The film centers on a wary balance between thrift and excess, introducing Bava, a municipal contractor whose greed shadows every corner of his world, and Jaya, a newly transferred municipal clerk who spends freely and brings with her a lively, mischievous son, Sridhar. Their first encounters are chaotic: Bava locks horns with the baby, who suddenly becomes part of his life as a neighbor, setting the stage for a complicated family dynamic that blends humor with tension.
Seven years earlier, Jaya lived with her sister, Nagamani, and brother-in-law Subbaiahlingam, along with their attendant, Pullaiah. Nagamani fancies herself a rising novelist, pecking at everyone with her eclectic writings and opinions. Bava moves in as their tenant, and Jaya is impressed by what she sees as his sharp, almost magical intellect. Their attraction leads to a marriage that proceeds without the blessing of Bava’s mother, Shantamma. Once united, Jaya’s tolerance for Bava’s relentless parsimony wears thin, and the couple’s finances – and their relationship – strain under the pressure, especially when Jaya becomes pregnant. The torment is amplified by Pullaiah’s own frustration, who can’t bear the sight of their lavish spending.
Meanwhile, Sridhar stands out as an extraordinarily tightfisted youngster, a friend to his father in his own compacted world of pennies. His secret bond with Bava creates quiet turmoil for Jaya, who already feels the squeeze of living with two generations of thrift and pride.
A new municipal commissioner, Usha Singhal, arrives with a peculiar lilt in her Telugu and a knack for stirring the pot. Shantamma, after years apart, returns and learns of the couple’s misfortunes. She takes a maid’s post at Jaya’s house to stay close to the family and keep a watchful eye on the evolving drama. A string of comic scenes follows as Jaya attempts to maneuver Usha Singhal into undoing Bava’s contract, though Bava manages to reclaim it through his own shrewdness.
As the tale unfolds, Bava’s brilliance becomes a point of pride for Jaya, but the two must confront the realities behind his frugality. Shantamma urges a candid look at the imperfections in both of them and seeks Usha Singhal’s aid to mend the rift. In a dramatic turn, Bava experiences a medical scare, and Usha Singhal schemes to manipulate the crisis by swapping his X-ray with a brain-tumor lie. Doctors warn that surgery must happen within 24 hours, and the cost – ₹100,000 – adds urgency to the stakes. Feeling the pressure and the fear, Jaya rushes to his side, and a new tenderness begins to surface as she sees the man behind the budgets.
Through these trials, the family realizes how money has shaped their lives, sometimes to their detriment, sometimes to their salvation. In a final, revealing move, Usha Singhal unveils a plan she has crafted with their son to reform the family and restore harmony. The film closes on a hopeful note, with the family reuniting and a sense that love and necessity can prevail over greed.
Starring Rajendra Prasad and Divyavani.
