Leon is a writer who is used to seeing both his element of fear and life as images, since his childhood. He has written a book called Marching Ahead which has his friends names scribbled on the front page. Sagar is a wannabe filmmaker, since 9th grade. He loved Marching Ahead as a book and is thinking of making it into a film. Leon motivates him to do it. Irfan has a taste for lights and lenses, since a child. As a 9th grade student, Irfan exhibits Camera Obscura in a closed classroom for his friends. Sagar is amazed and convinces Irfan to be his Camera Man, when he would make MARCHING AHEAD. Together they dream of making MARCHING AHEAD a Cinema on the life, light and leaves of their School.
Harshan, their friend in 9th grades, is cut out to be in the armed forces. Adhi is someone who always messes up with songs. Sagar likes to cast Adhi and Leon likes to cast Harshan, as the lead in Marching Ahead. They fight over it and buries the topic deep down their past.
In their boarding school, life was about the sun, the rain, the breeze, the leaves, innocence, Diwali celebrations, bunking at nights, mocking of the images that Leon claims to see, running all the time, marching when in uniform and being surprised at anything and everything. Capt. A P A Robin, the Principal of school and fondly called the highwayman too found trouble with Leon and his images. Mr. T P Ramachandran, their House Master, taught them the importance of faith and trust in life. He passes away on a dull Friday.
Fourteen years later, Leon joins back the school as a teacher. Sagar wants to make MARCHING AHEAD. His work and his marriage dont go well with it. Irfan lives his life and seldom worry about a career. Adhi is still finding trouble with songs. Harshan is serving as a Captain in the Special Forces of Indian Army.
In his sleep, Leon sees the death of Mr. T P Ramachandran and realizes the presence of an image in it an image of his Element of Fear. This Element crowns itself over the Element of Life. Leon wakes up in a shock. The same night, in a shoot out at Kupwara, Capt. Harshan gets killed by insurgents.
Harshan fades off into the Oblivion. Leon, Sagar, Irfan and Adhi live on in the dark. Sagar quits his job to make MARCHING AHEAD. Irfan takes up an offer from ISRO. Adhi is famous in social circles for his way with songs. Leon leaves back to his home to meet his father and grandmother. He reaffirms his faith in the Element of Life.