Polladhavan 1980

Seetha, Lakshmi, a young woman, travels by train with her nephew Raju to an estate where she hopes to land a nanny job for the estate merchant Manohar, Rajinikanth, and his daughter Shoba. A fellow passenger on the journey makes a brutal attempt to assault her, but is suddenly shot dead in a swift, startling moment. Seetha witnesses the murderer’s face and later reports the crime to Moorthy, Delhi Ganesh, the local police inspector.

After Seetha is hired as the nanny, she and Manohar’s daughter Shoba grow close, forming a warm bond within the estate. When Manohar returns from a journey, Seetha meets him and realizes that he is the man she saw on the train, a revelation that shakes her. Manohar warns her not to disclose the truth and uses threats to keep her from leaving the property.

Seetha makes several escape attempts, but each one is thwarted. She does not always approach the police, fearing that Manohar would harm Raju if she talks. Over time, Seetha glimpses a more complex man beneath his rough exterior and struggles with why someone who can appear so decent can behave with such arrogance.

In flashbacks, Kumudha, Sripriya, Manohar’s wife, and their daughter Shoba are shown. Kumudha’s uncle Chandru, Sivachandran, had long desired Kumudha and is released from jail after serving his term. Chandru returns and, while Manohar is away, rapes Kumudha; Kumudha dies by suicide, and Manohar vows revenge on Chandru and to protect Shoba.

Manohar then reveals that the man he killed on the train was Chandru, reframing Seetha’s understanding of his actions. Moorthy’s colleague remains curious about Seetha; she insists she remembered the face but later tells him she has forgotten it, leading him to suspect Seetha, a belief Moorthy shares. On Shoba’s birthday, Manohar plans to announce that he will hand over all his wealth to Seetha and surrender to the police, but the police arrive to arrest Seetha. Manohar saves her by confessing to the murder, and he is taken into custody.

A few years later, Manohar is released and reunites with Seetha and Shoba, suggesting a resolution forged through sacrifice, truth, and the uneasy, enduring ties that bind the trio.