Dhruv Shikhar [Rajkummar Rao] is an orphan who once chipped away at life behind the counter of Purshottam Mishra's Dhaba. Years later, he reinvents himself as an entrepreneur and finds himself drawn to Anya Mehra [Kriti Sanon], whom he first crosses paths with at the launch of his virtual reality app. What starts as a spark of friendship soon grows into something steadier as they meet again and again, sharing moments that hint at a possible future together. Dhruv learns that Anya longs for a husband who comes from a loving family, and she even dreams of having an adopted dog as part of that picture.
Anya’s past adds a heavy undertone to her hopes. Her parents, Anand Mehra and Yamini Mehra, are no longer in the picture, having died in a theatre fire when she was seven. She is cared for by her aunt, Rupa Mehra, and her uncle, Dr. Sanjeev Mehra, a pair who offer a sense of family she has long craved. This history shapes how she views family, security, and the idea of belonging, even as she discovers the possibility of building a new one with Dhruv.
Determined to win her hand, Dhruv enlists the help of his loyal circle: his best friend Sandeep "Shunty" Sachdeva, and Joginder Arora, known as Shaadiram. Together they hatch a bold plan: to present a convincing, if unconventional, fake family that would appear to fit Anya’s longing for a complete clan. The scheme centers on Purshottam Mishra stepping in as Dhruv’s father and Deepti Kashyap acting as his mother, with Shunty and Shaadiram handling the surrounding arrangements and cover stories. The idea is risky, but Dhruv clings to the belief that a believable family facade might unlock the future he desires with Anya.
The initial attempt to situate Purshottam as the fake father hits a wall, yet a new thread emerges from Dhruv’s past fixation: Deepti Kashyap, his long-ago love who he never managed to win over, resurfaces as a possible co-conspirator in this façde. After some persuasion, she agrees to step in as the pretend mother, offering a glimmer of legitimacy to the plan. Purshottam, moved by the idea of giving Dhruv a chance at happiness, agrees to pose as a father, cementing the trio’s makeshift family unit in the eyes of those they hope to impress.
With the stage set, Dhruv’s faux family meets Anya’s parents and a fluttering tension fills the room as a few carefully crafted lies begin to weave a portrait of a real, functional household. The pretend clan makes its way toward a wedding that would seemingly seal Dhruv and Anya’s bond. Yet the moment of truth arrives with an unintended revelation: Dhruv’s orphan status and the manufactured family behind him begin to unravel the illusion. On the sangeet night, the dishonest ruse is exposed, and Anya’s family abruptly calls off the engagement, deciding that the match is not viable after all.
As the wedding plans crumble, Anya’s family moves to secure a different path for her future, arranging another marriage with someone else. Meanwhile, Dhruv and his improvised family—the people who had lived together as one unit for a while—find themselves continuing to behave, and perhaps to feel, like a real family. The emotional weight of being found out and the sense of loss that follows push Dhruv to confront the consequences of his choices and the ache of letting go of a future he had imagined.
The fallout also prompts a more open-hearted confrontation with the Mehra family. Dhruv’s parents—Purshottam and Deepti—seek to make amends and approach the Mehra household to explain everything, only to be met with humiliation at the hands of Dr. Sanjeev Mehra. The setback forces Dhruv to face the hurt their actions have caused and to reevaluate what truly matters when a person longs for love and acceptance.
In the end, it is Kanika Mehra, Anya’s younger sister, who helps reveal the truth that Dhruv has carried in his heart all along. Kanika recognizes that Dhruv’s willingness to build a whole family from scratch—purely to win Anya’s love—speaks to a depth of devotion and a sense of responsibility that makes him the right match for her sister. She steps forward with a bold proposal, and Dhruv, moved by her faith and the effort he has invested, accepts. The two of them marry, turning a tale of deception into a testament to the enduring power of chosen family and steadfast commitment.
This story hinges on the tension between dreams of a perfect family and the messy, imperfect reality of how people come to belong to one another. It explores how far someone is willing to go for love, and how the bonds that emerge from honesty, even after missteps, can be deeply meaningful. Through Dhruv’s journey—from orphan to would-be groom to husband—audiences witness a portrait of longing, reconciliation, and ultimately the decision that a true family is not merely built, but earned, with patience, courage, and faith in the heart at the center of it all.
