The Dirty Picture

Reshma leaves her home the day before her wedding and travels to Chennai in the hope of landing a film role. She faces rejection and brutal remarks from those she approaches, including a casting director who insults her as unattractive and useless. Undeterred, she vows to prove her talent.

She goes back to the film shoot to plead for another chance and unexpectedly lands a role as a side dancer. She steps onto the set and delivers a provocative routine that catches attention. This marks the start of her controversial ascent in cinema.

Director Abraham is irritated by the idea of an actress showing erotic content and cuts out Reshma's entire dance sequence. The film fails at the box office, causing dismay for the producer. The setback sets up a dramatic relaunch plan.

Producer Selva Ganesh decides to relaunch the project using Reshma's song and rebrands her as Silk. He offers her a role in an upcoming film, signaling a major shift in her career trajectory. Silk's new persona promises fame but also a steeper price.

Silk meets Suryakanth, her childhood idol, at the first shoot and feels the pressure of performing in his presence. The session goes awkwardly, and Suryakanth is disappointed by the rough start. Silk senses the challenge of living up to his expectations.

Silk attempts to win Suryakanth by offering a long-term relationship, intensifying their on-screen chemistry. Suryakanth hints that the film needs more spice and sex to attract audiences, a suggestion that offends Abraham. Silk's rising fame accelerates, but the moral lines blur.

Through a string of erotic films with Suryakanth, Silk amasses wealth and a massive fan base, rebranding herself as a premier sex-star of the South. Her image grows bolder, attracting attention and scrutiny alike. The rapid ascent changes her life in and outside the industry.

Ramakanth, the younger brother and an unseen writer, reveals that he admires Silk for more than her body. Silk welcomes someone who appreciates her as a person, even as her relationship with Surya becomes more complicated. This budding friendship adds a personal dimension to her public rise.

As Silk's relationship with Surya risks exposing his marriage, he distances himself and ultimately ends the association. Silk is left more isolated as her connections to the stars slip away. The betrayal foreshadows the decline of her career.

A journalist criticizes Silk for dating both brothers, intensifying public scrutiny. Surya withdraws Silk from upcoming projects, forcing her to work with small-time filmmakers. The industry turns cold and her fortunes begin to unravel.

At a party launching Ramakanth's film, Silk confronts Shakeela and insults the younger actress. A dance-off ensues, and Silk trips Shakeela, humiliating Ramakanth and prompting a breakup. Silk's personal life spirals as pride clashes with relationships.

Silk's career collapses under debt and public scorn, driving her toward alcohol and self-doubt. She agrees to star in a porn-film project with a small-time producer, but a police raid interrupts filming. She escapes but returns home and dies later by sleeping pills; Abraham later narrates the story and conducts her funeral, revealing the darkness behind Silk's rise and fall.