In the 1990s, Hurdang centers on an aspiring IAS officer, Sunny Kaushal as Daddu Thakur, who finds himself pulled into the sweeping student protests sparked by the Mandal Commission’s recommendations for caste-based reservations in government jobs and educational institutions. Daddu’s pursuit of a prestigious career is intertwined with a personal drive to win the heart of Jhulan, a determined and ambitious woman who shares his dream of public service, Nushrratt Bharuccha as Jhulan. Their relationship is volatile and passionate, littered with frequent breakups and reconciliations, as Jhulan remains disciplined and focused on her studies while Daddu often acts on impulse.
Daddu’s ambition takes a dangerous turn when he decides that a top civil service score could secure Jhulan’s hand, and he partners with Loha Bhaiya, a local strongman with political ambitions, Vijay Varma. Loha helps him leak examination papers in exchange for a cut of the profits he makes selling them to other students. As nationwide tensions rise with the government led by V. P. Singh announcing the Mandal Commission’s reservations, Loha spots a chance to leverage the unrest for political gain and pressures Daddu to step into a leadership role in organizing and intensifying protests on their university campus.
Amid the political storm, Jhulan grows wary of Daddu’s misguided priorities and pulls away, ultimately agreeing to an arranged marriage with a naïve IAS officer. On the day the protests peak and Daddu is arrested, Jhulan is preparing for the wedding, leaving him to face a future that seems increasingly uncertain. Daddu manages a dramatic escape from custody by disguising himself as a police officer, and he soon learns that Jhulan has drugged her would-be husband and fled.
Reunited, they seek refuge at Loha’s house, where the complicating web of loyalties begins to unravel. Loha urges Daddu to make one final public appearance to rally the students, but his true intent is far darker: to kill Daddu during the protest. The plan is discovered by Daddu’s best friend, who sacrifices himself to save Daddu. Confronted with Loha’s treachery, Daddu turns the tables and kills both Loha and his brother in a dramatic confrontation.
The film closes on a defiant note as Daddu and Jhulan set off to meet the President of India, carrying a petition to halt the Mandal Commission’s recommendations and challenge a system that tested their loyalties, love, and courage.
