Chaudhary Shambhunath (Balraj Sahni) considers the accumulation of wealth to be more important than education. He condones his sister's inattention at school and consequently she grows up "anpadh" (illiterate). When she finds herself married to a bibliophile her problems really begin. Unable to read the poetry her husband loves and being a rotten cook too, she becomes despised by her husband and her in-laws. Circumstances conspire to leave her homeless, husbandless and pregnant. Narrowly escaping from the attentions of a panderer she falls amongst friends and, with the birth of her daughter, she starts on the long road to redemption. An entertaining plea for education in general and for the education of girls in particular.