Ramya Krishnan's portrayal of Neelambari is widely regarded as one of the best female villain roles in South Indian cinema. Her performance earned her a Filmfare Award for Best Actress .

The story follows (Rajinikanth), a mechanical engineer who returns to his village for his sister’s wedding. Tragedy strikes when his father, Dharmalingam (Sivaji Ganesan), dies of shock after being defrauded of his property by a greedy relative.