Barrister Rajnikanth(Sivaji) is a highly respected criminal lawyer who has an undefeated record in the courtroom. He has raised his brother's son Kannan(Sivaji) ever since he was a baby and Kannan in turn has the utmost love and affection for him. Rajinikanth's ego makes him take on the case of Mohandas('Major' Sundarrajan), who has been accused of killing his wife. Though Mohandas is responsible for his wife's death, he is acquitted owing to Rajinikanth's mastery of the law. Now, Mohandas is all set to marry a dancer Kalpana and when she dies(this time of natural causes), he once again turns towards Rajinikanth for help. Rajinikanth takes up his case again but this time Kannan becomes the public prosecutor and opposes him.

While the movie has legal issues at its heart, it is less a courtroom drama than a clash of emotions and values. By showing us the contrasting lifestyles of the barrister and his nephew, it illustrates their differing values right at the beginning and sets us up for their conflict. The reason for this conflict(differing attitudes towards Sundarrajan's guilt) is quite strong and believable.

By selecting a case that is not exactly black and white, the director manages to introduce an element of suspense into the actual judgement. The fact that the characters on both sides of the battle have earned our sympathy muddles the issue further. We would like the barrister to win because of the strength of his charater while the goodness in Kannan's heart makes us root for him too. Unfortunately, the actual courtroom scenes do not do justice to this setup. There is no excitement in the proceedings and the behavior of Rajinikanth after he talks to Sundarrajan about the latest evidence is not in keeping with his character. The final resolution too is not completely satisfactory(though Kannan does offer an explanation for the skewed resolution).

Dialogs are strong and evoke smiles at many places. The explanations Sivaji gives to justify his values are sensible and make us appreciate his character. Nagesh has several smart lines and wordplays('maternal uncle' and 'eternal trouble'!). The pain Sivaji undergoes after Kannan decides to go against him is well brought about his dialogs to Pandaribai. Similarly, Kannan's respect for his uncle is conveyed very well through his talks to his lover and other colleagues. The short sequence in the Neeyum Naanumaa... song sequence where the two Sivajis face off on a chessboard is nicely done.

By today's standards Sivaji's performance does seem like overacting at several places but his ability shines through. He distinguishes the two roles effortlessly and essays them in completely different ways. His performance makes the older lawyer a memorable character indeed and the line that is displayed after the movie ends fits the role completely. With him hogging both roles, the others are merely onlookers. Nagesh plays a role with touches of villainy while Pandaribai, as always, is the affection wife and mother. Paalootti Valartha... and Neeyum Naanumaa... are good songs loaded with great lines and meaning from Kannadasan's pen.