Mother India

In 1957, the irrigation canal to the village is completed, and Radha is asked to inaugurate it. As she stands before the gathered villagers, she also recalls her early days as a newly married woman. The moment sets up her status as the village's mother and the stakes of her later choices.

Radha's wedding is financed by her mother-in-law who borrows money from the moneylender Sukhilala. The village elders decide the loan's terms in the moneylender's favor, and the couple must repay a heavy share of their future harvest. The debt introduces a looming dependency that shapes Radha's life.

Shamu toils to bring more rocky land under cultivation to improve their fortunes. An accident crushes his arms when a boulder traps him, leaving him powerless. Humiliated by Sukhilala for living off Radha's earnings, he abandons his family and disappears toward an uncertain fate.

Soon after Shamu's departure, Radha's mother-in-law dies, followed by the death of Radha's youngest son. The double loss deepens Radha's isolation and hardens her resolve. The village begins to feel the weight of the new hardship.

A severe storm and flood devastate the village, destroying houses and crops. In the chaos, Sukhilala offers to save Radha and her children if she trades her body for food, a dehumanizing choice she refuses. The tragedy is intensified when Radha loses her infant to the storm.

Initial evacuation gives way to resolve as Radha urges the villagers to remain and rebuild their lives. Her leadership steadies the community and begins the slow recovery from disaster. The village's spirit hinges on her determination.

Several years pass and Radha's two surviving sons, Birju and Ramu, are now young men. Birju harbors bitterness from the family’s burdens and harasses village girls, while Ramu settles into an ordinary life and marries. The siblings' futures diverge as the village depends on Radha's strength.

Birju's anger spills over as he pests village girls, especially Sukhilala's daughter Rupa. His mischief escalates until he attacks Sukhilala and steals Radha's kangan, which had been pawned to the moneylender. He is driven out of the village and becomes a bandit, nursing his grievance.

On Rupa's wedding day, Birju returns with a gang to exact his revenge on Sukhilala. He kills the moneylender and abducts Rupa, triggering a chase to prevent further bloodshed. The village is thrown into chaos as the feud erupts into violence.

Radha confronts the escalating danger and vows not to allow Birju to harm Sukhilala's family again. She asserts her maternal authority and anchors a fragile peace within the community. The vow foreshadows the confrontation that follows.

When Birju attempts to flee the village on his horse, Radha shoots him and ends his terror. He dies in her arms, a climactic moment that seals the feud. The act marks Radha's uncompromising protection of her family and village.

In 1957, Radha opens the gate of the canal and its reddish water flows into the fields. The village finally sees the fruits of the long struggle to secure water and land. The scene closes the arc of Radha's endurance and leadership.