Dasavathaaram - Plot

Plot

Govindarajan Ramaswamy (Haasan), a bio-scientist speaks from the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium about the Chaos theory and the Butterfly effect. He begins by reciting events from the 12th century in Chidambaram, where king Kulothunga Chola II (Napoleon), a saivite, tortures vaishnavites and intends to destroy an idol of Govindaraja. Rangarajan Nambi (Haasan), a vaishnavite, protects it and offends the king, resulting in being submerged into the sea with the idol.

In December 20, 2004, a bio-technology lab in the USA designs a virus (combination of Marburg and Ebola) intended as a bio-weapon. After understanding its potential, Dr. Govind, one of the scientists involved, refuses to give the vial (containing the virus) away due to fear of misuse. However, his boss, Dr. Sethu, has other plans and tries to sell it to a terrorist group when Govind flees with it. Christian Fletcher (Haasan), an ex- CIA, follows him and attempts to seize the vial, when it is air couriered to India by accident. Govind sneaks into the aircraft carrying the virus and changes its location. After arriving in India, he is questioned by Balram Naidu (Haasan), an inspector. He unsuccessfully tries to explain the series of incidents, but to no avail.

In the meantime, Fletcher, who has married Jasmine (Mallika Sherawat), and arrived in India, using her as a translator, threatens Govind and takes him away in a jeep with a police officer. After exiting the city, Govind successfully escapes from Fletcher to Chidambaram. Fletcher follows suit, after getting a cab, along with Jasmine. After Govind attempts to persuade the receivers of package carrying the virus, it finds itself inside an idol of Govindaraja. In the chaos, Jasmine dies in an accident. Govind and Andal (Asin), who is the grand-daughter of Krishnaveni (Haasan), an old woman for whom the package was sent, try to run away from Fletcher, and arrive in a ground where illegal sand miners are working. They sneak out, unnoticed after the interference of Vincent Boovaragan (Haasan), a radical Christian, and save a Muslim family from a car-crash in the process. One of them, a lady, faints suddenly and is taken to a hospital, where Govind procures a cooling box to store the weapon, as it is technically unstable and its temperature needs to be maintained. He meets Avatar Singh (Haasan), a pop singer, who is also there for treatment of his throat cancer. He prescribes medicines in a similar-looking box and before leaving the hospital, unknowingly switches places with Govind’s box.

Fletcher, follows them, takes Andal and the Muslim family as hostage into their house, from where Govind is blackmailed to bring back the box he is carrying. Unable to do anything, he reaches the place, only to find out that Avatar Singh must be having the weapon. The police surround the house, forcing Fletcher, Govind and Andal to flee in a jeep. Shinghen Narahsi (Haasan), a Japanese martial arts expert, whose sister had been killed by Fletcher, follows them. Avatar Singh finishes his supposedly last performance and finds out the blunder in the box, only to find himself shot by Fletcher after having a row.

Govind and Andal flee to reach a construction site, where Govind takes out the weapon before giving the idol to Fletcher. The sun dawns on December 26, 2004. Govind gets an idea from drainage workers to immerse the virus in a large quantity of salt to destroy it. He goes to the sea, only to be stopped by Fletcher. Shinghen Narahasi arrives and fights physically with Fletcher, who opens and swallows the virus in humiliation. Suddenly, a tsunami strikes, washing away Fletcher, and causing heavy amounts of destruction to the coast. Poovaragan’s house is struck and he dies in a car after saving a child. Andal, Govind and Narahasi get into a boat. Krishnaveni arrives and begins to cry after perceiving Poovaragan as her long-lost son. After relief measures are taken, Andal argues that god had given the tsunami to get rid of the weapon. Govind responds by asking if god would destroy hundreds of lives. The idol submerged in the twelfth century surfaces. The scene shifts to the stadium, where Avatar Singh, who had his cancerous growth taken away by the shot he received, along with several others, listening to the speech by Govind, as the credits roll.