A rich man learns about a guru who can see without using his eyes. He sets out to master the skill in order to cheat at gambling.

Ismail Merchant's feature directorial debut addresses a subject close to his heart: the expressive Urdu language of Northern India, in danger of extinction as political trends and modernization obscure its contributions to Indian culture. Merchant 's treatment is wry and good humored , as his characters - an aging Urdu poet (Shashi Kapoor) and a worshipful young college lecturer - clash despite their shared passion for the beauty of words.

After the Indian Government ordered troops into the Soni Darbar in Amritsar, angering Sikhs worldwide, leading to the assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi during 1984, followed by violence against the Sikhs, and instructions to Police to hunt down and apprehend all suspected terrorists. Karnail Singh was one such suspect, who claims that he has had no hand in any terrorism activity, but is nevertheless pursued by the Police, leaving his widowed mom, Kartar, and sister, Parsan, to fend for themselves by running a Dhaba and being subjected to harassment at the hands of Inspector Ujagar Singh, while the village Mukhiya wants Parsan to get married to a much older Narang Singh. Parsan's problems are resolved when Indian Army Captain Nihal Singh intervenes, and marries her, even though her mom, beaten senseless by the Police, passes away on the day of the marriage. Months later, Nihal must re-locate to Siachen

Kamalpur-based Khular family make a lot of sacrifices to get their daughter and eldest son married; as well as ensure their youngest, Himmat, gets a good education in Patiala's Punjabi University. After Himmat completes his education and returns home, the family even arrange his marriage with an America-based wealthy bride so that he can re-locate abroad and live a better life. The family's peace and harmony is shattered, the house gets divided, after Himmat refuses to marry the bride, and instead sets off with his friends to open a lowly Dhaba. He also starts wooing Resham, the wealthy daughter of Deep Singh, the President of Punjab Hotel Association - who will never permit her to marry a lowly Dhaba owner, and is already making plans to get her married to someone very wealthy.