The film begins with Rahul (Vikranth) coming from the US to India to see his grandparents for the first time. He helps a girl (Diya) who was going to commit suicide due to her upcoming marriage. He also performs comedy with Ondippuli (Vadivelu) and falls in love with Anjali (Lakshmi Rai).

Vaanavaraayan (Rajinikanth) is a feudal chieftain, adored and respected by the people of his village. He lives with his grandparents (M. N. Nambiar & Manorama). Following his advice, they abstain from voting in the elections and instead, pool the money given by the candidates to get themselves some basic amenities. Vallavaraayan (Napoleon) is his arch enemy. Their enmity is further sharpened when Vaanavaraayan wins the hand of Vaitheeswari (Meena), whom Vallavaraayan had also wished to wed. Vallavaraayan then convinces the priest of the village temple to mix poison in the holy water that Vaitheeswari drinks. As a result, she becomes incapable of conceiving a baby. But surprisingly, Vaitheeswari soon becomes pregnant-though she has pretended with the help of the mid-wife (S. N. Lakshmi), to do so to uphold her husband’s honour. She takes poison and kills herself unable to bear the grief of being incapable of giving her husband a child and on her deathbed makes Vaanavarayan swear to take Ponni (Aishwariya) as his wife. Vaanavarayan however refuses until Ponni agrees to marry Sembattai (Thalapathi Dinesh)- Vallavarayan’s hechman-who abandons her to Vallavarayan’s vice. Infuriated, Vaanavarayan attacks Vallavarayan and spares his life after giving him a sermon on how to win the heart of the people.

Singaravelan “Velan”, on his birthday, tames a wild bull by just talking to him. He seems to share a special bond with animals as he works in his farm filled with animals. Later that day, his mother, Parvathy, calls him and decides to tell him the truth about his late father. Velan, in his imagination, thinks that his father was killed by four goons (as is the case of many Tamil films then) but soon learns that his father did actually die of a brain illness like he had been told before. But, he had died heartbroken that his marriage with Velan’s mother was not accepted by her sister-in-law and they had broken all links. Further, they believe that it was Parvathy’s curse that killed her brother and sister-in-law in a car accident and they get a promise from the guardian, that their daughter should not be married to Parvathy’s son. Velan’s mother reveals that it is Velan’s duty to get married to her brother’s daughter Sumathi to bring the separated family back together. Armed with only a picture of the girl when she was four, he leaves for Madras to fulfill his mother’s wishes.

Thavasi aka Chinna Gounder (Vijayakanth) is the village landlord and is responsible maintaining law and order in the village. The movie starts with a scene showing how skilfully Chinna Gounder solves a case quickly and is appreciated by an advocate (Ra. Sankaran) seeing his swift decision making skills. Chinna Gounder lives with his mother Aatha (Manorama) and is the most respectable person in the village, known for his justice and loyalty. Rivalry exists between Chinna Gounder and his brother-in-law Sakkara Gounder (Salim Ghouse), who is accused of marrying Sundari (Sathyapriya) following Chinna Gounder’s sister’s death.
Sakkara Gounder plans to grab the local temple premises by forging false documents, but Chinna Gounder exposes the frauds committed, thereby preventing the temple premises from going into the hands of the baddies. Sakkara Gounder is angered and waits for an opportunity to knock out Chinna Gounder.

The film takes place in a village after which the movie is titled. Thaayamma (Revathy) leads a cloistered life and does not visit anyone. She is worshipped as a holy lad upon whom the god comes down to give them orders periodically. Thaayamma was an orphan and is found by Janagaraj, who is a street performer. They go from house to house begging for food. One day a lonely woman, Sulakshana,(a secret prostitute of the village high man – Vijayakumar) accepts Thaayamma as her own daughter and Janagaraj as her brother, and makes them stay in her own house. After 10 years, Thaayamma attains age and some days later finds Sulakshana’s occupation. She and Janagaraj attempt to leave her house, but Sulakshana suddenly falls ill and this stops their exit . After Sulakshana’s death, Vijaykakumar, the head of the village, tries to take advantage of Thaayamma. But Thaayamma keeps dodging him and keeps herself chaste.
Ponnurangam (Karthik Muthuraman), the village hero, is a folk singer who performs with his mini troop in nearby village occasionally for festivals. He works as a part-time labour work for Vijayakumar. He has a strong crush for Selvi,(Kushboo), daughter of Valliyuran (Shanmuga Sundaram), rich head of neighboring village and brother-in-law of Vijayakumar . Selvi pranks Ponnurangam by asking his mother to meet her father with the wedding proposal. But Ponnurangam’s mother (Manorama) is beaten by Valliyuran’s men while she visits his house with the marriage proposal and Manorama dies in her sleep due to shame. Now Selvi falls in love with Ponnurangam, but he is so dejected with life. Meanwhile, Vijayakumar arranges marriage of his spoilt son (Thiyagu) with Selvi to end their feud of 20 years and to incorporate all of their properties under his son. Ponnurangam is asked to perform at Valliyuran’s house the night before marriage. During the end of the song, Selvi apologises to Ponnurangam for his mother’s death and gives him money which he coldly rejects. Thiyagu sees the sequence and there is a fight between the families and marriage is stopped. Next day, Thiyagu and his men fight with Ponnurangam and stab him in the back with a poisoned knife. Thaayamma takes care of Ponnurangam and love blossoms between them. Ponnurangam plans to marry Thaayamma. Vijayakumar tries to thwart them, by abducting and raping Thaayamma. He kills Ponnurangam’s friend Maakan (Chinni Jayanth), but he is mobbed by the villagers and is beaten up. The last scene shows Ponnurangam and Thaayamma walking away from the camera on a road, together.

Chinatamani and Ponnumani are in love with each other since childhood but their dreams of a happy life together are shattered when Chinatamani is raped while studying abroad and returns mentally disturbed.