Murari (2001)

In nineteenth century, during the Amavasya phase, considered to be inauspicious, a greedy alcoholic Zamindar intrudes the temple to steal the idol of principal deity Durga, made of Panchaloha to repay the loans, he had borrowed from Britishers. Therefore, the divine powers kill the Britishers and Zamindar, conjuring a mythical curse on the Zamindar's family which results in the deaths of the family's heirs for every forty-eight years. In 2001, Murari is the motherless youngest child of the Zamindar's family, whose grandmother Sabari had lost her husband forty-eight years ago due to the curse, is concerned about the next victim of it. Murari, named after his late grandfather, receives utmost love and respect from his family comprising his father Sathipandu; Sabari; elder brothers Seenayya, Baachi and Soori; their wives and kids. Murari was raised and adored by his eldest sister-in-law Gopi, whom he admires. Murari's family is at odds with Gopi's maternal family headed by her uncle and foster father Chanti as the latter's alcoholic son Rambabu had created issues for them at Gopi's wedding. Therefore, Gopi is only allowed to visit her family alone and the others do not talk with her family. Vasundhara "Vasu" is Chanti's daughter who is a city-bred agricultural student. Murari perceives that Gopi had intentionally refused to have children as she feared that she might lose her affection for Murari if she had her own progeny, while the society kept humiliating her for being infertile. Creating a scenario, Murari accompanies Gopi to her village for her happiness, flirts with Vasu and falls in love with her. After a feud with Rambabu, Murari leaves to his house while leaving Gopi for a few days to complete the pending rituals of a Vratam. Meanwhile, Murari's family priest realizes that Murari would be the next victim of curse but hides it from Sabari. Vasu leaves to Hyderabad as she misses Murari. Upon Sathipandu's insistence, who knows about his feelings for Vasu, Murari goes to Hyderabad, confesses his feelings for Vasu, who unbeknownst to her family, comes to stay with Murari and family for a few days under pretext of a research as per Sathipandu's plan. Eventually, Murari convinces everyone to accept his relationship with Vasu. When he informs Sabari and requests her to accept his prospective marriage with Vasu, she is about to accept but the priest reveals about Murari's impending demise due to the curse and asks her to stop the marriage as Vasu would be widowed at a young age. Sabari obliges and objects to Vasu and Murari's marriage without revealing the truth. Misinterpreting this last-minute decision of Sabari to be revenge for the family feud, Rambabu hastily arranges for Vasu to marry Bullabayi, a mute and greedy man. Sabari has Murari perform several rituals to get rid of the curse while Chanti arrives at the temple and informs everyone of Vasu's destined wedding. Murari decides to leave for rescuing her but Sabari stops him due to which the family confronts her and accuses her of avenging the feud between the families using Vasu. However, the priest bursts out the truth about the curse and Sabari's attempts to protect Murari from the curse and that her intention behind rejecting the wedding was to preserve Vasu's future from being spent as a widow. The family is shocked upon hearing this while Murari vows to return safe and leaves to bring Vasu, who escapes from the house with the help of her mother and other ladies. Murari saves Vasu when she is being chased by Bullabayi but gets stabbed by the latter. Hiding his wound and carrying an unconscious Vasu, Murari heads to the temple and proceeds to complete the pending ritual Abhishekam. Soori is notified of Murari's wound and fetches doctors without informing the family of it. Rambabu arrives and beats Murari with a stick while he is carrying the idol of Durga but the idol undergoes Rakthabhishekam, i.e, Abhishekam with blood. Vasu regains her consciousness and informs Gopi that Murari was stabbed. Murari completes the ritual and faints. However, as expected, Murari's condition doesn't stabilize fretting the family. To save Murari and to ensure his happiness, Sabari leaves to the river and drowns herself, giving herself as a sacrifice to satisfy the Goddess. As a result, the curse is nullified; Murari recovers. After a few days, Murari and Vasu get married and seek blessings from the Goddess and late Sabari's portrait.