Punnagai Desam 2002

Ganesh Devan arrives in Chennai hoping to reconnect with his maternal uncle Rajarathinam after his mother Parvathi’s sudden death. Parvathi had stood by Rajarathinam during his toughest days, but the uncle has since become wealthy and arrogant, dropping Ganesh from his life. Ganesh also cherishes Bomma, Krishna, his childhood friend who is Rajarathinam’s daughter, but his uncle refuses to let them meet and throws Ganesh out.

Back in the city, Ganesh reunites with school friends Selvam, Raja, and Vijay. Selvam dreams of becoming an IAS officer, Raja aims to sing, and Vijay aspires to be a mimicry artist. Their parents push them toward conventional work, stifling their ambitions, and the friends head to Chennai with big hopes but limited chances.

Seeing his friends’ struggles, Ganesh decides to help. He sells Parvathi’s heirloom necklace and uses the money to set up a small roadside lunch stall near Marina Beach. He proves to be a skilled cook, selling packaged meals and slowly earning money to support his friends. He keeps the true extent of his sacrifices to himself, telling them that Rajarathinam funds him as needed.

The four friends crash in a small house where the owner, Ravi Chandhiran Nizhalgal Ravi, advises them to pursue steady jobs to improve their lives. Despite the advice, Ganesh stays hopeful about his friends’ talents and believes they will one day find success.

Nandhini, Selvam’s classmate, loves him, while Priya—Rajarathinam’s daughter—appears as the love interest Ganesh hopes to be with. Priya is, in fact, Bomma, and her feelings toward Ganesh begin to surface as their circles grow closer.

Raja and Vijay eventually spot Ganesh at the beach, selling tea, and are moved by the extent of his sacrifice. They decide to help him, and the four friends join forces to open a small hotel where Ganesh cooks while the others serve and manage other tasks in their spare time.

As bonds strengthen, Selvam clears IAS exams and becomes a collector, while Raja and Vijay gain fame through performances. Ganesh continues working at the hotel, grateful for the renewed sense of purpose around him.

A city-center function is organized to honor Raja, Selvam, and Vijay. The parents of Ganesh’s friends arrive and treat Ganesh poorly for his poverty. Ravi Chandhiran, seeing Ganesh, confronts him about whether money has warped their friendships, accusing the trio of forgetting their roots.

In a turn of events, Raja, Selvam, and Vijay reveal on stage that they had only praised their parents out of habit and had offered no real help during the hard times. They pay tribute to Ganesh and invite him to the stage, explaining that all the money they earned belongs to him. They also reveal Ganesh’s long-ignored childhood love for Bomma. A live telecast shows Bomma’s photo, and Ganesh is urged to meet her if she sees the program.

Priya, upon seeing the likeness, realizes that Bomma is herself. She rushes to the function to find Ganesh, and the moment culminates in a hopeful reunion, with the story ending on a note of reconciliation between Ganesh and Priya.