The film stars Sivaji Ganesan, with Vijayakumar, Ravichandran, Sekhar and Sridevi in supporting roles.

After seeing his wife Kalpana in bed with her extramarital lover Anand, he murders her in front of his daughter Uma's eyes.

His family too has disowned him except for Sivaramakrishan, his father, who was a judge and has read the character of Thyagarajan, Kalpana and understood what would have happened.

[9] Though fans were unwilling to accept Ganesan portraying a wife killer,[10] the film emerged a commercial success.

[11][3] Kaushikan of Kalki criticised the story but praised Muthuraman's direction, adding that the deer in the film's title was not leaping, but roaring.