The story begins with a flashback to a scene from 2001 where we see a village couple, Deepak and Phool Kumari, bidding farewell after their wedding. It’s been two days since Deepak’s marriage, and all the family members have left, except for Phool’s grandmother.
Before leaving, she insists on performing a puja. Once the puja is done, Deepak and Phool head home. Phool’s mother advises her not to lift her veil now that she’s married. To clarify, in certain parts of India, especially in villages, it’s customary for a newlywed woman to cover her face as part of a ritual.
The veil symbolizes the customs and rituals of a newlywed life in the village (Photo: Laapataa Ladies/Jio Studios Aamir Khan Productions Kindling Pictures)As Deepak and Phool begin their journey back home, they reach a train station. Along the way, Deepak removes Phool’s jewelry and keeps it to himself. The couple boards a crowded train with several other newlywed couples.
On the train, members of Deepak’s family, including his mother, ask if he has also just gotten married and inquire what the bride’s family gave them as dowry. Deepak doesn’t respond but his mother freely shares that they received a bike, cash, and other gifts from the bride’s side.
For those unfamiliar, in India, when a boy marries, his family typically receives gifts such as cash, a car, a bike, and a house from the bride’s family. The groom’s mother continues to boast that they received a generous dowry, though Deepak is still not content because he was hoping for even more.
At some point, Deepak finds a seat, and after letting Phool sit, he also sits down. He tells Phool he’s going to the toilet, but just then, the train reaches a station, and a large crowd boards, making the train even more crowded. Phool changes to the window side as the train fills up with people.
The newlywed couples sit close to each other, and as the night falls, Deepak mistakenly takes another bride, thinking she’s Phool. The bride, unable to see because of her veil, goes with Deepak, though she soon realizes he isn’t her husband. Despite that, she decides to follow him.
Unraveling Pushpa’s Secrets
The reason behind her decision will be revealed later. Deepak arrives at his village and is warmly welcomed by his friends. When they reach home, they’re shocked to see that the bride who accompanied Deepak isn’t Phool. The girl introduces herself as Pushpa and explains that she mistakenly came with Deepak.
Deepak’s father scolds him for forgetting his wife, treating her as though she’s replaceable. Deepak becomes anxious about Phool’s fate since she has no idea he got off the train.
Deepak’s family tries to find out where Phool is from, and she mentions that she is from Gangapur, but with so many villages there, Pushpa can’t pinpoint her exact in-laws’ location. She mentions her husband’s name as Pankaj, but the number she provides turns out to be wrong.
Deepak’s family takes Pushpa in, offering her shelter while they search for Phool. Meanwhile, Phool wakes up and looks for Deepak at the station but can’t find him. Prateek, her husband, also starts searching for her, though he doesn’t seem particularly upset.
He remarks that even if he finds his wife, he now has a dowry and doesn’t know what to do with it. It becomes apparent that Pushpa is hiding something, and as she continues her journey, it’s clear she’s not being completely honest.
She feels isolated and fearful at the station, but when she encounters a man who frightens her, she runs into a boy named Chhotu. She tells him she’s lost, and he takes her to the station master. The station master asks Phool about her in-laws’ village, but she doesn’t know the answer.
When he inquires about her husband, Phool is hesitant to mention his name due to tradition. Instead, she shows her mehendi, and the station master realizes her husband’s name is Deepak. The station master suggests that Phool go to the police, but Phool is afraid.
Chhotu then takes her to a grandmother who runs a tea stall at the station. This grandmother believes Deepak may have cheated on Phool, but Phool remains confident that Deepak is looking for her. Grandma agrees to help Phool.
Meanwhile, Deepak reports Phool’s disappearance to the police and explains the situation to Inspector Manohar, who is skeptical of Deepak’s story. He questions how a man could lose his wife. The inspector asks Deepak to return the next day with Pushpa so they can continue investigating.
