A young boy, while leafing through a diary, uncovers the heartwarming tale of a nobleman from Jaisinghpur, Sartaj Rana, played by Raj Babbar. This story reveals a significant bond between Sartaj and a woman named Lovely, whose mother was saved by Sartaj during a tragic car accident that almost claimed her life. This act of heroism led to the birth of Lovely, who grows up with immense gratitude towards Sartaj for his benevolence.
One day, a desperate mother approaches Sartaj, pleading for his assistance in rescuing her teenage daughter, who has been kidnapped by a malevolent gang involved in sex trafficking. She claims that her brother, a worker on the ship MV Arun Sagar, is a part of the nefarious operation set to transport the young girls to Thailand. To make matters worse, Sartaj discovers that the police are colluding with the kidnappers. Determined to help, Sartaj engages a security firm run by Bindra, portrayed by Sharat Saxena, to send a team to break the girls free. However, instead of a full-fledged operation, Bindra sends in the capable yet unorthodox Lovely Singh, brilliantly brought to life by Salman Khan. Upon learning that it is Sartaj's mission, Lovely eagerly springs into action, single-handedly storming the docks. Showcasing superior fighting skills, he easily defeats the junior Mhatre brothers, played by Chetan Hansraj and Salim Baig, liberating the terrified girls from their captors' clutches.
Sartaj's heroic intervention incurs the wrath of the vicious Mhatre brothers, notably Ranjan and Vikrant, played by Mahesh Manjrekar and Aditya Pancholi, respectively. Feeling the heat of threats from the brothers, Sartaj makes a strategic decision to hire Lovely as a bodyguard for his college-going daughter, Divya, portrayed by Kareena Kapoor. With plans to marry Divya off to a suitor in London upon her graduation, Sartaj hopes to keep her safe.
In the background, Shekhar, played by Govardhan Asrani, manages Sartaj's estate, while Surinder Narender Milkha 'Tsunami' Singh, acted by Rajat Rawail, serves in the household. Meanwhile, Divya is mortified by the presence of Lovely as her bodyguard, feeling humiliated to have him trail her through college and even into the classroom. She despises the formal uniform he wears, which adds to her frustration. In a feisty attempt to rid herself of Lovely's watchful eye, Divya resorts to playful pranks—burning his uniform, only for Lovely to procure another one immediately.
In addition to serving as her bodyguard, Lovely takes on the role of self-defense instructor for Divya and her friend Maya, played by Hazel Keech. He subjects them to a rigorous fitness regime designed to empower them. As the tension between them builds, Divya concocts a fictitious woman named Chhaya to distract Lovely, bombarding him with phone calls professing her love. This tactic results in Lovely discarding his uniform in favor of casual clothes, much to Divya's relief.
However, what started as a mere prank spirals into something more profound as Lovely mistakenly believes Chhaya to be real and falls for her. Meanwhile, the Mhatre brothers are still on Divya's trail, and tensions rise when a confrontation occurs at a bar, resulting in one of Ranjan's brothers being killed by Lovely. Sartaj grows increasingly concerned for Divya's safety, yet Lovely reassures him that he will ensure her safe return once college classes are over.
As emotions intensify, Divya finds herself falling for Lovely and expresses her feelings through Chhaya. But in a twist of fate, she confides in Maya about her affection, who cautions her against revealing it to Lovely, believing he holds Sartaj in the highest regard and wouldn’t betray his trust. Divya, determined to win Lovely’s heart, leads him on, causing further complications when she insists on joining him for a meeting with Chhaya.
The plot thickens as Divya hides from Lovely, pretending to be Chhaya, leading him to believe that Divya has feelings for him but is too shy to meet him. This emotional manipulation ultimately seeks to dishearten Lovely to let go of his feelings for Chhaya. However, the loyal maid Savita, played by Reema Debnath, inadvertently overhears Divya mentioning Lovely’s name and informs Sartaj, escalating the drama.
In a gripping climax, divya hatches a plan to elope with Lovely, but her secret identity as Chhaya keeps her from revealing her true self. When Lovely refuses to meet her at the railway station, claiming he has a duty to escort Divya, confusion reigns, and Sartaj, misled by Savita's report, mistakenly believes Lovely is planning to steal Divya away. As the Mhatre brothers launch their revenge, Lovely bravely confronts them, eventually defeating them but not before Sartaj mistakenly believes he is the enemy.
In a moment of revelation, Divya intervenes just as Sartaj prepares to attack Lovely, explaining that he is in love with Chhaya, who awaits him. Sartaj, now understanding the situation, initially allows Lovely to meet Chhaya but discreetly sends an assassin to eliminate him if no one appears at the station. In a frantic bid to save her beloved, Divya sends Maya to the station, instructing her to deliver the truth about her identity to Lovely.
As fate would have it, in a twist, Maya decides to assume the identity of Chhaya while assuring Lovely of her affection. Fast-forwarding several years into the future, a now aged Sartaj reaches out to Lovely, who has a son and has suffered the loss of Maya to cancer. In this moment of closure, Sartaj reveals the truth about Divya's enduring love for Lovely, leading him to finally reunite with her after all these years. This heartfelt conclusion encapsulates the themes of love, sacrifice, and the enduring bonds that connect people across time and trials.
