A Labrador puppy escapes from the house of a breeder where many dogs have been caged and tortured. The pup's journey leads it to the Chinmaya colony in Mysore, where Dharma lives as a loner, keeping to himself and earning the fear of the neighbors. His days are spent at a factory, with occasional fights, alcohol, smoke, and a steady view of Charlie Chaplin films on the TV.
As an orphan, he lost his parents and sister in a car crash that, ironically, involved a dog, sealing a life of routine and isolation. A musical fest at the colony disturbs his sleep and, in a fit of rage, he destroys the band instruments. The stray dog quietly observes and begins to follow him, recognizing him as a potential guardian.
The puppy takes shelter in a dustbin outside his house, scavenges the leftover idli, and tries to catch his attention to no avail. One day, the dog follows him and ends up in a road accident. Moved by the sight, Dr. Ashwin advises taking the dog to the hospital and letting it stay with Dharma until an adopter comes forward, even suggesting obtaining a dog license, despite the colony’s initial resistance.
Reluctantly, Dharma agrees, and a bond slowly forms. He names the dog Charlie after Charlie Chaplin and begins caring for her alongside a child in the colony named Adrika (Adi).
When Charlie collapses, doctors reveal she is suffering from cancer—hemangiosarcoma of the spleen—an outcome linked to the breeder’s cruel breeding and ongoing torture, especially since she is a female dog. Dharma learns Charlie’s true name, Keaton, from a vet’s footage, confirming the abuse she endured. He tracks down the breeder and confronts him, leading to his arrest while animal welfare teams work to rescue the other dogs.
Animal welfare volunteer Devika, initially cautious, follows the case and grows sympathetic toward Dharma. Through her, Dharma meets Karshan Roy, who promises to publish his story in a magazine. The journey then takes them to Punjab, where they meet Vamsinadhan, a Tamil dog lover, and his dog Blacky. Dharma and Charlie participate in a dog show, with Charlie’s long jump wowing the crowd and Dharma earning their admiration as they press onward—Dharma even sells his bike to keep going when funds run dry.
Along the way, Dharma discovers Charlie was pregnant with Blacky’s litter, though the puppies did not survive. A bus journey is interrupted by a landslide, and an army officer agrees to transport Charlie to Kashmir. The two continue their trek, sharing snowy moments and returning to their camp. The next day, Charlie goes missing again; after a long search, Dharma finds her at a temple, resting in his lap, and she dies in his arms. Grief-stricken, he discovers a surviving puppy hidden in the temple—Charlie’s daughter—left behind by her mother, a sign that Dharma cannot bear such loss alone.
Months later, Dharma, with Devika, Adrika, and the colony, inaugurates an animal rescue and shelter in Charlie’s memory. He reads an article chronicling their journey and stands beside Charlie’s memorial. The final scene shows Charlie’s own puppy, also named Charlie, who carries forward the playful, restless spirit of her mother.
