Kalathur Kannamma - Plot

Plot

Rajalingam (Gemini Ganesan) and Kannamma (Savithri) meet in a train going to the town Kalathur. The former, knowing that the latter is from a poor family, introduces himself as an electrician to make her fall for him, though he is later revealed as the son of a rich landlord (T. S. Balaiah), who Kannamma's father Murugan (S. V. Subbaiah) is working for as a labourer. Rajalingam and Kannamma eventually meet at their zameen, where the former finally proposes his love. Kannamma, despite initial reluctance, accepts him and both get married secretly at a nearby temple. This is however witnessed by Rajalingam's servant Ratnam, who then promises to keep their marriage as a secret. When Rajalingam goes to London for a one-year project, his father eventually finds out about his son's affair with Kannamma, and orders her to forget about him, unknown to Rajalingam. Further trouble arises when Kannamma (who has only finished 12th grade) is revealed to be pregnant, as a result of sleeping with him. She refuses to reveal to her father about whom she slept with, and under the landlord's order, both leave to a nearby village. After several months, she finally gives birth to a baby boy, who is however taken away by Murugan, who leaves it at a nearby orphanage. He lies to Kannamma that her son was stillborn, leaving her in grief.

The boy grows up in the orphanage and is named Selvam (Kamal Hassan). Murugan knows that Selvam is Kannamma's son, which Selvam doesn't know. Meanwhile, Rajalingam, who had returned shortly after Selvam's birth, discovers from Ratnam that Kannamma had left Kalathur, leaving him angered. His father arranges for his marriage to another girl (Devika), who he accepts soon. Kannamma later gets a job as a teacher at the orphanage where Selvam is, without recognizing him as her son. Rajalingam is later invited as chief guest to a stage performance, where Selvam is performing and gets a liking for him. But after the show ends, Rajalingam finds out that Kannamma is Selvam's teacher, and thinking her to be of no good character, he orders the headmistress to dismiss her. Selvam's close friend Mani soon dies, making the former feel himself as a complete orphan, but Rajalingam soon takes him to his zameen, and accepts him as his son, despite his father's initial reluctance. One day, when they go to a nearby temple, Selvam comes across Kannamma (who had found out from Murugan that Selvam is her son). She explains to Selvam that she is his mother, and he also accepts it. But he also alerts her of Rajalingam's impending marriage to Devika, and Kannamma refuses to see Rajalingam's face. Later before the marriage, Kannamma finally arrives and reveals to Rajalingam that she is Selvam's mother. Rajalingam, however refuses to believe her and orders her to leave. But his father explains that it was he who was the reason for the split, and reveals that Selvam is indeed his grandson. Rajalingam soon reconciles with Kannamma, and his marriage with Devika is cancelled.