All love stories in movies end in marriages, and a fairytale "happily ever after" ending. Or do they? Mani Ratnam explored the consequences of a hasty marriage between two lovers Karthik and Shakti (Madhavan and Shalini).

The film is a look at the tribulations that a newly-eloped couple undergoes in the initial months of their marriage, and how a crisis helps change their outlook towards life, and towards each other.

A highlight of Alai Payuthey was the way the story is narrated -- mostly through flashbacks, with a framing sequence set in the present that brings out the ironical aspects in the tale. Madhavan's debut in mainstream cinema established him as a romantic hero in the Tamil film industry, and the sharp insight into middle-class lives was well-received by both critics and film-goers.