Thalaikoothal

Pazhani juggles caring for his bedridden father Muthu with night shift as an ATM security guard. His wife Kalaiselvi grows increasingly angry as Pazhani's attention is pulled away by his father's needs.

Pazhani borrows a large sum from a local moneylender to fund Muthu's treatment. The lender's constant harassment and the low family income heighten the pressure on Pazhani and Kalaiselvi.

Pazhani's father-in-law suggests performing thalaikoothal to end the burden of a comatose father. Pazhani strongly disagrees, insisting he will care for his father instead of killing him.

Seeking hope, he consults a local demigod who promises blessings if his father's condition improves and even suggests a ritual to mobilize the village's support.

Muthu opens his eyes and recognizes people around him, bringing Pazhani joy. To celebrate and to fund ongoing care, Pazhani borrows again to arrange a feast for the village.

To cover mounting expenses, Pazhani pledges the house documents to the moneylender, signaling how precarious the family's finances have become.

Non-linear flashbacks reveal Muthu's past romance with Pechi, a lower-caste washerwoman. They plan to marry, but Pazhani's grandfather attacks them and Cuts Pechi's finger, forcing them apart.

The painful memory surfaces, and Muthu sinks back into a coma. Pazhani's relief turns to renewed worry as the crisis deepens.

The moneylender arrives to measure the house for sale, but Kalaiselvi interrupts and learns that Pazhani had pledged the house documents without telling her. She leaves with their daughter.

In-laws and the swami pressure Pazhani to perform thalaikoothal as the burden continues. Kalaiselvi threatens to leave unless he protects his father.

Under immense pressure, Pazhani agrees to the ritual and participates in the oil bath, coconut water, and sleeping on the floor. When Muthu remains alive, a killer injects poison, killing him instantly.

Muthu's death is arranged as a natural cremation, and Pechi attends the funeral, appearing briefly but remaining unseen by the family.

A devastated Pazhani retrieves part of his father's remains from the grave and plants a banyan tree over them, creating a living memorial.

The family moves to the city for work. On a bus, the daughter confronts Pazhani with what she learned from a friend about the thalaikoothal incident.

The story closes with Pazhani and his now-grown daughter spending time beneath the banyan tree, the memorial tree symbolizing their past and their future.