Thankar starts the movie using an old ploy of the 60's and 70's directors the flashback technique, by having the central character Madhava Padayachi (Sathyaraj) narrating his tale of woe to a young man ( Azhagi Satish) who saves him from humiliation. The guy is going back from Chennai to his village in a bus, and recognizes Madhava Padayachi a rich farmer who long time back was the heart and soul of his village Pachaikottai near Panruti.

The story of the life and times of Madhava Padayachi an absolutely honest and hard working farmer who will do anything for others, heads a joint family. His wife Velayi (Archana) is his pillar of strength, but his sons, daughters and other relatives does not approve of his large hearted nature especially in money matters. And a close relative Dandapani (dance director Shivashankar in a loin cloth!) turns his children against him. One day he gets humiliated by his children and on the spur of the moment leaves home in the company of his loyal wife, never to return!

Thankar uses heavy handed sentimentality with lots of mush and melodrama along with loud characters to tell the story, which leaves you exasperated. Unfortunately the film falls short of being either revelatory or moving. It does have a few moving moments for those willing to lower their standards to the level of well-meaning populism. There are far too many characters in the first half, and why should Thankar have in every film of his villagers in loin clothes? It may be to impress the foreign jury members in the festival circuit who still think that India especially rural Tamilnadu is full of half-naked, impoverished people!

If Onbadhu Roobai Nottu is worth a see, it's for Sathyaraj fast developing into the complete Tamil actor daring to be different. He lives the role of Madhava Padyachi and presides over the film like a torch whose burning is invisible to everyone but the viewer. The same cannot be said of Archana who is irritating as a hysterical screeching woman, similar to what she has done in Parattai, while Nassar and Rohini as the Muslim couple are apt for their characters.

One of the major highlights of the film is the maudlin music of Bhardwaj and meaningful lyrics of Vairamuthu especially the soft, sweet and melodious Margazhiyil…, rendered beautifully by Sreenivas. The music and lyrics convey all things rustic. At the same time Thankar in a mad rush to glorify village life and sentiments has not worked out his screenplay which makes it look like an old fashioned sob story.

Verdict: Average