Kothalavadi

Set in the drought-stricken village of Kothalavadi, nestled on the banks of the Cauvery River, the film explores how poverty and desperation push an entire community into moral compromise. The villagers, crushed under mounting debts and repeated crop failures, have mortgaged their lands to Lagori Babu (Chethan Gandharva), a ruthless moneylender who thrives on their misery. Amid this bleak scenario, Gujari Babu (Gopal Krishna Deshpande), a cunning scrap dealer with political ambitions, enters the scene. He convinces the villagers that the sand from their river belongs to them, not the government, and lures them into illegal sand mining, promising quick wealth and liberation from debt. At the heart of the story is Mohana (Pruthvi Ambaar), a daily wage worker and orphan who dreams of a modest life with Manji (Kavya Shaiva), an Anganwadi teacher. Initially reluctant, Mohana becomes Gujari Babu’s trusted aide, drawn into the vortex of greed and violence. As the mining operation expands, tensions escalate between the villagers and law enforcement. A violent clash occurs when a police team led by Inspector (Bala Rajwadi) raids a dredging site, leaving several officers injured. This prompts Superintendent of Police Parashuram (Rajesh Nataranga) and Commissioner Ananta Padmanabha (Avinash) to intervene, attempting to educate the villagers about the environmental and legal consequences of their actions. Meanwhile, political stakes rise as Malini Thamanna (Manasi Sudhir), backed by a major party, challenges Gujari Babu’s dominance, turning the village into a battleground of ambition and survival. Mohana, torn between loyalty to Babu and love for Manji, begins to question his choices as blood is spilled and tragedy looms. The narrative culminates in a tense showdown where greed, betrayal, and power collide, forcing the villagers to confront a stark choice: break free from exploitation or be consumed by it. == Cast ==