The plot unfolds as a taut thriller that examines the characters' vulnerability and strengths. The subplot, however, explores a relationship between a woman & a girl; Rekha, the protagonist, is a sex worker who tries to rescue Nandhini, a 12-year-old girl, from the clutches of prostitution. The journey takes us through the brutality and the hypocrisy that surrounds us, which we deliberately choose to ignore—broken homes, abuse, unfulfilled dreams, manipulation, blackmail, threat, hopelessness and paranoia. It is a dog-eat-dog world where nothing is as simple as it appears.

Rekha, an aging prostitute, is seen selling herself to old- and low- level people in order to eke out a living. During one of her sessions, she meets with her old pimp Singaram, who informs her that he needs her help to bring in a virgin, prepubescent girl for one of his major clients, Periayyah, an unnamed, wealthy liquor baron of India. She refuses in the beginning and accepts reluctantly, after he agrees to split the profits with her. Singaram takes Rekha to meet with her old pimp and ex-lover Doraisingam, who is now bedridden and furious at Rekha for leaving him. However Rekha convinces him to deliver the girl to her, on the condition that the girl be returned the very next day. After picking up the girl Nandini, Rekha travels with Singaram to get the girl ready for the night. Even though she tries to develop a bonding with the girl, Nandini shies away, avoiding to talk to Rekha. Although Rekha does not tell Nandini about what is going to happen to her, she is constantly tormented by her actions and feels responsible for the girl.

Everything goes according to Singaram's plan, and Rekha accompanies the girl to Periayyah's mansion. Periayyah takes the girl upstairs and starts to tie her up. As the girl protests, Periayyah is seen taking up a razor blade, when suddenly Rekha breaks into the room and a struggle ensues, in which Periayyah is killed. Rekha and Nandini escape the mansion and go on the run. Singaram is then visited by the henchmen of Chinnaiah, Periayyah's son. They question her about the girl he sent and threaten him to find them within a day. An intimidated Singaram approaches Lankesh (John Vijay), a rogue detective with an eye for details. Lankesh agrees to help Singaram track down the girl for a sum. In his search of Rekha's apartment, he discovers a photo of her friend taken in Srirangam, and concludes that the two are headed there.

As this happens, Doraisingam's men spot the girl and Rekha on a train. They decide to kidnap her, but their attempts are thwarted, and the two escape to Srirangam and meet with Devanayagi, Rekha's old friend. While on his search, Chinnaiah and his men kill Doraisingam while also killing a man that knew about his father's bad habits. Lankesh, with Singaram, tracks down the house in which Devanayagi lives and takes Rekha and Nandini out while calling Chinnaiah to the area, so he can have his revenge against them for killing his father. Chinnaiyah arrives with his men, but orders them to kill Singaram and Lankesh instead while giving money to Rekha to live her life onwards. The reasoning behind this is when Chinnaiah was in school, his father took a classmate of his and ended up raping and killing her. Disgusted with his father's actions, Chinnaiyah decides to look for the person that killed his father and gives Rekha and Nandini hope. The film ends with Rekha and Nandini traveling on a bus.