 Madhvi (Asha Parekh) is an orphan living with her maternal uncle, who arranges her marriage with someone she does not know, so she runs away to her lover, Kailash (Prem Chopra), only to find him in the arms of another woman, Shabnam (Bindu). She returns to her maternal uncle, only to find him dead. She then runs away from there, and meets with a friend, a widow and her child at a railway station. The three travel together by the same train. Unfortunately, the train meets with an accident, killing the widow instantly, leaving the child with Madhvi. Madhvi assumes the identity of the dead woman, Poonam, and travels alongwith the child to her in-laws. She is welcomed with open arms. She finds out that her uncle had arranged her marriage with Kamal Sinha (Rajesh Khanna). Kamal is angry and bitter at the manner his to-be wife treated him, even without knowing him. Kamal is attracted to Poonam, and makes it known to his family, who are shocked. Then Shabnam and Kailash re-enter their lives, making Madhvi look like an imposter, turning her in-laws against her; and Kamal s loves turns to resentment.