Plot

Based on a real-life historic court case, a bold journalist questions a revered leader's immoral behavior.

Karsan (Junaid Khan) is a progressive thinker and social reformer in Pre-independence Bombay, living with his maternal uncle and aunt after the death of his mother. He is engaged to be married to Kishori (Shalini Pandey), a devout believer of Maharaj "JJ" (Jaideep Ahlawat), the leader of the "Haveli" (or temples) that is their holy place. Karsan is a curious mind and had always questioned the blind faith practices of his community. Karsan lost his mother at the age of 10.

The family shifted to Bombay after the death of his mother in 1842. The English King got the 7 Islands of Bombay in dowry and rented it to the East India company for 10 pounds per year. Bombay soon became the hub for cotton traders from the Vaishnav community of Gujrat. The Vaishnav had 7 Havelis in Bombay. The biggest was Kalbadevi where JJ stayed. Karsan stayed at the house of his Maternal Uncle (Sanjeev Seth) in Bombay. When Karsan grew up he wrote articles on social issues (like widows being isolated from society) in a paper Rast Goftar, circulated by Dadabhai Naoroji (Sunil Gupta).

Kishori is a devout follower of JJ and believes Maharaj comes before her fiance, and religion came before love. Karsan believes that man has a direct connection with God and a mediator like JJ is not needed. During the Holi celebration, Kishori catches the eye of JJ, and she is chosen to perform "Charan Seva" for him. The devout JJ follower's community accepts that women in the community perform "Charan Seva", which is actually indulging in sexual acts with JJ. Moreover, community members were invited to watch the proceedings from viewing galleries above JJ chambers. Karsan comes looking for Kishori and is also guided to the viewing chambers. Karsan sees Kishori and JJ in the act and breaks off their engagement when Kishori is complacent with the practice and with JJ's actions. Kishori cannot understand what she has done wrong and is completely confused. She asks Karsan to leave and says that she will return after completing her duty.

After a few days, Kishori again confronts Karsan and is adamant that all she has done is followed tradition. She says that if Karsan's mother was alive, she would not have hesitated to send his sister for the Charan Seva. Kishori goes to JJ for solace, and he again has sex with her. Later, Kishori realizes the error of her belief and JJ's evil (when she sees JJ having sex with her sister Devi (Ananya Agarwal)), but she has lost Karsan forever. Karsan makes clear to his family that he will not marry Kishori and is turned out of the house as a consequence. His family are also devout believers and believe Kishori has done nothing wrong. Karsan is kicked out of the house by his widow aunt Bhabhu (Sneha Desai), his maternal uncle and aunt (Jaya Ojha).

Lalvanji Maharaj (Utkarsh Mazumdar) also works at the Haveli. Karsan confronts him when he finds a distraught Shaamji ()Kamlesh Oza) and Leelavati outside JJ's Haveli. JJ had got Leelavati pregnant and when she came for help, he gave her a medicated Laddoo that forcibly induced an abortion. Lalvanji says that he knows about JJ, but laments that JJ is the face of Haveli now, and due to him the Havelis have wealth and the sect has spread far and wide. Against his fame, the other Maharaj have no option but to keep quiet.

Karsan finds that no one is ready to fight against the Haveli and JJ. His mentor Dadabhai convinces him to forgive Kishori or at least give her a chance to atone. Before he can speak to her, he finds out that Kishori has taken her own life. Kishori has taken her life as a result of the mistake she made, and her final wish is for Karsan to reveal JJ's truth to the world.

After reading Kishori's final message to him, Karsan goes to confront JJ. JJ is confident that Karsan cannot change perceptions, and that their places in the world are set, with JJ playing the part of a god (Maharaj Yadhu "Nath") in their community, and Karsan (Karsan "Das") as a devotee.

When others are unwilling to publish about JJ, Karsan starts his own paper to reveal the truth. The papers are intercepted by JJ and burned in the Haveli. JJ closes all of the Havelis in Bombay. The devout believers do not break their fasts before morning prayers at the Haveli, and JJ places a condition that the Havelis will not be opened until Karsan apologizes.

Karsan speaks to the protesting community members and convinces them that they do not need the Haveli more than the Haveli needs them. Karsan gets the support of Viraaj (Sharvari), a female member of the community. The community members pray to their idol placed by Karsan in the street and break their fast. JJ refuses to open the Haveli doors even while the morning prayers continue on outside the Haveli. Karsan gains confidence in his mission, and Viraaj joins as an employee at his newspaper. Meanwhile, JJ calls on Karsan's father (Sandeep Mehta) and threatens him to make Karsan apologize.

Karsan's father comes to the newspaper and announces that he is going to disown Karsan if he does not apologize to JJ. Karsan does not relent, and his newspaper successfully circulates among the people. The community's thoughts start to change, and they slowly begin to gain awareness of JJ's exploitation and ill-intent. Even JJ's wife reads Karsan's newspaper and knows that he is telling the truth. Viraaj proposes to Karsan and wants to marry him. JJ files a defamation suit against Karsan for Rs 50,000, and Karsan's uncle brings forward witnesses against JJ.

Shortly before the trial, the witnesses withdraw in fear, and Karsan's press is burned down. Among the ruins of the press, Viraaj confesses to Karsan that she too was sent to JJ for "Charan Seva" as a child (she was 16 at the time), where she fled when she realized that whatever was happening was wrong. She beseeches Karsan to continue his fight, because his ideology must win. JJ's wife Vahuji (Meher Vij) reaches Karsan's home and gives him directions to another witness, a young woman, Leelavati (Priyal Gor), whom JJ had impregnated and tried to abort the child after refusing to help them. Karsan had found the duo that night, when Shaamji says that they were dragged back into the Haveli by Vahuji, who made Leelavati vomit the poison, and saved her unborn child. While Karsan attempts to hide the young woman, JJ finds her and marries her off to one of his man-servants. It is assumed that he has killed Leelavati's brother as well.

With the date of the trial approaching, Karsan has no witnesses to fight against the defamation case. The trial begins with calling the Haveli's doctor to the stand, who reveals that he has treated JJ for syphilis, which occurs by taking on multiple sexual partners. JJ lies that he had previously had a similar sounding disease which was non-venereal. Next, JJ's manservant is questioned on his sudden marriage to Leelavati, which he claims took place 8 months ago. All the while, the entire community listens to the accusations against JJ. JJ threatens the court that he will unleash the crowds on the court if the court goes beyond a point in accusing him. Karsan brings light to JJ's misinterpretations of scripture, and his exploitation of women and girls. As he speaks of the importance of not needing a bridge like JJ in order to reach God, women in the courtroom take Karsan's side and testify against JJ.

In the end, Karsan is acquitted of the charges of defamation and criminal charges are filed against JJ. Karsan is recognized and applauded by the people for exposing JJ and as a social reformer, while JJ loses his followers.