The storyline of Jalsa centers on two women with very different lives: Maya Menon (Balan), a journalist dedicated to exposing hidden truths, and Rukhsana (Shah), a working-class woman who assists Maya as her housekeeper while also caring for Maya’s differently-abled son, Ayush (Surya Kasibhatla).
One night, after a long day of work, Maya falls asleep behind the wheel of her car and ends up hitting a pedestrian. Initially, she stops, but startled by the sight of another pedestrian, she panics and leaves the scene without ensuring the victim receives any help.
Two women, one truth, and a struggle that will change everything (Photo: Jalsa/Abundantia Entertainment and T-Series)It is later revealed that the person Maya struck was Rukhsana’s daughter, Alia (Kashish Rizwan). This revelation brings discomfort to Rukhsana, as she has no understanding of why her daughter was out at such a late hour, nor can she explain what she was doing in that area when the accident occurred.
Maya, overwhelmed by the guilt of hiding the truth, struggles with her journalistic ethics, but the fear of ruining her reputation as a journalist leads her to take action. To ease her conscience, she makes sure that Alia is admitted to the best hospital available.
The Investigation
Rukhsana soon finds herself approached by the police, who offer a substantial sum of money in exchange for her silence. When a young journalist named Rohini (Vidhatri Bandi) hears about the situation, she begins her investigation and uncovers the identity of the person responsible for the accident.
Her pursuit leads her to the police officers who had approached Rukhsana, and she discovers that, just an hour before the accident, they had been captured on CCTV taking a bribe – a piece of evidence that could incriminate Maya.
The senior police officer, who is about to retire and has a wedding to pay for, is desperate to keep the matter out of the public eye. He pressures the people who bribed him for money, passing it on to Rukhsana.
Rohini records the police officer’s confession on video, but she is stopped by the network head, who doesn’t want the scandal involving Maya to come to light.
Fearing the damage it could cause, especially regarding his secret relationship with Maya, the network head forces Rohini to hand over the evidence, which he then gives to Maya, telling her she should consider herself fortunate to have avoided the consequences.
Devastated by the gravity of her actions and their impact, Maya chooses to resign from her job and attempts to confess to Rukhsana.
The Climax
Rukhsana, having learned that Maya was the one responsible for nearly killing her daughter, interprets the monetary payout as a silent agreement for her to remain silent. She goes to the Menon household and requests to speak with Maya.
Maya’s mother (Rohini Hattangadi) dismissively tells Rukhsana to complete her work and adds that Rukhsana should forget about the accident, as the Menons have already done much for her.
This show of entitlement from Maya’s mother pushes Rukhsana to her breaking point, and she leaves the house, taking Maya’s son with her while leaving behind the money she had been given. Maya, in a panic, rushes to the beach, where Rukhsana has taken her son.
Caught in traffic, she is surprised to find her son and Rukhsana sitting by the water.
It becomes clear that Rukhsana’s actions were not an attempt to harm Maya’s son, but rather a symbolic gesture, forcing Maya to experience, even if just for a short time, the helplessness that parents from less privileged backgrounds feel when their children are at risk.
Rukhsana has spent more time with Maya’s son than Maya herself, and through this experience, she ensures Maya understands the profound fear of potentially losing a child.
