Shankar Rai alias Bhola lives a wealthy lifestyle, is fond of hunting, not very interested in learning English, and has a close friend in Banwariya alias Madhumati. She re-locates to live elsewhere and he grows up with his family, which includes his father Diwan Jaswant; mother; and maternal cousin, Suresh, who is older by about six months. Since both are of marriageable age, a marriage broker, Ram Bharose, arranges Shankar and Suresh's marriage with none other than Madhumati, the sister of Advocate Gopinath; and Shanta, the daughter of retired Magistrate Thakur Mahendra Singh, respectively. Following tradition of not permitting couples to meet each other, the duo switch places to meet and approve of the to-be brides. While Shankar approves of Shanta, Suresh falls head-over-heels in love with Madhumati and creates circumstances that compel her to marry him, while Shanta marries Shankar. While Madhumati and Suresh settle down in a harmonious relationship, Shanta is shocked to find that her husband cannot read nor write English, and leaves him. Shankar is persuaded to bring her back, but while doing so, is humiliated by her and her father. He then starts to self-destruct after he finds out that Banwariya is none other than Madhumati.