The film is set against the backdrop of a circus company. Chandran is a circus performer. Thankam, a beautiful 17 year old girl, is his childhood sweetheart. But, Thankam's mother Kalyani Amma forbids her to prolong her affair with Chandran. She wants Thankam to marry Gopi, a well known bully from the town. Thankam's father Paithal Nair, however rejects this proposal. But as the circus shifts to another village, everything goes wrong. The circus people owed some money to Paithal Nair which they were unable to pay. Despite the circus manager's assurances Kalyani Amma and Nair decide to hold the circus animals hostage until the circus manager repays his debt. Managing the animals soon becomes a nightmare and Paithal and family realize they have invited trouble (pulival pidikkuka - an expression in Malayalam for trouble, mess etc. It literally means catch a leopard by its tail). Paithal Nair is in financial stress and has no other way than to accept the marriage proposal from Gopi for his daughter. What will happen to Chandran and Thankam's romance? How does Paithal Nair overcome his problems? Answers to these questions form the rest of the story.