Kadal Meengal

Selvam, a poor but hardworking fisherman, decides that owning a motorboat will earn him respect and better catches. Against the hamlet’s resistance to motorized boats and loans, he pools his money and buys the boat. He starts fishing with greater speed and skill, determined to change his fortunes.

Vadivelu, a jealous moneylender, incites the village to boycott Selvam’s new venture. He uses communal pressure to keep others away from Selvam’s boat and catch. Annapoorani belittles Selvam, feeding on his insecurities and widening the social rift in the family.

Selvam and Bhagyam secretly begin a romance despite social differences. Their bond grows in the shadows as they hope for a future together. The affair remains hidden from the village and Bhagyam’s family for now.

Nachimuthu dies, leaving debts behind. Vadivelu seeks to settle the debt by forcing Bhagyam to marry him, using fear and bribery. Selvam resists, but the threat marks a turning point in their lives.

A cyclone hits the Bay of Bengal just as Selvam and Peter are at sea. The boat is overwhelmed and overturned, and Selvam is severely injured. The next day, news reports confirm the disaster, while Bhagyam remains unaware of his survival.

Selvam is rescued and hospitalized in another town, while Bhagyam, believing him dead, flees the hamlet to escape Vadivelu’s wrath. The lovers are separated by circumstance and fear. The heartbreak hardens the community against their romance.

About a month after the cyclone, Selvam returns home to find Bhagyam missing. He learns that Bhagyam has given birth to their son, Rajan, without him. The revelation marks a new, bittersweet chapter in their family saga.

Selvam rebuilds his fortunes, securing loans and expanding his fishing business until he becomes a wealthy entrepreneur. When Bhagyam learns that he is alive, she seeks him out, but she finds that he has already taken another wife. The shift solidifies Selvam’s new social standing and distance.

Years later, Rajan grows up as a fisherman but faces village resistance due to his illegitimate birth. He discovers that his father is the powerful Selvam and begins to chart his own path in the same sea he loves. This realization fuels a complicated bond with his father’s world.

Rajan forms an alliance with Dhanakodi to settle old scores with Selvam. They orchestrate misdirection by planting smuggled silver bars in Peter’s boat, triggering a police seizure that leads to Selvam’s arrest. The personal and professional lines blur as trust erodes.

Mudhaliyar, Selvam’s accountant, is exploited as Rajan learns of a corrupt wood-procurement deal. Rajan inflates the auction price, forcing Selvam to buy far above real value and creating a massive financial loss. Annapoorani pressing for help contrasts with Selvam’s stubborn pride.

Rajan uses the manipulated finances to seize control of Selvam’s businesses, temporarily transferring properties and forcing Selvam to retreat. Devi falls for Rajan while Uma’s romance with Sekhar adds another layer of tension. Dhanakodi plots to exploit the fallout for his own gain.

Rajan’s actions push Uma toward Sekhar, while Bhagyam’s last wish is to be cremated beside Selvam. Rajan restores some properties to their rightful names but faces Dhanakodi’s continuing schemes. The family confronts the consequences of wealth and revenge.

Dhanakodi abducts Rajan and Bhagyam is taken hostage during a fierce confrontation. Bhagyam is shot, and Selvam is wounded as they flee by boat. Devi calls the police and Dhanakodi and his men are arrested, but the village mourns the deaths of Selvam and Bhagyam as their coffins are pushed into the sea.