A mob kills two defenseless women, orchestrated by vested interests, and this incident sets the tone for much of the rest of the movie, which shows how powerful individuals evade inquiries into the crime.

Foremost among them is contractor Tirpat Singh (Mohan Joshi), a powerful, corrupt and ruthless man who oppresses poor people and especially women with impunity.

The rest of the movie deals with their efforts to break out of their situation, both within and outside of their relationship, and Vinay's and especially Ketki's bloody struggle to confront and defeat the forces of oppression and male domination in the village.

"[11] The reviewer for Screen called the film "a superbly crafted web of intrigue that gets darker and murkier till it reaches horrifying proportions of cruelty and ferociousness".

Noting it to be "passionate, highly articulate, and never confused", they stated that the film "questions the limited definition of woman merely as a wife or a mother, and goes on to show strong women who define themselves as individuals."