Nanasaheb Phatak

Set in medieval Rajput court, mainly addresses Rajput notions of chivalry. The legendary warrior Mansingh (Phatak) is the nation's strong man but he is cordially hated even by his own people. Claiming to have been offended by Taramati (Tarkhad), he insists to her eminent father that only a marriage (on terms insulting to her) can placate him. He becomes a tyrant imprisoning large numbers of people, and eventually Taramati's father, also in prison, leads a popular revolt, threatening to kill his son-in-law. Only Taramati's decision to protect her husband resolves the conflict.

An anti-imperialist version of the Vishnu Purana legend tells of the villainous Kans plotting to marry Devaki to Dikpal, commander of Magadh's army. The people of Mathura fear that Magadh will destroy their city-state and foil Kans' scheme as Devaki marries the beggar Vasudev. The heavens forecast, accurately, that Devaki's eighth son Krishna shall cause Kans' death.

The poet Prasad (K. Date) lives far from the city in a forest, enjoying only the company of his wife Pratibha (Khote). The court poet Kaveeshwar (Phatak) of a neighbouring kingdom discovers Prasad’s poetry and, more importantly, his beautiful wife, and invites them to his palace, promising fame and glory. Against Pratibha’s advice, Prasad succumbs to temptation, only to see his work plagiarised and his wife harassed.