A film about the great personality who brought about huge social and political change in Tamil Nadu. It was surprising that it took Tamil cinema so long to produce a film about one of the greatest historical figures of the state. The film was noticed mainly for the performance of Sathyaraj in the title role. He surprised all with a portrayal that defied his image. The only disappointment that was voiced by many people was that the film tended to focus more on the personal life of Periyar than on his political and social deeds.