The film tells the story in a different way, where the character of Chanthu is a good man in the movie, while the original ballad depicts him as a cheater.

Kannappan Chekavar adopts the son of his estranged sister when the boy loses both his parents and brings him to Puthooram to live and learn with his cousins.

The orphan boy, Chandu, a quick learner, earns the love and admiration of his uncle, while he is loathed by his cousin Aromal.

Disappointed, Chandu leaves to study Kalaripayattu under the tutelage of Tulunadan expert and master Chekavar, Aringodar.

Feudal lord Unnichandror arrives at the footsteps of Aringodar and asks him to represent his cause in an angam (duel unto death) against his brother Unnikonar.

Chandu returns to Puthooram and is greeted by a raging Unniyarcha, who vows that her unborn son will avenge her brother’s death.

Chandu realises the madness in the youngsters and appears to relent to their provocations, turning his back to them as if to pray in preparation for the duel.

But knowing that no one will ever be able to win against him, and reminded that Aromal is Kannappan Chekavar's grandson, he commits one final act of valour: Chandu stabs himself with his sword.

Reminiscing bitterly on what could have been, he addresses Aromal Unni as his unborn son and hopes that he will earn renown for being the one to defeat Chandu and avenge his uncle.

[5] In a retrospect review Neelima Menon of The News Minute states that, "While Mammootty aces Chandu, delivering the verbose dialogues with finesse and precision, and bringing a sense of drama in his body language, Maadhavi lives up to the picturisation of Unniyarcha—with her luminous eyes, grace and a bearing that’s regal and confident, making it easier to forgive her character’s treachery.

Captain Raju as the formidable Aringoder, Suresh Gopi as the cocky Aromal and Balan K. Nair as the generous Kannappan Chekavar are all perfectly cast.