The film is set in a small village and follows progression in painter Abilin's (Joe Abeywickrema) life through the eyes of his nephew Sirisena (Kumara Balasooriya, Karunarathna Ranasinghe). Abilin is an alcoholic and drifts through his life in debt and without focus. After getting into arguments with other villagers and his own brother (Dharmadasa Kuruppu), Abilin decides to take a job with a rich landowner (A. P. Gunarathna).
Damayanthi Kariyawasam (Dhammi) (Anula Karunathilake) is a mischievous school girl. Sugath Weerasekara (Wickrema Bogoda) is a shy and introverted boy who is new to Dhammi's school. He is quiet and gifted at schoolwork. Dhammi is immediately attracted to him and they become friends. The friendship eventually develops into a special relationship.
Sena (Milton Jayawardena) of weak character is sent to a boarding school at a well-to-do city university by his family who mortgage everything they own to pay for his education. Their future well-being is thus in the hands of Sena. Sena however succumbs to the temptations of city life and fails in his venture.
Cyril (Tony Ranasinghe) is dissatisfied with his introverted fiancee Sujatha (Punya Heendeniya). He starts a relationship with the more out-going Sarojini (Anula Karunatilleke) and gets her pregnant. Sujatha meanwhile is fascinated by a wandering Buddhist monk.
The village headman of a small village is a drunkard and womanizer who is disliked by the village for his abusive ways. He hassles the heroine and other characters. At the end of the film he goes mad.
Piyal (Henry Jayasena) is a handsome young teacher who is hired to teach English to Nanda (Punya Heendeniya), a member of a high class family. They fall in love, but can't elope because Piyal is of a lower class. Nanda's parents instead push her into a marriage with Jinadasa (Gamini Fonseka), who is of the same class as them. With economic downturn in Sri Lanka, both families lose their status and Jinadasa leaves to try to make a better life for himself; he never achieves his goal and dies penniless. Piyal and Nanda can now finally come together. They have changed however, and the earlier idylic nature of their relationship is not recaptured.
A band of guerrillas led by Bandara (Ananda Jayaratne) lead a resistance against Portuguese invaders. Bandara is in love with Sumana (Kanthi Gunatunga).
The film starts with a tilt walker cum musician Miguel (Sesha Palihakkara) arriving in the village of Siriyalas with a monkey it performs various antics for the public. Two thieves of the village try to rob him and Sena (Somapala Dharapriya), a young boy prevents the robbery. The tilt walker, who is also a palm reader, read the boy's palm and predict the future, said that Sena will become a famous healer and bring dignity to the village.
Two friends, Manoj (Gihan De Chickera), a bartender, and Stanley (Dharmapriya Dias), a fruit vendor, wish to immigrate to the West to seek their fortune, but have difficulties getting their visa applications approved. They come across an application to a handball tournament in Bavaria, and not even knowing what the game is, they submit themselves and a group of friends as the "Sri Lanka National Handball Team". For appearance's sake, they begin minimal training and then seek travel visas from the German Embassy. Manoj leaves the group at the last moment, but the rest fly to Germany. Their plans to simply escape into the West upon arrival in Germany are thwarted by the quick appearance of the tournament organizers and an arena of fans eager to see the powers of the Sri Lanka National Handball Team.