 In school, Shanmugam was in love with his classmate Dhanalakshmi (Nandita Das), but fate had forced them to go their separate ways, with Dhanam being forced to wed her brother-in-law (Sayaji Shinde).One day, Shanmugam spots Dhanam, who, having lost her husband, now lives a life of poverty on the platforms with her son Balu.After an unsuccessful attempt to find her a job in a friend's house, he hires her as their servant-maid.