Raja (Manoj Bharathiraja) is an unemployed, carefree, lazy young man who lives with his brother Ramesh (Kunal (actor)) and their grandfather (M. N. Nambiar). Their grandfather is a well respected retired collector who favours Ramesh since he is well-educated and very successful. He speaks ill of Raja and degrades him constantly, going so far as to leave him out of his daily prayers.