Wajood

Malhar, a poor typist clerk's son, shines in college drama competitions and directs plays. He meets Apoorva, a rich student, and falls deeply in love. His father never appreciates his talent, leaving him hungry for recognition.

During Apoorva's Best Actress win, she calls Malhar onto the stage and credits him for her success. Malhar misreads the gesture as a confession of love, feeding his romantic fantasies. The misunderstanding sets the tone for their tangled relationship.

Around the same time, Apoorva and Nihal fall in love. Nihal's wealthy bureaucrat father pushes for their marriage. Malhar protests, convinced Apoorva would not choose Nihal.

In the confrontation over the engagement, Nihal's father dies accidentally. Malhar is jailed for the incident and loses his freedom. Apoorva's engagement to Nihal falters as his fate is sealed.

In jail, Malhar spends his days imagining a life where Apoorva and his father belong to one family. He envisions marrying Apoorva, having children, and living happily with both his father and Apoorva.

Malhar escapes from jail and begins a fast-money crime spree, seducing wealthy women and looting them. He finds Sofia as an accomplice, who helps him and eventually falls deeply in love with him. Yet his heart remains with Apoorva.

Nihal, now a police officer, confronts Apoorva, who has become a journalist, as they work to solve the mystery of the 'stranger murderer' in the city. The Police Commissioner pressures Nihal to arrest Malhar within 24 hours or risk dismissal.

Apoorva tells Malhar that her love has always been for Nihal, not for him. Disillusioned, Malhar contemplates the consequences of his obsession and the fragility of his dreams.

Sofia discovers that Malhar does not love her and is instead focused on Apoorva; she kills herself in despair. Malhar watches her death in silence, a stark reminder of the cost of his choices.

Malhar visits his father, has him type an apology/eulogy, and with Apoorva, stages a realistic play in the old theater. He uses a prop gun, catching Apoorva by surprise.

Nihal arrives at the theater with a gun, intending to protect Apoorva. He shoots and kills Malhar at the height of the performance, traumatizing Apoorva.

Nihal steps on a hidden prop gun, revealing the truth about the staged reality to both Apoorva and Malhar. They cry bitterly as the illusion collapses and the consequences of their lives crash in.

Apoorva closes the eyes of Malhar's dead body as the curtain falls. Malhar's father enters the stage, acknowledges his son's talent, and urges him to wake up and go with him.

The film ends with Apoorva and Nihal sitting on the stairs outside the drama stage, crying and consoling each other. The curtain shows the shadow of Malhar's head resting on his father's lap, symbolizing the final lesson and unresolved grief.