The film starts with Kailasam, the somber bigwig who is performing the last rites of someone dear to him, but the appearance of Kottai (first in the chaotic Koovagam festival and later atop a Veeranam pipe) swinging a scythe maniacally sets the tone for the rest of the film.
Cut to the flashback a few months ago: in Ramnad, Kottai's mother is cutting down logs and boasting about her son: he is a god who deserves to see the outside world and derive its benefits. Kottai journeys to big bad Chennai in company with Vellaiyan, who dances with every Karagattam dancer on the roadside, makes lewd jokes, and appears to have only one thing on his mind. They end up at the massive home of Kailasam, the local terror who slices up people whenever he can. However, our heroes are unaware of the fact.
Kottai and Vellaiyan think that all Kailasam does is cut up trees, which is why he requires their blacksmithing skills. However, Kottai gets to know that Kailasam hired him to make sickles to kill people. Kottai then goes to work by feeding crying children milk and helping men with epileptic seizures. He also falls in love with the first fair-complexioned, slim beauty he comes across, Gayatri. Naturally, Gayatri, is also a wonderfully kind-hearted girl who wears saris and teaches music to students. Kottai's logic for falling in love with her is that she treats him like his own family.
Meantime, there is yet another villain Santhosh, who is Kailasam's son. Santhosh goes around playing musical instruments, mouthing punchlines, and raping women left, right, and center. There also a remarkably stupid and one-dimensionally portrayed minister and a helpless, frustrated cop named Suryaprakash, who simply stands like a rock in uniform and wants to settle a score with Kailasam because Santhosh raped and killed his sister. Naturally, Santhosh goes on raping women, and Suryaprakash goes on standing still. Kottai goes on making aruvaals until Santhosh catches sight of the ravishing Gayatri. Santosh touches Gayathri inappropriately, and all hell breaks loose. Kottai bashes Santhosh, not knowing that he is Kailasam's son. When Kailasam comes to know that Kottai has beaten his son to death, he tries to take revenge on Kottai. Kottai, with the help of Suryaprakash, kills Kailasam and the minister. The film ends with Kottai returning to his home.