A love affair and two feuding families who play out a Romeo and Juliet type drama in 17th century India, under the Emperor Jehangir.

After falling for a cunning landlord’s scheme, a farmer (Balraj Sahni) and his young son (Ratan Kumar) travel to Calcutta in search of work to save money and reclaim their ancestral land.

At the behest of his father, Raj writes letters to Chandra, a prospective bride. However, unbeknownst to him, it is Neelu, Chandra's sister, who responds to his letters and falls in love with him.

Raju (Raj Kapoor) and Gaura (Nargis) are childhood lovers and promise to be with each other no matter what. Jeevan (Iftekhar) keeps bullying Gaura and is jealous of Raju. He overhears them professing their love for each other and conspires to separate them.