Beta

After his mother's death, Raju is brought up by his dad, who eventually realizes he can't bring him up on his own, so he marries Laxmi, who is a devious and cunning woman. Soon after the marriage, she has her brother Totara, and his wife Menavati, move in. Both brother and sister plan to get her husband certified as mentally deranged and have him locked up in a room; they succeed at this. Raju is brought up without any education and skills, and works on the estate like other labourers. When Raju grows up, he is very devoted to his stepmother, who wants him to marry an illiterate girl so that she can continue to rule over them. But Raju marries Laxmi, who is educated, and shrewd enough to know that Raju is being taken advantage of. When Laxmi intervenes on Raju's behalf, she is humiliated and asked to leave by Raju himself. Laxmi must now decide to stay and face the risk of more abuse, or leave and begin life anew.