Based upon the human rights violations by the police and the prison authorities in India during the emergency of 1975–1977, the film tells the story of Unnikrishnan, an ex-convict. Recently released from prison, Unnikrishnan relays his life story to fellow passengers on a bus. He tells of his orphan upbringing, career as a forest official, and love for a young woman named Thulasi, whom he promised he'd marry, before he was erroneously arrested for a crime he did not commit.

Many years ago, fate brought Ravi Chattana to a remote village, where he met and fell in love with Rita, a kind and responsive girl. But life separated the lovers. Years passed. Ravi married another woman and had a daughter. It seemed that nothing could cloud his family happiness. But an unexpected phone call and a subsequent meeting with the parish priest disrupt the peaceful life of the Chattana family: Ravi has a son, Raju, whose existence he was unaware of. The situation is further complicated by the fact that the boy's mother, Rita, has died, and now it is up to the father to take care of the boy and take him into his family. Inspired from novel Man, Woman and Child by Erich Segal.

A bank executive falls in love with his house owner's daughter and the relationship is acceptable to the two families. However, a fateful night changes everything.