The film stars S. S. Rajendran and R. Vijayakumari, with S. V. Ranga Rao, M. R. Radha, S. V. Subbaiah, C. K. Nagesh, Rajan and C. S. Pushpalatha in supporting roles.

The soundtrack and background score were composed by R. Sudarsanam, while the lyrics for the songs were written by Kannadasan, Panchu Arunachalam, Ku.

The film was remade in Hindi as Main Bhi Ladki Hoon (1964) and Telugu as Naadi Aada Janme (1965).

Sabapathi cunningly schemes to have Bhaskar marry Kalyani, a dark-skinned, illiterate girl whose brother Chidambaram is a grocer.

The Zamindar, who is displeased over not getting an attractive daughter-in-law, cancels the reception arrangements, and refuses to bless the newly married couple.

Bhaskar, unaware that Kalyani cannot read, sends her a letter asking her to prepare dinner for his visiting friends and appear presentable, but is dismayed when neither instruction is followed.

He berates her until she apologises and confesses she is illiterate; Kalyani explains that, following her parents' death, she sacrificed her education to support Malathi.

While Kalyani is attending tuition in Balu's room, the Zamindar spots them together; he throws them out of the house after believing Sabapathi's lies, despite them pleading innocent.

Mohan says his attractive wife abandoned him and tells Bhaskar that character and culture matter more than beauty, education and sophistication.

After watching the Bengali play Bodhu, A. V. Meiyappan of AVM Productions was impressed and decided to adapt it into a Tamil film.

[5] Sowcar Janaki, in an interview with Kalki in 1993, said that Naanum Oru Penn was based on the 1955 Telugu film Kanyadaanam in which she acted.

[8] The crew initially wanted Gemini Ganesan and Savitri as Bhaskar and Kalyani; however Tirulokchandar was adamant and chose S. S. Rajendran and R. Vijayakumari instead.

[12] Rajan and C. S. Pushpalatha, who portrayed Kalyani's sister Malathi, met during the film's production, fell in love and got married.

[10] The song "Yemara Sonnadhu" was shot at main road of Vidhan Soudha, Bangalore with Karnataka Assembly building in the background.

[17] It was later reshot at Vijaya Garden in Madras as the Censor Board objected to the scene where Rajan and Pushpalatha's characters are shown dancing in NCC costumes.

[25] T. M. Ramachandran, writing for Sport and Pastime, praised the film for Tirulokchandar's "imaginative screenplay and skilful direction", the performances of Vijayakumari, Rajendran, Ranga Rao, Rajan and Pushpalatha, and the music by Sudarsanam.

[6] Kanthan of Kalki appreciated many aspects of the film, including Tirulokchandar's execution of the story, the cast performances, the music and the cinematography.

[30][25] Naanum Oru Penn was remade in Telugu as Naadi Aada Janme and in Hindi as Main Bhi Ladki Hoon (1964).

[35] Historian G. Dhananjayan considers it "the first film to address the relevant theme of what is needed in a woman for a happy family", attributing its success to this.