manages to rescue all the women imprisoned in Chirakkal and smuggle them to a secret cave in Puthur.
With princess Ayesha, Kelu and Vavvali set out to the villages in the kingdom and succeed in garnering support from the common folk against the Portuguese. A large number of people join with Kelu and Ayesha to form a resistance. Kelu also induces the king of Chirakkal to seek assistance from the Syrian Christians in Kodungallur. Meanwhile, with the help of minister Kurup, Bhanu Vikraman conspires against his uncle and joins forces with Estêvão da Gama. Bhanu Vikraman assassinates his uncle with a Portuguese pistol. Kelu returns to Chirakkal palace to discuss with Vikraman, now king of Chirakkal, what actions to take against da Gama, but Bhanu hesitantly states that the army will no longer take orders from Kelu. Chirakkal Bala, the princess of Chirakkal, now joins with Kelu and his cohorts. Meanwhile, da Gama, accompanied by Estêvão da Gama among others, arrives at the Chirakkal palace. Chenichery Kurup, whom da Gama remembers, at first sight, welcomes him. During the audience, Bhanu Vikraman is killed by Estêvão da Gama. As a mark of respect for his allegiance to the Portuguese crown, the empire offers Kurup the post of the Governor General of the Laccadives.
The Chirakkal army, led by Angadan Nambi, attacks the rebel hideout. The rebels, led by Kelu, Vavvali, Ayesha, and the defected Chirakkal general Kaimal, fight back. Soon, a Portuguese unit led by Estêvão da Gama arrives in the village as reinforcement for the Chirakkal forces. The rebels manage to defeat the combined forces, but Vavvali is killed in action.
The rebels then launch an attack on the Chirakkal palace, and a fierce battle ensues. They are immediately put on the defensive by Portuguese cannons. Kelu manages to breach the perimeter established by Estêvão and enters the palace. He attacks da Gama but is killed by musketeers.
After hearing the moving story of his ancestors, Krishna Das decides not to sell his land to the multinational mining corporation and instead chooses to start a new life in Kerala.