Bharat

In 2010, Bharat Kumar, a shopkeeper in Delhi refuses to part with his store despite lucrative offers. On his 70th birthday, he tells his past to his grandniece, and the film goes into flashback.

Partition, 1947

When Bharat was just 7, his parents and siblings board a train to India with many refugees for safety from Pakistan’s terrible riots. Bharat loses his baby sister “Gudia” in the chaos. Their father, Gautam, stays there to search for Gudia, after Bharat promises to care for the family. He moves to the imported goods store of Gautam’s sister Jamuna and her husband Keemat Rai Kapoor, and meets a roadside circus worker, Radha. They two fall in love, and join The Great Russian Circus.

17 years later (1964)

Bharat has attained a lot of fame in the years he spent at circus. His brother Chote suffers an accident while trying to emulate him. Bharat bids a tearful goodbye to Radha. He and his friend, Vilayati, look for jobs when the country is shocked due to Nehru’s death.

11 years later (1975)

Bharat joins Indian migrants prompted by oil discovery in Saudi Arabia to earn money for his sister Mehek’s marriage. There he falls in love with his chief engineer Kumud, who asks him for marriage. Bharat refuses, thinking it would come in his way of fulfilling Gautam’s promise. Back in India, Kumud announces her love for him. They begin a live-in relationship.

8 years later (1983)

Jamuna dies; Bharat starts working as a stationmaster. During 1983 Cricket World Cup, Keemat plans to sell the store in need of money, but later offers Bharat to buy it, as the latter refuses to sell it to anyone and still hopes Gautam will come back. With Vilayati, Bharat leaves India as a sailor for 8 months and earns money to buy the store.

12 years later (1995)

After economic liberalization in India and globalization, Kumud becomes the creative director of newly formed Zee TV and runs a program to unite the relatives separated during the partition. Due to this Bharat converses with Meher, a London citizen adopted by a British family during the partition, and realizes she is Gudia, who returns to India. An emotional reunion ensues. Janki dies; Bharat hopes to find Gautam also.

Present day (2010)

Bharat decides to sell the store, which he stubbornly refused to do despite losses. Before reaching the train, Gautam promised he will unite with him at store, explaining why Bharat held on to the store for so long. He realizes Gautam is probably too old to survive still. He sees a vision of him, assuring Bharat kept his promise and asking him to move on. Tearful, he finally marries Kumud and moving on.