Saamy

Aarusaamy arrives in Tirunelveli's city market as a drunken goon and wanders the city for two days. He quickly grasps the local socio-political climate and the power players at work. The market becomes the stage where his ambition and power will first take shape.

Saamy witnesses a pickpocket in the guise of a cop extorting money from a person, and he thrashes the imposter. The police arrive, and Saamy reveals himself as the new DCP of Tirunelveli. He orders the arrest of the swindler and signals a harder line against crime.

Saamy assembles the police and overhauls procedures, allowing officers to act decisively as long as civilians are not harmed. He establishes a tough, no-nonsense policy toward criminals and any thug can be arrested without second thoughts. The force is pushed to align with his uncompromising approach.

With Saamy's administration, the crime rate in Tirunelveli begins to drop, and the city feels more orderly. The public notices fewer disturbances and a sharper deterrent against crime. Saamy's style of policing earns both praise and criticism.

To maintain influence, Saamy pretends to be a corrupt cop by taking bribes from Perumal Pichai, an influential politician, on the condition that his illegal activities will go unchecked. He also advises Perumal to move liquor stores elsewhere to avoid public disturbance. Perumal accepts, misreading Saamy's loyalty.

Saamy meets Bhuvana, a college-going Brahmin girl, and their frequent encounters blossom into love. Their bond develops against the backdrop of Saamy's double life as a tough cop. The romance adds personal stakes to his increasingly ruthless crusade.

Bhuvana initially misinterprets Saamy and Inspector Paramasivam as thieves and locks them in a room, only to later learn their true identities. She informs the police, and their relationship grows through this revelation. The incident marks a turning point in trust between them.

Saamy seals Perumal's gas station after workers assault a woman and threaten others with under-promised fuel distribution. The move demonstrates his willingness to disrupt Perumal's empire directly. Perumal's anger at the action foreshadows a deeper conflict.

In Saamy's past, his father Chokkalingam longs for his son to become a cop and sacrifices agriculture to that end. He mortgages properties to secure Saamy's police career, instilling a sense of duty mixed with the cost of corruption. This background shapes Saamy's complicated stance toward power.

Saamy passes the TNPSC exams but is asked for bribes; his father borrows and mortgages assets to secure the job. As an honest cop, he faces political pressure and is transferred repeatedly. In Trichy he is accused of bribery and suspended, but six months later he proves his innocence and is posted back to Tirunelveli.

Back in Tirunelveli, Saamy adopts a controversial policy of taking bribes from influential people and donating them to public welfare. The policy defines his moral ambiguity and foreshadows the moral costs of his rule. It complicates his relationship with Perumal and the district's political leadership.

Bhuvana and Saamy's engagement is secured, while Srinivasan agrees to the match. The ruling party calls for a state-wide strike during Pongal, and Perumal seeks to exploit the situation to his advantage. Saamy steps in to maintain order during the festival.

Perumal orders his men to attack the market on the eve of Saamy and Bhuvana's wedding, knowing most cops will be at the ceremony. Saamy witnesses the brutality and the animosity between them intensifies. The wedding thus becomes a flashpoint for their final confrontation.

Saamy learns that a bomb has been planted to target his home. Chokkalingam arrives from Pazhani to warn him, but the explosion detonates, killing Chokkalingam. Statements from bomb-makers and henchmen lead to an arrest warrant for Perumal.

Saamy tracks Perumal to a sand quarry, where a brief fight ends with Perumal surrendering and Saamy killing him with an illicit revolver. He burns Perumal's corpse in a brick kiln to keep the deed secret. In the aftermath, Saamy performs Chokkalingam's rites and attempts to bring closure to his family.