In Southern Tamil Nadu, two neighbouring villages Melur and Podiyankulam in Tirunelveli find themselves in constant conflict as the latter is denied a bus stop. Podiyankulam's inhabitants, who belong to the oppressed communities, are forced to use the bus stop of Melur for commuting, which irks the locals who belong to the dominant castes. Despite multiple petitions, Podiyankulam is constantly denied a bus stop thanks to the influence of Melur's local government.Sometime in the late 1990s, Karnan, who is from Podiyankulam wins the local deity's sword as part of a competition, which had not been won for years. Weeks later, Karnan participates in an open selection camp for the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), where his grandfather Yaema Raja is worried that Karnan would lose the opportunity to join government service, if his hot-headedness would involve him in any legal trouble with the Melur villagers and is constantly looking out for him.Within Podiyankulam, Karnan and Yaeman are considered unruly by many except its chieftain Duryodhanan, who befriends them both. This does not sit well with Vadamaalaiyan, one of the village's heads who desires to marry Karnan's sister Padmini, who is far younger than him. Vadamaalaiyan's sister Draupadhi, who is in love with Karnan, misunderstands the situation during the latter's brawl with her brother and breaks up with him.Meanwhile, tensions escalate between Melur and Podiyankulam, as Karnan along with his friends and Yaema Raja vandalises a bus for not stopping by to help a pregnant lady. The bus owner files a complaint with the police and the district's Police Superintendent Kannabiran arrives on the scene. Though the bus owner and Podiyankulam's residents settle the issue amicably, the incident bruises Kannabiran's ego who feels that the villagers must always be shown their place. He asks Podiyankulam's village heads to come and sign at the area police station, only to brutally assault them for an hour and lock them up overnight. He insults them verbally and orders local police to file unrelated cases on them.Next day early morning, Karnan and others arrive to the station and enquire about the elders. The police feign ignorance and send them out. The helper boy in the tea shop outside tells Karnan about the incidents of previous night, and Karnan storms into the station. The guys fight off the police, find the elders on rooftop under the burning sun and take them home using a confiscated tractor. Podiyankulam barricades itself and prepares for a police attack to face the consequences of Karnan's actions.However, the District Collector warns Kannabiran to avoid casualties at all costs. Draupadhi and Vadamaalaiyan settle their issues with Karnan, and Yaema Raja works on providing security to the villagers. However, Karnan receives his appointment letter from the CRPF. He refuses to leave, but is forced to leave by Yaema Raja and the villagers, to have a better future. Minutes after Karnan leaves, the police brutally attack the village. To save his community, Yaema Raja kills himself by self-immolation, and Karnan is forced to return with the local deity's sword in hand. He and Kannabiran face each other, and he traps him using the sword. He takes him hostage inside a hut, ending the clash. Karnan orders the police to bring in the MP, MLA and all important officers within an hour. Inside the hut, Kannabiran and Karnan fight, ending with Karnan overpowering Kannabiran for good.Kannabiran again exhalts his caste pride and predicts that Karnan's village will be soon destroyed due to his actions. Enraged, Karnan decapitates Kannabiran, and he is arrested. Karnan is released from prison after ten years. The village Podiyankulam has gotten a bus stop, many of the village youths are now educated, but most of the older village heads succumbed to medical issues caused as aftermath of the police brutality, Padmini is married and the village's community hall has a picture of Yaema Raja painted on a huge wall. The villagers begin to celebrate Karnan's return.