The film opened to positive reviews and box office success in January 2000, and went on to win the National Film Award for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment the following year. "Vaanathaippola" subsequently went on to become the most commercially successful film in Tamil, running for over 250 days in theatres. Furthermore, the success of the film led to two Tamil Nadu State Film Awards, as well as several remakes in other Indian regional languages such as Telugu, Kannada, Bhojpuri and Bengali. The film was remade in Telugu as "Maa Annayya" with Rajasekhar in the title role. The Kannada remake was titled "Yajamana". The Bhojpuri remake was titled "Pariwaar" and in Bengali as "Sneher Protidan".