Rhoma’s father, Subrata, a businessman living in Bandung, expects his son to be an Economics graduate. Rhoma instead pursues his love of music, which is considered lowly by his father. This often causes conflict between them and Rhoma is finally thrown out of the house. So Rhoma travels to Jakarta and calls himself Budi. He lives with a group of street musicians and when one of his friends is seriously ill and needs money for medical treatment, his father rejects his call for help. So he grabs the bag of Ani, who is looking after his father’s paperwork. Budi pays for his friend’s treatment and returns the important papers to Ani. Budi’s friend dies, but Ani and her parents sympathise with him. Budi is hired as a personal driver for Ani. Love grows between them. Meanwhile, Subrata follows his wife’s suggestion to match Ani to Rhoma, with the hope that Rhoma’s attitude will change after marriage.

Rhoma, aka Budi, a vagabond again, is hit by a motorcyclist on a rainy day. Budi is taken back by friends and treated. Meanwhile, Ani finally finds the sick Budi. They then meet often causing Surya to become suspicious and he finally catches them together at Budi’s place. Ani is forced home. Budi urges his friends to stop playing music on the street like beggars. He becomes a taxi driver while some of his friends sell newspapers or work as construction workers. Then Budi disguises himself with a thick moustache and sunglasses and goes to Ani’s house as a piano teacher. Now Ani and Budi can be together freely in her house. Meanwhile, a taxi passenger hears Budi singing to himself and offers musical instruments that he just bought. Budi forms a dangdut (traditional Indonesian music) group with his friends and calls it Soneta, which quickly gains success.

Rhoma is a successful musician, while his elder brother, Dendy, is a successful engineer. Then Rhoma starts a relationship with Rika, the daughter of Alwi, who is the best friend of Rhoma’s father, Hadi. One day, Hadi comes to ask Alwi for Rika’s hand in marriage. Rika mistakenly thinks that proposal comes from Rhoma, but it is Dendy who is proposing. Rhoma, who is currently having a show out of town, is very happy to hear about his brother’s engagement. He decides to rush home, even when his contract with the show has not yet completed. But Rhoma gets into an accident and loses his sight. So when he meets Rika, who has changed her name to Mira, he does not recognise her, not even from her voice. When Rhoma is recovering at the end of his treatment, Rika runs away. When she crosses the street, she is hit by a car and dies. Rhoma is there to witness it all.

Rhoma finds Camelia, a desperate girl attempting suicide, as she can no longer bear the physical and emotional torture from her stepmother, Joice, who accuses her of stealing a diamond. After being saved, she becomes good friends with Rhoma. Rhoma invites her to live with him by disguising her as a mute boy. But Rhoma’s mother sees through this disguise and throws her out of the house. Rhoma returns home after signing a contract for a show. He manages to convince his mother to accept her back. Then he searches everywhere for Camelia but he cannot find her. Sadly, Camelia has been tricked by Joice’s friends into being a prostitute. In the brothel, Camelia sees her stepmother. Rhoma reports Joice to Camelia’s father, who then informs the police. Joice is arrested and Camelia goes home with Rhoma’s mother.

While driving his car, Rhoma sees some car robbers in action. He notifies the police through radio and directly confronts the robbers. Shortly after, the police arrive and arrest the robbers. As a result, Rhoma and his wife are persecuted. Their son, Dedi, is kidnapped and they are asked for ransom. Rhoma does not inform the police for fear of his son’s safety. He carries the ransom by himself which they consider too small. They demand that Rhoma robs a bank. This incident shocks the public, especially when several newspapers label Rhoma as the ringleader. Rhoma is furious. He cooperates with the police to apprehend the gang of robbers.

Rhoma is too preoccupied with his music, which makes his wife, Ani, feel neglected. Then Ani falls ill and suffers from blindness. Concerned for his wife’s condition, Rhoma leaves his music and starts to look after livestock in the village instead. Pursuing a business that he knows little about is difficult. Then other farmers dislike the competition he represents that leads to disputes and fights. Finally, Rhoma decides to return to the music world.