[2] It was released in the same year as Himmatwala, Sridevi's breakthrough film in Bollywood, but unlike the former, Kalaakaar was a box office disappointment.

Radha Khanna comes from wealthy family and lives in a palatial house with her widowed father, Rohit.

She has a friend Sheela, who also lives in a palatial house, surrounded by some shanty dwellings.

One day when Radha goes to Sheela, they witness a young man named Ravikumar singing a song with his guitar.

Unable to bear that she'll live without Ravi, Radha consumes poison and tells him.