Nallathor Veenai

'Nallathor Veenai' is directed by S. Krishnaswamy from his own screenplay, based on a story by celebrated author, Jayakanthan. The drama revolves around a Tamil family in a state of flux. As social changes impinge on the value systems of a traditional family, the story narrates in a telling manner how the contemporary generation faces the challenges which are universal in character, modern in genesis, and yet the solutions for which are specifically rooted in India.

Seshayya is a well-known Carnatic music exponent and Veena maestro. While he is traditional and conservative in his beliefs, his son Sarangan is exactly the opposite - his thoughts and lifestyle are western. Brought up in London since childhood, Sarangan prefers western classical music over Carnatic and is a competent violin player. He and his orthodox father have no meeting ground and do not get along with each other. After spending most of his life in France, Sarangan decides to return to India. His decision evokes a mixed response, largely negative, in his family. The family members are not happy about his return. The only people who are excited about his return are Seshayya’s lawyer Mahalingam and his wife Lalitha.

Sarangan comes home to India. Everyone at home, barring Seshayya and Murli, pretends to be very happy at Sarangan’s return. Sarangan learns that his elder brother Rangayya had passed away. A furious Sarangan confronts his father and asks him why he was not informed. Seshayya clarifies and apologizes to him. Seshayya asks Murli to talk to Sarangan about his future plans.

Murli makes a business proposition to Sarangan, which he is not keen to take up. Lalitha comes to interview Sarangan. In the course of the interview, Sarangan tells Lalitha everything about himself. He relates to her why he went to London, how he later moved to Paris and how, while in Paris, he met a French girl and married her. He also informs her that he and his wife separated just a year after their marriage. While leaving, Madhvi offers to organize a concert for him, which Sarangan accepts.

Lalitha publishes Sarangan's interview in her magazine. She comes to meet him with the article. Seshayya asks Sarangan about his future plans just when the discussion begins to heat up. Lalitha arrives and takes Sarangan away. They go to her house where, on Sarangan’s request, she tells him her life-story, culminating in her marriage with Mahalingam.

Seshayya tells Murli that if Sarangan is not interested, he would have to forget about his business plans. This upsets Murli and he decides to leave the house and start life on his own. Mahalingam and Lalitha throw a party on their wedding anniversary.

Everyone present is impressed with Sarangan's performance at Mahalingam’s party. Gopinath, a film producer and Mahalingam’s friend, invites Sarangan, Mahalingam and Lalitha to his cocktail party. At the party, Gopinath and his guests get drunk and start behaving weirdly. This upsets Sarangan and Lalitha. After Sarangan comes home, Seshayya presuming him to be drunk insults him. Sarangan is confused by the behavior of his father.

After his father's outburst, Sarangan continues to smoke defiantly in front of him. In a fit of anger, Seshayya disconnects electricity from Sarangan’s room and forces him to spend the night in darkness. Lalitha meets Seshayya who criticizes Sarangan’s views published by her. Sarangan refuses to move to court for property rights as adviced by Raghavan. Mahalingam refuses to have a court notice issued to Raghavan's father at Raghavan's behest. Murli informs Seshayya about a business that he plans to start along with two of his friends. He also informs Sarangan about his decision.

Sarangan and Lalitha go to an exhibition where he proposes her. Murli informs the family that his father is on his deathbed. He reveals the entire truth about his father in front of the whole family. Sarangan, Murli and his wife leave to visit Murli’s father. Murli meets his father and, his thoughts get clouded with memories from his past.

Sarangan visits the countryside. Murli’s father breathes his last. All of them return leaving Ganga behind. Raghavan sends a legal notice to his father. Seshayya speaks to Mahalingam and he assures him that he will take care of the matter. Mahalingam’s producer-friend Gopinath comes to meet Sarangan at Lalitha’s house and asks him to attend the music-sitting of his film. Sarangan is not interested in scoring music for his film, but Lalitha convinces him to do so.

Gopinath’s talks irritate Sarangan and he vents his anger in front of Mahalingam and Lalitha. Sarangan tells Lalitha to divorce Mahalingam. Seshayya falls ill and there is nobody to take care of him. He realizes his mistake and accepts Rangayya’s wife and son and hands over the responsibility of the house to her.