Deepak’s search continues as he learns that Pushpa’s husband, Prateek, is involved in a previous case. He had allegedly killed his first wife, but the court had not proven it. Deepak later learns from his family that Pushpa has disappeared.
The Truth Behind Jaya’s Identity
When Deepak returns home one night, his family tells him that Pushpa is missing, but she later returns, claiming she has gone to the temple. Deepak insists she accompany him to the police station the next day.
Inspector Manohar discovers another case related to Prateek, and the inspector becomes more suspicious of Pushpa. That night, Pushpa is seen talking on the phone, which raises further doubts. The grandmother advises Phool to go to the police, but Phool refuses.
In the next scene, Pushpa’s secrets start to unravel. It’s revealed that she has a tattoo with the name “Jaya” on her hand, suggesting she is concealing her true identity. Following the inspector’s instructions, Deepak brings Pushpa to the police station the next day.
A family’s expectations add weight to the young couple’s new chapter (Photo: Laapataa Ladies/Jio Studios Aamir Khan Productions Kindling Pictures)The inspector asks her questions, but Pushpa claims to know nothing about her home or in-laws. Her responses only heighten the inspector’s suspicion that she is hiding something. The inspector asks about any marks on her body, and Pushpa reluctantly shows him the name “Jaya” tattooed on her hand.
She tries to explain that her grandfather used to call her “Shriya,” but the inspector doesn’t believe her. He asks to take her photo, but she refuses. He then tells her to leave, though as she walks out, he calls her “Jaya.” Pushpa reacts with fear, confirming to the inspector that she is hiding the truth.
In a later scene, we see Phool and the grandmother together. Grandma shares that she had kicked her husband and son out because they used to beat her. She now lives alone and runs a tea stall. Phool assists her by making sweets, which quickly sell out.
Deepak’s search for Phool continues, and he notices that Pushpa has been acting strangely. The inspector keeps a close watch on Pushpa’s movements, discovering that she’s selling some jewelry. As the story progresses, we learn that Pushpa is a well-educated woman with knowledge of farming.
Deepak seeks help from a local leader, but the leader uses Deepak for his benefit before disappearing. One night, Deepak and his friends have a drink, and one of them suggests that Phool may be lost for good. Deepak argues with his friends, and in the process, he returns home drunk.
Pushpa takes care of him, and Deepak repeatedly calls out Phool’s name. The next day, Pushpa asks Deepak’s sister-in-law to paint a portrait for her, as she is a skilled artist. Meanwhile, the inspector receives a fax from another police station, which includes a photo of Pushpa.
It’s revealed that her real name is Jaya. The inspector decides to arrest her, and Deepak demands that she be detained. However, Jaya tries to explain herself but is ignored. Jaya is taken to the police station, where it’s revealed that she is not a fraud, but rather, she had been trying to help Deepak find Phool.
Jaya explains that she had printed posters of Phool with her number on them, hoping to reunite Deepak with his wife. Deepak then visits the police station and speaks with Jaya, who explains her background. She reveals that her family forced her into marriage, even though she wanted to study organic farming in Dehradun.
She knew about Prateek’s past, but she kept quiet because of her parents’ pressure. Jaya had planned to go to Dehradun for her studies, and when Deepak was upset about Phool, she helped him by making the posters.
Jaya asks the inspector to check her phone, where there’s a call from the station master confirming that Phool is on her way to their village. Deepak is overjoyed and goes to meet Phool. Prateek later arrives at the police station to take Jaya, offering the inspector money to cover up the situation.
When Jaya arrives, Prateek slaps her, but Inspector Manohar steps in, stopping him. He makes it clear to Prateek that it is now Jaya’s choice whether to go with him or not. Jaya firmly decides not to return with Prateek. The inspector threatens Prateek, ensuring that he will no longer trouble Jaya.
The inspector gives Jaya her jewelry back and tells her to go to Dehradun and pursue her studies. The scene changes as Jaya departs for Dehradun. Deepak’s friend expresses his feelings to Jaya through Deepak, asking her to write letters to him. The movie ends on this note.
