Unnai Ninaithu 2002

Surya works as a receptionist at a Chennai lodge, handling the daily rhythm of the place alongside his friend Gopi, even though the lodge is owned by his father and has been leased out due to financial trouble. The surroundings bring him into contact with Radha, the daughter of the lodge’s new manager, who lives nearby with her mother and family. Radha is drawn to Surya’s kind nature, and while she grows fond of him, Surya opens up about his past to explain the depth of his feelings and losses.

A few days before these feelings deepen, Nirmala lived in the same house where Radha now resides. Surya quietly cherishes her and helps her family financially, and over time the two fall in love. Nirmala’s parents warm to the match, seeing Surya as a caring and steady partner. Yet the family dynamics shift when Selvam enters the scene; he is a friend who stays with Surya in the early days and later secures a good job, but his attention also heads toward Nirmala, making her parents believe he is a stronger match.

Conflicts come to a head when Surya discovers Selvam in a mall with another girl, and realizes that Selvam has no real intention of marrying Nirmala. He relays what he has seen to Nirmala, who misreads the information as an attempt to derail her relationship with Selvam. Meanwhile, Selvam’s charm and money begin to feel like a tempting alternative to Surya, and Nirmala’s family moves to a grand house arranged by Selvam. Upset by the deception he has witnessed, Surya confronts Selvam in a mall and a heated conflict ensues, leading Nirmala to defend Selvam and order Surya to stay away.

Time moves forward to the present, and Radha’s admiration for Surya grows even stronger as she listens to his past. Surya learns that Selvam betrayed Nirmala and her family, reducing them to poverty after losing the prospect of marriage. Moved by their enduring hardship, Surya returns to help. He discovers that Nirmala’s dream of becoming a doctor is still alive, and he assists by helping her prepare for entrance exams. With stubborn determination, he arranges for her to pursue medical education in a private college where fees are high, even selling his lodge to fund her tuition.

Five years pass, and Nirmala completes her medical degree and lands a job. Throughout these years, Surya remains a quiet pillar of support, offering both financial help and moral encouragement. In the meantime, Radha remains unmarried, having quietly waited for Surya’s heart to turn toward her. When Nirmala receives a potential opportunity to marry Surya, he gently refuses, explaining that his help came from love he once had, not a current romance. He also says he knows Radha’s love for him runs deeper, as she has steadfastly turned down other proposals for years. Radha overhears this conversation and feels a quiet, lasting happiness.

The film ends on a hopeful note, with the two lovers, Surya and Radha, finally coming together, choosing to face the future side by side.