The film is inspired by a novel "Uchi Veyyil" written by Indra Parthasarathy. The film revolves around Ambi, a young man in his thirties. Ambi comes to Kumbakonam from Delhi to see his sick father, Vembu Iyer (Sivakumar). His father, an orthodox religious scholar, revered for his expertise in Vedic studies, is now ill, accompanied only by memories of him. The state of his father is a shock to Ambi. The two quarreled over Ambi's love and subsequent marriage to a Christian Sweetie girl in Delhi. Barely able to recognize his son now, Vembu Iyer ponders in total silence as Janaki (Jayabharathi), Ambi's mother, shares with her son what has happened since he left for Delhi. In time, she hears her father muttering the name of Ambi's stepmother, Avayam (Radha). Before marrying Janaki, Vembu Iyer loved Avayam intensely, much to the anger and disapproval of Vembu's own mother, who hated her daughter-in-law as she loved to dance. Finally, Avayam and Vembu separated...