Akhtar Hussain saves the life of Nawab Salim and earns his gratitude. Salim invites Akhtar to come to his palatial home, and Akhtar does so. On the way in a train journey, he meets beautiful Sultanat and falls in love with her. On arrival at Salim's house, Akhtar is treated with utmost respect, provided employment, and a place to live. Akhtar meets with Saltanat and both plan to get married. Unknown to them, Salim also loves Saltanat, but Saltanat rejects his advances, and proposal, leaving him heartbroken. Soon Saltanat and Akhtar get married and settle down. Pyarelal Akhtars friend falls in love with Saltanats sister Geeta. Saltanat soon gives birth to a son. Salim is very affectionate with this child and the child to grows to like Salim. Akhtar, meanwhile, has fallen in bad company, drinks alcohol, and romances a courtesan named Firdous by the instigation of Nabban Miya(Ram Mohan). When Saltanat finds out about this affair, she is outraged and asks Akhtar to improve, but instead, Akhtar divorces her, leaving her and her child alone, homeless, and with nowhere to turn to. Salim offers to assist her, but Saltanat thinks that Salim is to blame for the current situation, as he may have had a hand in bringing ruin upon herself and Akhtar just to get even for her not marrying him. But soon Saltanat realized that she was wrong. Salim marries Saltanat to save her from people's wrong thinking about her. Meanwhile, Akhtar realizes that he has lost everything as courtesan rejects him for another man. But it was too late. One day Akhtar comes to Salims home to see his son for the last time as he is leaving the city and also for pardon from Saltanat. While leaving the house, Salim calls to Akhtar many times, but Akhtar runs away. Running behind Akhtar, Salim suffers a road accident and dies in the arms of Akhtar and Saltanat. After many years, when Saltanat's son is going abroad to be a doctor, all the family visits Salim's grave. Near the grave, there was an old man who used to clean the garbage near the grave for many years. He was none other than Akhtar Hussain...