Ramnath "Ramu" Gupta's father, a factory worker, dies in an accident. When the factory refuses to pay the compensation due, his mother faints from shock and falls down the stairs. Ramu is also injured in an accident and becomes crippled. After being thrown out of his home, he roams the streets of Mumbai, penniless and broken.
There he meets Mohan [Sudhir Kumar], a blind boy with a similar hard background. Mohan's sister Meena has left for Mumbai to work as a nurse to pay for her brother's treatment. Mohan eventually left the village after his caretaker died.
Ramu is skilled at playing the harmonica, while Mohan excels at singing. They form a street duo, performing on the road to earn coins from passersby. They soon befriend a young girl, Manjula [Farida Dadi], sister of a wealthy man, Ashok [Sanjay Khan]. Manjula suffers from rheumatic heart disease, and the two boys hope she might help them change their fortunes.
The two friends visit Manjula and ask for a loan of sixty rupees—the exact amount needed for Ramu's admission to school. Manjula's brother rebuffs them and offers only five rupees. Feeling insulted, Mohan raises the rest by singing. Ramu is admitted to the school after an impressive entrance test. They move to a new house in a slum after someone tries to steal their savings while they sleep on the footpath. Their new neighbor, Mausi [Leela Mishra], lives with her teenage daughter and son, and warmly raises them as her own.
In school, Ramu shines academically despite being the regular target of ridicule by wealthier students who view him as a “street beggar.” The Headmaster [Abhi Bhattacharya] and the School Teacher [Nana Palsikar] look after him, and Sharma Ji eventually declares himself Ramu's guardian. When Sharma Ji visits Ramu's house, he notices the poor living conditions and suggests that Ramu move in with him, but Ramu refuses to leave Mohan.
One day, while singing, Mohan hears Ashok calling out to Meena and rushes to embrace his long‑lost sister, but she is ashamed of Mohan's beggar state and refuses to recognize him. Meena is looking after Manjula, and a budding romance develops between her and Ashok. Meena confesses to him, and he consoles her that she will be with her brother soon.
Mohan senses Manjula while sleeping and tells Ramu about it. The two decide to visit her, but she dies. Ashok brings Mohan home one day and gives him Manjula's chime as a remembrance. When he tries to tell Mohan about Meena, Mohan lashes out in rage and says that he feels alone in the world save for his friend Ramu.
Soon after, Ramu gets into trouble with some ruffians and is mistakenly arrested during a burglary. Sharma Ji goes to the police station and bails out Ramu on the condition that he will live with Sharma Ji and cut off contact with Mohan. Mohan, heartbroken, decides to visit him, but Sharma Ji does not allow him to talk to Mohan. Sad, Mohan roams the streets singing.
Sharma Ji suddenly dies, leaving Ramu devastated. Ramu is unable to pay the final exam fees and contemplates not taking the test. Mohan hears of this and decides to raise the money by singing in the streets, despite his ill health. He succeeds in earning the money and pays the fees without Ramu’s knowledge before falling ill and being admitted to the hospital. Meena cares for Mohan as he recuperates.
Ramu places first in the exams and learns of Mohan's sacrifice. He rushes to the hospital to seek forgiveness, where Mohan tells him that he was never angry. The doctor informs Mohan about Meena, and Mohan forgives her. The movie ends with all of them in a loving embrace.
