The film was the second entry in Ray's Calcutta trilogy, which included Pratidwandi (The Adversary) (1970) and Jana Aranya (The Middleman) (1976).

The films deal with the rapid modernization of Calcutta, rising corporate culture and greed, and the futility of the rat race.

[3] Shyamal (Barun Chanda) is an ambitious sales manager in a British fan manufacturing firm in Calcutta, where he is expecting a promotion shortly.

She is given a tour of the life they lead and the many upscale spaces they inhabit—the restaurants, the beauty parlours, clubs and race courses.

Life goes on smoothly for Shyamal until he learns that a consignment of fans meant for export is defective just before the shipment of a prestigious order.