Year: 1951
Runtime: 137 mins
Language: Hindi
Director: Ram Daryani
After a plane crash leaves Dr. Motilal (Dilip Kumar) stranded in a village, a blind elder named Surdas offers him refuge and introduces him to his lively daughter Tarana (Madhubala). As Motilal recuperates, he becomes enchanted by Tarana’s innocence and playful spirit, leading to a tender, growing affection amid the village’s simple life.
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After a plane crash, Dr. Motilal is left stranded in a small village, where he is sheltered by a blind old man named Surdas and his playful, young daughter Tarana. During their stay, Motilal grows fond of Tarana’s gentle charm and genuine warmth, and a quiet, heartfelt connection begins to form between them. He even helps Surdas regain his eyesight through a delicate operation, a deed that deepens the bond among them and sets a hopeful tone for the village.
Meanwhile, Motilal’s father has arranged a marriage for him to a wealthy city girl named Sheela without Motilal’s knowledge. In the village, a powerful local man named Totaram covets Tarana for himself and resents her closeness with Motilal. On a sightseeing outing, Totaram stirs trouble by spreading false rumors that Tarana has defiled herself by spending time with the outsider Motilal, twisting the truth to suit his own ambitions.
As the days pass, Motilal falls ill and collapses, and Tarana rushes to his side. A fierce thunderstorm drives them to seek shelter in a barn on the outskirts of the village. Totaram gathers the villagers, Surdas, and Tarana’s family to confront the pair. When Surdas discovers Motilal and Tarana inside the barn, he mistakenly believes Tarana has betrayed him and Tarana’s reputation is dragged through the mud. Motilal is beaten and driven away, and Tarana faces a looming social crisis.
Totaram amplifies the false narrative by claiming Tarana is pregnant and even bribes a nurse named Kaneshi to testify to this lie. He then pressures Surdas to marry Tarana off to him, offering to shoulder the blame himself. Surdas, misled by fear and anger, begins to doubt his daughter’s innocence. In a moment of rage, he sets Tarana’s house ablaze, trapping her inside. A guilty Totaram admits his deceit, and a devastated Surdas realizes his grave mistake and rushes to Tarana’s aid, only to perish in the attempt.
Motilal, returning to the city heartbroken, believes Tarana is dead and tries to resume his life. It is Sheela who offers him the strength to rebuild, and he grows into a highly successful doctor, yet Tarana’s memory lingers, refusing to fade. He clings to the stubborn hope that Tarana might still be alive, even as he agrees, under family pressure, to a life with Sheela.
On the day of his marriage, Motilal cannot ignore the pull of the past. He travels back to the old barn, hoping to find Tarana once more. To his immense relief, Tarana appears alive and well, though she initially fears he has moved on. Once she learns that he is not bound to another marriage, happiness returns to their faces. The lovers’ reunion marks a reaffirmation of their bond, and the story closes on a note that true love endures even against overwhelming odds.
Last Updated: October 09, 2025 at 12:39
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