Sita Devi (Lalita Pawar), an ageing dowager, is a prominent social worker and crusader for women's rights, and is striving for the passing of the Divorce Bill. She has brought up her niece Anita (Madhubala) in the tradition of the Indian upper classes, with an accent on Western ideas and Western ways of living.
Despite Sita Devi's constant efforts to inculcate a hatred for males in Anita, she (Anita) is secretly infatuated by a tennis champion Ramesh, who wants to shirk her off. By chance, she also comes across Preetam (Guru Dutt), an unemployed young cartoonist, but thinks nothing of him.
On her 21st birthday when her father's will is read, the aunt is shocked to learn that all the property would go to charities unless Anita is married off within a month. Sita Devi realizes that her brother had done this deliberately to foil her plans. Anita's plea of marriage to Ramesh falls on deaf ears, as he is too busy.
Meanwhile, Sita Devi plans a ruse of a temporary paid husband for Anita, to be divorced later, and gets Preetam for the job. Preetam would have refused but changes his mind on seeing Anita's photo, though the condition is that he is never to meet his bride after marriage.
At first, Anita is wild at Preetam for accepting such a debasing offer, especially since she knew him. But soon a change comes over her under the influence of Preetam's sister-in-law and her children. Anita now realizes the true meaning of happiness in love and marriage, as per Indian tradition. But then Sita Devi comes to take her away. And disappointed Preetam now deliberately tries to paint a false picture of himself as a libertine so as to prejudice Anita.
Hindi/1955/157min
Direction: Guru Dutt
Cast: Guru Dutt, Madhubala, Lalita Pawar, Johnny Walker
This movie is the part of a 10-day Guru Dutt film festival being held at Hari Hari Kala Bhavan. Please contact Prakash Reddy, Hyderabad Film Club, at 373-0841 or 373-0265 for further details.
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