Aradhana

Air Force officer Arun Varma sings 'Mere Sapno Ki Rani' as he winds through Darjeeling's hills in an open jeep. Vandana notices him from a passing train window and is instantly captivated. Over a few days of meetings, they fall in love and become engaged.

The couple chooses to wed in secrecy, exchanging garlands in a temple with God as the witness. They vow to have a formal ceremony later in front of relatives and friends. Their quiet union marks the beginning of a life they hope to build together.

Caught in a heavy downpour, Arun and Vandana take shelter by a flickering fire and grow intimate. Arun reassures Vandana that their bond will endure, telling her not to be ashamed of their love. He promises to return soon so they can marry properly.

Shortly after their vow, Arun dies in a plane crash, leaving Vandana devastated. She discovers she is pregnant with their child, a fact that complicates the families' reaction to her loss. The dual blow reshapes Vandana's future completely.

Arun's family cannot accept Vandana as his daughter-in-law, worsening Vandana's loneliness. Her father dies, leaving her destitute as she faces an uncertain future. The social and financial pressures tighten around her in the aftermath.

Vandana gives birth to Suraj and faces the impossible choice of giving him up for adoption. Hoping to reunite legally, she lets a childless couple adopt him, setting the stage for a future she cannot yet predict. Still, her bond with Suraj remains a guiding thread in her life.

Determined to stay part of Suraj's life, Vandana takes a job as a nanny in the adoptive family's home. She watches over him from a distance, balancing care with the ache of separation. The arrangement keeps their connection alive despite the separation.

The employer's brother-in-law attempts to molest Vandana when she is alone at the house, and Suraj intervenes by stabbing him to death. They flee, but the police arrive and Vandana takes the blame for the murder to protect Suraj. She is arrested, beginning a long separation from her son.

Years later, Vandana is released from prison and is introduced to the jailor's daughter, Renu. Vandana then meets Suraj again, now grown and a pilot, who senses a familiar history he cannot quite place. He falls for Renu, while Vandana grapples with the truth about his parentage and her own hidden past.

Suraj is injured in an air crash, mirroring the fate that once befell his father. He survives and begins a long recovery, surrounded by those who care for him. The crash rekindles questions about his parentage and the secrets that surround his life.

During Suraj's hospital recovery, Vandana meets Madan, who knows the truth about Arun and Vandana's romance. He is anxious to tell Suraj, but Vandana worries about the consequences of revealing their past. The truth lingers as a looming revelation.

While waiting by Vandana's side, Suraj secretly looks through papers and finds Arun's photograph. He realizes that Arun and Vandana are his true parents and understands his mother's sacrifices and courage. The moment marks the emotional convergence of the long-hidden past with Suraj's present.