Mahalakshmi (Pandari Bai) is the daughter of a rich banker (Sahasranamam) who wishes that she should marry a young man (Gopi). However, a noted lawyer of that town, Sathasivam (Sivaji Ganesan), a widower, wishes to marry her and to save her father's reputation she marries him and soon loses her father. The couple have a son . The lawyer's nephew Bhoopathi (T.R. Ramachandran), not worldly-wise, has a friend (T.K. Ramachandran) who wishes to exploit him for his money. Bhoopathi has a sweetheart (Malini). Thanks to the marriage, the lawyer's safe keys are now handled by Mahalakshmi which upsets the villain. He drives a wedge between the lawyer and his wife. Suspects his wife, the lawyer turns her out of the house. The innocent woman without her husband's knowledge takes the child away. She loses the child who is brought up by a rich couple (S.V. Ranga Rao and Sandhya). This upsets Mahalakshmi who loses her mental equilibrium. Years pass and Mahalakshmi, completely cured, takes care of a ...