Nandagopan is a respected dance teacher at Kerala Kala Mandiram (alludes to the famed Kerala Kalamandalam of performing arts). However his life takes an unexpected turn when his wife Sumangala commits suicide following a spat between them, causing him to become an alcoholic and compulsive rule breaker.
He becomes moody and consumed with his grief for Sumangala, and takes it out on the students and the management of the institution. One of his students, Malavika, a Bharatanatyam student is an excellent upcoming dancer but is rebuked by Nandagopan multiple times over small mistakes. Soman is a Kathakali student of the Kala Mandiram, and is in love with Malavika.
On the day of Malavikas Arangettam, Nandagopan decides to test her focus and creates chaos and the Arangettam doesn't happen. The students strike in protest under the leadership of Soman, demanding Nandagopan's apology or resignation. Malavika questions Nandagopan about his qualities as a teacher. Nandagopan gives a lecture about the qualities of a good dancer to everyone using his knowledge about Natya Sastra and Abhinaya Darpanam stressing the impact of expressions and interpretation by the dancer. He gives a demonstration of his thoughts with a dance. Everyone claps at the end of it and Malavika is impressed. The audience does not ask for his apology again.
One day when Malavika requests Nandagopan to become her guru (teacher) by giving him dakshina. Nandagopan becomes her teacher. Malavika's friends advise her not to show excessive possessiveness or interest on Nandagopan.
One a day of excessive drinking, Malavika questions Nandagopan about it and he recounts his past to her. He mentions that he had composed Sita Ramayana exclusively for Sumangala. Malavika tells him the world should know about him and his abilities and that she would like to perform the dance. Nandagopan starts training Malavika for the performance.
Meanwhile, the closeness between Nandagopan and Malavika leads to many unfounded rumors about their relationship. Soman is unhappy with this development and decides to get rid of Nandagopan. On the day Malavika's performance, he mixes pesticide in a bottle of soft drink with the intention of killing Nandagopan.
Nandagopan takes the drink before the performance and by the time Soman realizes that the relationship between Nandagopan and Malavika is innocent, it is too late.
Nandagopan dies in the arms of Malavika and Soman at the end of the performance, while imagining Sumangala beckoning him towards her.
The film was a critical and commercial success. The film had a 150-day run in Kerala. The performances of Mohanlal, Parvathy, Vineeth and Monisha were well received. It was one of the last films acted by Monisha before her death.[1] This film was one of the biggest hits in Parvathy's career.[2]
The role of Nandagopan is considered to be one of the best performances by Mohanlal since the role demanded a subtle combination of his theatrical and dancing skills.
