The film stars Karthi and Arvind Swamy in the lead roles alongside Rajkiran, Sri Divya, Devadarshini, Jayaprakash, Sriranjani, Ilavarasu, Karunakaran and Saran Shakthi.
With a heavy heart, Arul, his father Arivudai Nambi, a school teacher, mother Valliyammal "Valli", and older brother relocate to Madras.
Upon seeing his ancestral home, Arul decides to purchase their rented residence in Chennai and shares the idea with his wife, Hema.
Despite Bhuvana's pleas, Arul clandestinely leaves the reception with the mysterious relative, intending to depart without attending the wedding in the morning.
However, the relative delays Arul with a series of unrelated tasks, making him miss his bus and thereby convincing him to stay overnight.
When Arul seeks a place to stay, the relative invites him home, citing the poor quality of the local lodges.
In the backyard, the relative proudly introduces Arul to his Kangeyam Bull named Dhoni, a veteran of Jallikattu competitions.
Nandhini warns them about cobras in the dark, but her husband reassures her, showing no fear, referring to the snakes as harmless "fellows".
The bicycle holds sentimental value, as the mysterious relative's father, Santhanam, used it to sell sarees and has also been their family's reliable mode of transportation, earning its place as a cherished "god" in their household.
En route to Thanjavur, he recollects Kovilvenni and makes an impromptu visit, and while sitting there peacefully he reflects on his journey.
On reaching Chennai, Arul's silence concerns Hema, and he tells her about his emotional encounter with the unknown relative, expressing regret for not knowing his name despite the pure love and care shown, thereby exclaiming that, that is how a person should be.
However, he begins providing clues, leading Arul to recall the nickname "Potato," which he had affectionately given him during his visit in the summer vacation of 1994.
As memories flood back, Arul refrains from revealing his discovery over the phone, but instead, rushes to Needamangalam, stopping at the temple to request a special offering through the flower vendor he had met earlier.
[14] Gopinath Rajendran of OTTPlay gave 3.5/5 stars and wrote "Meiyazhagan is a film that truly holds the meaning of beauty in each of its frames.
Brimming with emotions that get hard to put into words, Karthi and Arvind Swamy brilliantly shoulder the film with their simple yet nuanced performances.
[16] M. Suganth of The Times of India gave 3/5 stars and wrote "Despite the potential for overblown melodrama inherent in the plot, in Meiyazhagan, Prem Kumar goes for a tone that’s somewhere between melancholy and heartwarming.
Many felt that the scenes were too vital to be removed from the movie, and that they added a layer of depth that wasn't present in the new trimmed version.