Padma lives with her widowed mother and her brother, a harbour worker. The family finds refuge in the house of Raja, a poet. Padma's brother dies in an accident.
The film shares its name with Aadi Perukku, a festival in Tamil Nadu which pays tribute to water's life-sustaining properties. Despite that, the festival is not referenced anywhere onscreen except the song "Annaiyin Arule Vaa", near the end of which Gemini Ganesan's character is shown singing the last two lines as a tribute to the festival. Shooting took place at the now non-existent Majestic Studios.[2]
Aadi Perukku was released on 2 August 1962.[4] On 10 August, The Indian Express called it "another insipid medley of romance, comedy and melodrama [...] A story of unfulfilled love, the film is heavily padded with the usual quantum of songs, dances and other box office gimmicks." The reviewer however praised the performances of the cast members.[5] Kanthan of Kalki lauded Saroja Devi's performance, but said she was the only reason to watch the film just once.[6] According to historian Randor Guy, the film did not succeed commercially because of the "somewhat predictable storyline, the many deaths and the lack of significance of the title".[2]
