Young Krishna is abandoned at the Apollo Circus by his mother, who informs him that he can only return home when he can afford ₹500 for his brother's bicycle that he destroyed. The circus leaves Krishna behind and he travels to Bombay, where he delivers tee and befriends a heroin addict and a young prostitute. Krishna dreams of saving ₹500 to return home, but Bombay street life isn't easy.

A young woman leads impoverished chikan embroidery workers in Lucknow in a strike against the greedy wholesalers who exploit them.