Ivargal Varungala Thoongal is Prabhu's 50th film as an actor. The film spoke about drug addiction among college students due to which their lives get ruined.
Ivargal Varungala Thoongal was released on 21October 1987, during Diwali. N. Krishnasamy of The Indian Express wrote, "Its partly a sermon, partly a feekless pack-up, mostly a letdown". Jayamanmadhan of Kalki in regards to Prabhu's performance felt he only had a cameo and added if he acts in more filmslike this, fans will forget him and felt Rajender's music was forgettable and concluded for a film which claims to reform student community will only make students gets addicted to bad vices.