In the 2003 film *Anbe Sivam*, there are two main characters—**Nallasivam** (Kamal Haasan) and **Anbarasu** (Madhavan)—whose contrasting goals and shared obstacles drive the narrative. While the story is a "buddy road movie," Nallasivam is the primary protagonist who serves as the film's moral and philosophical anchor.
### **1. The Main Character’s Goals**
The film operates on two levels: an immediate physical journey and a deeper ideological/personal one.
* **Nallasivam’s Immediate Goal:** He is traveling from Bhubaneswar to Chennai to deliver a check for **₹3,000,000** to a group of union workers. This money is the back-pay/compensation he successfully won for them after a years-long legal battle against a corrupt industrialist, Kandasamy Padaiyacchi.
* **Nallasivam’s Philosophical Goal:** As a committed socialist and humanist, his broader "goal" is to spread the message of **"Anbe Sivam"** (Love is God). Throughout the journey, he aims to transform the cynical, materialistic world-view of his travel companion, Anbarasu.
* **Anbarasu’s Goal:** His primary goal is to reach Chennai in time for his **wedding**. He is a commercial director who views the journey as a series of inconveniences blocking his personal happiness and professional success.
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### **2. Specific Obstacles Faced**
The characters face a series of external, interpersonal, and internal obstacles that test their resolve and philosophies.
#### **External and Logistical Obstacles**
* **Natural Disasters:** The journey begins when a **massive storm and floods** cancel all flights from Bhubaneswar, forcing the two men to find alternate, more difficult ways to travel (buses and trains).
* **Theft and Financial Loss:** At a bus station, Anbarasu’s **bag is stolen**, leaving him with no cash and only a credit card. In 2003 rural India, the credit card is useless, making him entirely dependent on Nallasivam, whom he initially detests.
* **A Fatal Train Accident:** While on the Coromandel Express, they witness a **horrific train derailment**. This serves as a major physical and emotional obstacle; they must stop to help the victims. Nallasivam forces a hesitant Anbarasu to donate blood to a dying child, an event that becomes a turning point for Anbarasu’s character.
#### **Interpersonal and Societal Obstacles**
* **Clash of Ideologies:** The most persistent obstacle is the **personality conflict** between the two. Anbarasu (a "capitalist") initially suspects Nallasivam (a scarred, "socialist" stranger) of being a terrorist. He is repulsed by Nallasivam's appearance and his constant "philosophizing."
* **Kandasamy Padaiyacchi (The Antagonist):** Nallasivam’s primary life obstacle is Padaiyacchi, a ruthless businessman. In the past, Padaiyacchi used his power to stop Nallasivam from marrying his daughter, Bala, and orchestrated a **bus accident** intended to kill Nallasivam, which instead left him permanently disfigured and with a limp.
#### **Internal and Final Obstacles**
* **The "Final Test" of Selflessness:** The ultimate obstacle occurs at the film's climax when Nallasivam reaches the wedding hall and realizes that **Anbarasu is marrying Bala** (Nallasivam's lost love).
* **The Obstacle:** Nallasivam faces the choice of reclaiming his love (and revealing his identity) or letting her be happy.
* **The Resolution:** He chooses to leave without revealing himself, surrendering his personal happiness to ensure Bala's and Anbarasu’s peace. This act proves his ultimate goal: that "Love is God" is not just a slogan, but a lived sacrifice.
* **Threat to Life:** Even at the very end, Padaiyacchi sends a hitman to kill Nallasivam. Nallasivam overcomes this "obstacle" not with violence, but by showing the hitman compassion, once again reinforcing his philosophical goal.
(Note: This summary was generated by Gemini 3.0 Flash + Search)