Synopsis: Sankara Sastri, a renowned Carnatic singer is famous for having mastered the raga Sankarabharanam. He is also a widower with a daughter named Sarada. Tulasi, the daughter of a devadasi, admires Sastri from afar. One morning Tulasi is thrilled to come across Sastri singing on the riverbanks and starts to dance, oblivious of her surroundings. Sastri sees her, and Tulasi expects to be rebuked by him, but he appreciates her sincerity and continues singing. Tulasi's mother wants her to become a courtesan, to extract a high price for Tulasi from a rich man. But Tulasi stabs the man with a shard of glass, killing him, resulting in a dramatic turn of events and fate.