The film stars Sivaji Ganesan, Padmini and T. S. Balaiah, with A. V. M. Rajan, Nagesh and Manorama in supporting roles.

Its original soundtrack was composed by K. V. Mahadevan, and songs like "Nalandhana", "Maraindhirundhu" and "Pandian Naanirukka" became immensely popular among the Tamil diaspora.

Critically acclaimed for subtly portraying the socio-cultural environment and the Thanjavur culture of dance and music prevailing at that time, it was also a commercial success, with a theatrical run of over 175 days.

Thillana Mohanambal has since acquired cult status in Tamil cinema, and inspired several later films with similar themes of music and dance.

Sundaram's ego prevents him from developing his relationship with Mohana, who asks him to play a Thillana on his nadaswaram while she dances.

Mohana's mother Vadivambaal, an influential but greedy woman, wants her daughter to marry a wealthy man so that she can settle down in life properly.

Unaware of Mohana's feelings, Sundaram decides to leave the country along with Karuppayi, a folk dancer whom he considers to be his sister.

Suddenly Nagalingam, a landlord who wanted to marry Mohana, stabs Sundaram with a poisoned knife out of jealousy.

For his personal gains, "Savadal" Vaithi, a cunning man, befriends the Maharaja of Madhanpur, who is the programme's chief guest.

Realising his mistake, Sundaram rushes to apologise to Mohana, but sees her trying to hang herself from the ceiling of a room in which she had locked herself.

[23][24] Nagesh, in an article published in Kalki in 2004, revealed that Subbu initially created the character of Vaidhi with himself in mind.

[27] Other supporting actors included K. Sarangapani,[28] S. Ramarao, M. K. Murthy, Balusundaram, T. N. Sivadhanu, S. R. Dasarathan, Sivasooriyan, Senthamarai, Kallapart Natarajan, Gundu Karuppaiah, Chandranbabu, S. V. Rajagopal, A. M. Maruthappa, Udayachandrika, Ambika and Kalpalatha.

[29] We were happy but felt very nervous as we had very little film experience [...] Sivaji Ganesan listened to us lying on Kannadasan's lap.

[35][36][37] As Sundaram, Ganesan did not actually play the Nadaswaram;[38] he moved his fingers on the surface of the instrument, held his breath intermittently, and created an illusion on the screen with his facial expressions.

[41] Nagarajan then listened to a radio recital by the duo, and was impressed with their rendition of Tyagaraja's Keerthana, "Nagumomu Ganaleni".

[40] The film shows the traditions exhibited by courtesans, zamindars in coaches drawn by horses, and palaces that resembled 19th century architecture.

The contemporary areas of Madurai and Thanjavur, especially their railway junctions, gave the film a sense of ambiguity that was then very common in Tamil cinema.

[32] The film recreated the manner in which the Devadasis were portrayed in the early 20th century,[42] and also depicts the social conditions and the upper class milieu in Thanjavur.

'Thooyane mayavaa mayane velava ennai aalum Shanmuga vaa' – these lines represent the ideal confluence of raga, bhava and lyric, a perfect foil to each other.

"[48] According to film critic Randor Guy, "Nalandhana" became "one of the memorable song sequences with Sivaji Ganesan and AVM Rajan, playing the [Nadaswaram] on screen".

[56] The film received critical acclaim in India and abroad for its song and dance sequences, humour and portrayal of the prevailing socio-cultural milieu at that time.

"[58] Thillana Mohanambal became a cult film for bringing the traditional arts of South India into prominence and achieving more popularity than the novel.

[61][65] A dialogue, "Enakku anga oru beeda kadai kaarana theriyum" (I know a paan shop owner there), which was spoken by Balaiah, became popular.

[69] Actress Kavitha Nair, who made her debut with Mudhal Idam (2011), changed her screen name to Mohana because she liked the character.

[70] Crazy Mohan stated that the film made his top ten list, and that there was "excellence in all aspects – screenplay, dialogue, comedy, casting, music and direction.

In a comedy scene from Karakattakkaran, Senthil would be playing the nadheswaram, while Kovai Sarala would be dancing and an onlooker compares them to Ganesan and Padmini's characters from the film, resulting in Goundamani becoming irked by the comment.

[78] The Times of India compared Karakattakkaran to Thillana Mohanambal because in both films, the male and female lead characters are in love with each other, despite being professional rivals.

[79] In the film Villu Pattukaran (1992), Goundamani asks Senthil to play "Nalandhana" on his thavil, resulting in a comical argument between the two.

[81] When Kuzhandaivelu (Vadivelu) is injured in Middle Class Madhavan (2001), his mother-in-law (Revathi Sankaran) sings "Nalandhana" while enquiring about his health.