The Sarpat family, who live in Bhukari, consist of Parsaram, who has been involved in digging a well for the past over 12 years and is now called `Pagal Parsa`; his brother, Soma, who gets some casual work in the fields; his wife, Hansa, who goes to work at a Bidi factory; and four children ironically named Sharmila, Jeetendra, Amitabh, and Kadhu. Soma`s neighbor, Vasant Mandre, is a young man who has recently got married to Phoolwanti, lives with his ailing father, Dashrath, who had taken a loan of Rs.10,000/- in order to have a lavish wedding celebration. Soma is the first one to re-locate to Bombay, and when he immediately sends some money, Vasant too leaves for Bombay. Shortly thereafter, Phoolwanti goes to visit him and is horrified when she finds that Soma and Vasant are sharing a small room with 39 other males from their village; work in a mill; are poorly paid, and in debt. She returns home immediately thereafter.