Shankar (Sunil Dutt) is an educated young man who is employed in the construction business by Ratanlal (Anwar Hussain). Shankar is also the union leader, and would like Ratanlal to enforce measures for workers' safety. Before he could ensure this, Shankar is accidentally killed in a work-related accident, leaving behind his wife, Parvati (Raakhee) and young son, Rakesh. Rakesh is in trauma because of this incident, and this trauma is repeated in his mind every time his mother comes near him. Parvati is instructed to keep away from Rakesh, and Rakesh is adopted by Robert (Amjad Khan (actor)) and his wife, Kathy (Aruna Irani) and they rename him Rocky.