Discription
Custody (2023)
Summary:
In 1998, a sincere but underestimated police constable, Shiva, finds his life turned upside down when he arrests a dreaded gangster, Raju. Unbeknownst to him, Raju holds crucial information that can expose the corrupt Chief Minister's involvement in a bomb blast. Shiva takes it upon himself to transport Raju to a Bangalore court within 48 hours, battling not only the CM's henchmen and the entire police force trying to eliminate Raju, but also his own department, all while protecting his girlfriend and seeking justice for his own past loss connected to the blast.
Plot (Movie Story):
The film is set in 1998 and introduces A. Shiva (Naga Chaitanya), a jovial and honest police constable in Hyderabad. He is deeply in love with Revathi (Krithi Shetty), a driving instructor, and they plan to elope and get married. Shiva is often looked down upon by his superiors and even by Revathi's parents, who consider his low-ranking job and caste as obstacles to their marriage.
One fateful night, Shiva gets involved in a road rage incident and arrests two individuals. One of them turns out to be Rajasekhar, alias "Raju" (Arvind Swamy), a notorious gangster and a key figure who carries out dirty jobs for the corrupt Chief Minister Dakshayani (Priyamani) and her political party. Along with Raju, Shiva also finds George (Sampath Raj), a CBI officer imprisoned in a related case.
George reveals a shocking truth to Shiva: Raju possesses vital information about CM Dakshayani's direct involvement in an orchestrated bomb blast that occurred in Morampudi. This blast was a cover-up for the murder of an IAS officer who was investigating her scandals. George instructs Shiva that Raju must be produced in a court in Bangalore within 48 hours for his testimony, which could bring down the entire corrupt network. Shiva verifies this with George's superior, Varghese (Jayaprakash), who confirms the urgency.
Learning of Raju's arrest and the potential leak, CM Dakshayani immediately dispatches her goons and orders IG Nataraj (R. Sarathkumar) to kill Raju and silence him. Nataraj, a ruthless officer loyal to the CM, begins a relentless pursuit.
Shiva, now caught in a high-stakes cat-and-mouse chase, finds himself protecting Raju from both the CM's assassins and his own police department, who are under Nataraj's command. He escapes with Raju and George, with Revathi reluctantly joining them as their journey to Bangalore begins.
Their perilous journey is fraught with challenges. Nataraj tracks them down, leading to several intense action sequences and narrow escapes. At one point, their car falls into a lake near a dam, forcing them to sneak through an underground tunnel where George is tragically killed in a crossfire.
Shiva and Raju (along with Revathi) continue their escape. Raju, injured during a shootout, requires medical attention, but the hospital they seek refuge in is also being watched by Nataraj's men. They find temporary help from Major General Philips (Ramki) where Raju receives treatment.
The chase culminates in a final confrontation where Nataraj corners them. In a desperate attempt to save Shiva, Raju separates from him but is ultimately killed by Nataraj. Shiva is devastated by Raju's death, as he was the only witness.
However, in a clever twist revealed in the courtroom, it is shown that Shiva had secretly recorded Raju's confession about Dakshayani's involvement in the Morampudi blast and the murder of the IAS officer. This recorded evidence is presented in court, leading to the arrest of Dakshayani, Nataraj, and all other implicated officers.
It's also revealed that Shiva's personal motivation for this relentless pursuit stems from a deep-seated desire for justice: his own brother, Vishnu (Jiiva, in a cameo), died in the Morampudi blast. Earlier in the film, Shiva's father sacrifices his own life to protect Shiva and ensure he continues his mission for justice, explicitly telling him to seek justice for Vishnu.
Varghese offers Shiva a position in the CBI for his exemplary courage and integrity, but Shiva declines, choosing to remain a police constable, dedicated to serving justice at the ground level. The film concludes with Shiva and Revathi finally planning their wedding, with a newfound respect for each other and their shared future.
Cast:
- Naga Chaitanya as A. Shiva (Police Constable)
- Arvind Swamy as Rajasekhar "Raju" / "Raazu" (Gangster)
- Krithi Shetty as Revathi (Shiva's girlfriend)
- Priyamani as Chief Minister Dakshayani
- R. Sarathkumar as IG Nataraj
- Sampath Raj as CBI Officer George
- Ramki as Major General Philips Satyaraj
- Premgi Amaren as Prem (Tamil version) / Vennela Kishore as Prem (Telugu version)
- Jayaprakash as CBI Investigative Head Varghese
- Jayasudha as Judge
- Jiiva as SI Vishnu (Shiva's brother, cameo)
- Anandhi as Malar (Vishnu's fiancée, cameo)
Crew:
- Director: Venkat Prabhu
- Writer: Venkat Prabhu (Story, Screenplay), Abburi Ravi (Telugu Dialogues)
- Producers: Srinivasaa Chitturi (under Srinivasaa Silver Screen and Anji Industries)
- Music Directors: Ilaiyaraaja and Yuvan Shankar Raja (jointly for songs, Yuvan Shankar Raja for background score)
- Cinematography: S. R. Kathir
- Editor: Venkat Raajen
