Hariharan is a veteran Indian film director who has directed over 50 Malayalam films. His movies mainly revolve around the cultural and relational aspects of a typical Keralite society.
Chanthu, a poor orphan and Aromal are cousins and belong to the Chekavar clan, a warrior clan who hire themselves out as duellers to settle disputes among the rich and powerful. Aromal, jealous of the much more talented Chanthu, makes life miserable for him and Chanthu decides to leave and live with Aringodar, a rival chekavan, as his pupil. When the two sons of a local landlord have a property dispute and decide to hire Aromal and Aringodar to duel it out, Chanthu has to decide where his loyalty lies - with the family of the uncle who brought him up or with Aringodar who provided him with sanctuary.
Set in the backdrop of the seventeenth century, the royal family of Kottayam is ruled by Pazhassi. The British government begins to impose heavy taxes on the locals in the Thalassery region of Kerala.
Prem comes to Madras to become a singer. However, in the beginning, he pretends to be a priest of the Namboothiri caste to find a place to live