Raj Batra Irrfan Khan is a successful boutique owner who enjoys life in the old Delhi neighbourhood of Chandni Chowk with his wife Meeta Neha Dhupia and their vibrant 5-year-old daughter Pia Dishita Sehgal. The family dreams of giving Pia a seat at a prestigious English-medium school in Delhi, so they set their sights on Delhi Grammar School, widely regarded as the best in the city. But the school’s strict rule requires that students live within a 3-km radius, which complicates their plan. As they chase this goal, a related thread shows Raj and Meeta adjusting their lifestyle—moving into a posh villa in Vasant Vihar and attempting to refine their manners and appearance to fit into a higher social circle. A consultant, Saumya Tillotama Shome, is brought in to coach them for the admission interview, yet their limited command of English becomes a hurdle, and Pia’s application is rejected.
The story takes a sharper turn when they learn, through an employee, that his daughter has secured admission through the RTE quota—a scheme intended to help children from poorer families get into top schools. A sting operation later reveals that some affluent parents are gaming the quota for their own gain. In response, Raj and Meeta relocate to Bharat Nagar, a nearby slum, for a month and pretend to be poor. There, they form a tentative friendship with Shyam Prakash Deepak Dobriyal and Tulsi Prakash Swati Das, who hope their son Mohan will win a place at Delhi Grammar through the RTE quota. The couple learns to live as truly needy people, and Raj even joins Shyam at work for a time. Pia’s admission finally arrives, but Mohan’s application is rejected.
Returning to their life in Vasant Vihar, Raj and Meeta decide to make a public-minded gesture by donating to Bharat Nagar Government School to renovate it and provide new books. Shyam and Tulsi, moved by this act and by watching their son grow fluent in English, begin to search for the donor’s identity to express their thanks. When Shyam follows clues to the donor’s address in Vasant Vihar, he uncovers the truth about Raj’s deceit. He intends to tell the Delhi Grammar School’s principal, Lodha Singhania, about what happened, but he is drawn into Pia’s world and has an emotional moment with her, choosing not to reveal everything to the principal. This leaves Raj torn between guilt and responsibility.
In a final turn, Raj goes to the principal and asks for Pia’s admission to be revoked, choosing to come clean about the misrepresentation. The principal, however, does not reinstate Pia. Raj then gatecrashes the Annual Day function and delivers a pointed speech about the role of English in India and education rights, a moment that is met with silence—save for Meeta’s quiet support. As the event ends, Raj and Meeta reveal to the principal their intent to enroll Pia at Bharat Nagar Government School so that she can study alongside Mohan, signaling a different path for their daughter’s education and a new chapter in their understanding of merit and opportunity.
- The narrative threads are anchored by supporting moments involving Raj’s neighbor Jaspal Sharma and the presence of Pia Dishita Sehgal as the driving force behind every decision.
- The film also features Amrita Singh as Principal Lodha Singhania, whose decision at the end shapes the final course of Pia’s education.
- Throughout, the emotional tug-of-war between ethics, ambition, and parental love remains the core, highlighted by the evolving relationships and the moral reckoning faced by Raj and Meeta.
