In the small Indian village of Nandgaon, Uttar Pradesh, a group of women faces the daily ordeal of finding a secluded place to defecate in the open. Keshav Sharma, portrayed by Akshay Kumar, finds himself in a rather peculiar situation; as the son of the superstitious priest Pandit Vimalnath Sharma played by Sudhir Pandey, he is compelled to marry a black buffalo to change his fortunes. However, fate takes a different turn when Keshav meets the educated and ambitious Jaya Sharma, portrayed by Bhumi Pednekar, and falls for her.
After winning Jaya's heart and convincing her to marry him, Keshav finds himself in a bind when his father's traditional beliefs come into play. Panditji insists that Keshav's horoscope demands that he marries a girl who has two thumbs on her left hand. To satisfy this strange requirement, Keshav gets Jaya an artificial thumb, which she wears as a ring, allowing their wedding to proceed under false pretenses.
On her first day in Keshav's household, Jaya is faced with the reality of the village's sanitation issues. Reluctant but hopeful, she steps out to relieve herself but returns frustrated and upset after her experience. Despite Keshav's efforts to provide temporary solutions—including a neighbor's portable toilet and a train that makes a brief stop—Jaya's insistence on having a proper toilet leads to constant conflicts. After a particularly humiliating incident when she gets locked in a train toilet, Jaya decides to leave Keshav and return to her parents.
Determined to change the circumstances, Keshav seeks the help of Jaya to petition the local authorities for a proper toilet in their yard. The construction begins, but Keshav’s father attempts to sabotage the project in an effort to uphold his beliefs. Fortunately, Keshav wakes up just in time to salvage the toilet from destruction, showcasing his commitment to both Jaya and the cause.
Jaya, fueled by her frustration, files for divorce, citing the lack of a toilet as her reason. The case garners significant media attention, prompting local politicians and government agencies to act swiftly to address the issues of sanitation in Keshav's village. However, Keshav’s father remains obstinate until a tragic incident forces him to reconsider. His own mother, played by Shubha Khote, injures herself on her way to the fields and makes a poignant plea for the toilet Keshav built. This moment catalyzes a change in perspective for Keshav's father, as he finally recognizes the necessity of having a toilet at home.
As the divorce hearing approaches, the Chief Minister’s office intervenes, urging the judge to postpone any ruling until toilets are built in the village. On that day, Keshav and Jaya emerge from court with smiles, free from the constraints of divorce, ready to tackle their future together. Their journey exemplifies the struggle for basic sanitation rights, and in the film's final scenes, the villagers are depicted joyfully utilizing mobile toilets while the construction of permanent facilities begins throughout Nandgaon.
This heartfelt tale not only emphasizes the critical issue of sanitation in rural India but also highlights the power of love and determination in the face of deeply ingrained traditions and societal norms.
