Silk Screen is especially fond of this film’s subject matter, since it centers around the Indian silk industry. Kanichavaram is a town renowned for its luxurious silk saris. The protagonist Vengedam works as a silk weaver there, weaving the saris from the rarest of silks, but knowing that he himself can never afford what he creates. Even though Vengedam is portrayed as the most talented weaver in town, his salary remains meager. He vowed at one time that he would only wed a woman who wore a silk sari, but the reality of his low wages forced him to confront the fact that his vow would never be kept. Nevertheless, that reality does not stop him from dreaming. Vengedam eventually marries and the couple has a baby girl. Tradition dictates that a father must promise his daughter something by whispering into her early. Knowing better, he whispers into her ear that he will marry her off one day in a silk sari. Despite his wife’s skepticism, he thinks that—with patience—he can make this dream a reality. His plan is to provide a silk sari for his daughter by the time she is of a marriageable age. He steals a few strands of beautifully colored precious silk from his workplace every single day. He believes this new project will give shape to his life. Unfortunately, Vengadam’s own grand plan is thwarted when he gives his brother-in-law, who’s gone bankrupt, all his savings in an effort to save his sister’s dignity. The plot is set into motion when Vengadam meets up with a communist writer who promotes the concept of equality. Communism is illegal in 1940s India, when the film takes place, and the writer is killed. Vengadam is put in charge and he demands a pay increase for all weavers. He gets arrested but eventually the workers protest and he is released.. The irony and symbolism woven into this tale makes the ending rich and rewarding.