Mirza Ghalib

Emperor Bahadur Shah hosts a mushaira to showcase poets, but Mirza Ghalib's ghazals receive little applause. He reads his couplets in a dry, formal manner and even underplays his talent. The court and audience, including the Mufti and the Kotwal, watch with a mix of appreciation and dry sarcasm.

On his way home, Ghalib hears a woman singing one of his ghazals. The voice belongs to Moti Begum, a devotee who adores his poetry. He is touched by her enthusiasm and by her beauty.

Ghalib visits Moti Begum's house and is initially welcomed with ecstatic praise. She begins calling herself Chaudhvin Begum in his presence. He teases her about his poetry, testing her knowledge and loyalty.

The Kotwal returns with a ghazal transcript and identifies the mysterious guest as Ghalib. Moti is astonished to learn that her hero is the great poet himself. Ghalib's reluctance to reveal his fame adds irony to the moment.

Ghalib learns that Chaudhvin teaches ghazals to a poor mendicant who sings them for money. He returns to her and finds her embracing the Chaudhvin identity with shy reverence. Their connection deepens as he contemplates their shared fate.

Ghalib grapples with debt from the moneylender Mathuradas, who keeps pressing for payment. He tries to delay and fend him off, revealing the poet's fragile finances beneath his genius. The pressure of money contrasts with his growing fame.

Ghalib's wife, Umrao Begum, is devout and deeply patient, coping with infant loss and her husband's infidelities without complaint. She remains a steadfast partner, even suggesting he seek happiness elsewhere if needed. Her presence grounds him amid his emotional turmoil.

Kotwal Hashmat Khan pressures Chaudhvin's mother to wed her to him, offering a heavy bride price. Chaudhvin protests, as her love for Ghalib remains. The mother reluctantly agrees to proceed with the marriage.

In desperation, Chaudhvin writes a plea to Ghalib and attempts suicide to escape the impending marriage. The act jolts her mother into protective action and enrages the Kotwal. Ghalib becomes entangled in a dangerous struggle between duties and desires.

Ghalib borrows the required 2,000 rupees by gambling, risking his fortune. He wins and hands the sum to Chaudhvin's mother to block the marriage. This act shifts the balance of power away from the Kotwal.

Chaudhvin's mother, moved by her daughter's desperation and the suicide attempt, defies the Kotwal. She vows to protect Chaudhvin rather than marry her off. The Kotwal, humiliated, swears revenge on Ghalib.

Love between Ghalib and Chaudhvin deepens as they navigate social obstacles in a city evolving under British influence. Ghalib's poetic prestige clashes with his personal vulnerability, while Umrao Begum watches with jealousy and concern. The era's political changes frame the tragedy that awaits.

Chaudhvin's death marks the tragedy's culmination, underscoring the fatal combination of love, societal pressures, and a city in flux. Ghalib is left to grieve amid the era's upheaval and the loss of his muse. The story ends on a somber note of what love costs in tumultuous times.