In the film, Mani (T. S. Balaiah) advises Anandan (K. R. Ramasamy) of four methods to take revenge: Aduthu Kedukkum Padalam (spoiling someone's reputation by being with them), Panam Pazhakkum Padalam (spoiling their money), Manam Parikkum Padalam (spoiling their reputation) and Kan Kuththum Padalam (hurting his eyes through his own hands), which were interesting and intelligent. A few scene from the film resembled the Hollywood film "The Count of Monte Cristo" (1934) (e. g. the hero in jail deciding to take revenge on the people responsible for his jail term after escaping from there). The climax scene of Anandan entering the Court as a lawyer is inspired from the Hollywood film "The Life of Emile Zola" (1937). Even the hero's makeup was similar to the Hollywood film's hero Paul Muni. Though M. N. Nambiar had acted in several films earlier, his role as a fake godman (Tamil as Poli Chamiyaar) Yogi Hariharadas in the film was greatly appreciated. It was the first film in Tamil cinema, which featured Court room scenes, which then became a trend to include such scene in later films. The success of the film and its dialogues brought in fame and credit to the dialogue writer in Tamil cinema. After this film, the dialogue writers were paid better and the audience also started noticing in Tamil Cinema began with this film and set a trend. A dance by Lalitha and Padmini featured in this film. The film was a commercial and critical success. Its dialogues became famous among the audience. Some of the rhetorical lines like " ""Sattam Oru Iruttarai. athiley vakkilin vaathamoru vilakku. anaal athu ezhaikku ettaatha vilakku"" (lit. The law is a dark room. In which the lawyer's arguments are like the lamp light, but the poor cannot get it) became famous. The 1981 Tamil film "Sattam Oru Iruttarai" was titled after that particular piece of dialogue. The popular reception "Velaikaari" received was the beginning of the long association between the Dravidian Movement and Tamil Cinema. The dialogues and scenes promoting atheism led to some controversy and demands for banning the film. The film was later remade in Hindi as "Naya Aadmi" (1956), Telugu as "Santhosham" (1955) with N. T. Rama Rao playing the lead role in both languages by the same producer.