The film was released on 3 March 2023 to positive reviews from critics praising the performances, screenplay, emotional weight of the story & direction.

Balram is an orthodox Hindu living in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh with his wife Janki, daughter Shivani, and son Sonu.

Their train arrives at Madurai Junction railway station (in Tamil Nadu) on the eve of Diwali, and they hire a cab for Rameswaram.

Citing religious faith, Balram opposes a post-mortem on his wife, and insists that the family be dropped off at the Madurai Airport so that they may airlift Janki's body back to Ayodhya.

All the tickets for the flight to Lucknow (in Uttar Pradesh) have been booked and Shivani has no choice but to reach Ayodhya alone along with the remains of her mother.

An elderly couple, among the passengers, understands the situation and withdraws their tickets, allowing Sonu and Balram to board the flight.

"[8] Chandhini R of Cinema Express rated the film 2.5 out of 5 stars and wrote "This Sasikumar-starrer is full of heart and yet, marred by melodrama".

[9] Gopinath Rajendran of The Hindu wrote that "Ayothi points out the cracks in the walls of such constructs that are crumbling under the weight of their own ideologies, and in due course, asks the all-important question.