Amrapali

2500 years ago, Buddha (Narendra Nath) had spread his teachings of love and harmony in the world. At the same time, there are 2 Kingdoms Magadh and Vaishali. Magadh is a monarchy, while Vaishali is a democracy. His hunger for conquest not satiated, even after repeated victories, Samrat Ajaatshatru (Sunil Dutt) of Magadh would like to continue on his winning spree, as the only unconquered city is that of Vaishali (ancient city). Magadh has already attacked Vaishali several times and has always tasted defeat, which makes Ajaatshatru livid. Even Ajaatshatru's father had attacked Vaishali twice, without tasting victory. His astrologers forewarn him; his Senapati Veer (Prem Nath) cautions him that his army is tired and needs to rest; his very own mother (Mridula Rani) refuses to let him take part in any war. His mother says that Vaishali's army is undefeated as they fight to maintain their freedom and independence and not to maintain the Kingdom of any Samrat. Ajaatshatru refuses to listen to anyone and hastens to war - which leads to subsequent defeat at the hands of the Vaishali army. Ajaatshatru is shot with an arrow on the battlefield and seeing this, Senapati Veer takes Ajaatshatru away from the battlefield and into a nearby forest to hide. They are confronted by Vaishali soldiers, whom they fight and kill. Ajaatshatru orders Senapati Veer to return to the battlefield and only return when the battle has been won. Wounded, lost, and on the run from enemy soldiers, Ajaatshatru dons the guise of a Vaishali soldier and takes shelter with a woman named Amrapali (Vyjayanthimala). Amrapali nurses him back to health. Amrapali removes the arrow stuck in his shoulder and cauterizes the wound. Amrapali is the dance student of Kulpati Mahanam (Gajanan Jagirdar). Amrapali doesn't know that the soldier is the Ajaatshatru of Magadh, and they fall in love with each other. Som (Randhir) is Kulpati's son and has feelings for Amrapali. Meanwhile Senapati Veer returns to the forest and doesn't find Ajaatshatru and sends his generals in all directions to look for the Samrat. Ajaatshatru finds an ally in Senapati Balbhadra Singh (K. N. Singh). Balbhadra is a Magadh loyalist and a high-ranking army official in the Vaishali army. They both start to plot against Vaishali - this time by reducing the number of soldiers, making them addicted to alcohol, poor training methods, and poor pay - thus demoralizing them, and paving the way for an easy victory for Magadh. Ajaatshatru wants Balbhadra to distract the entire Vaishali Kingdom in a melee of dance and liquor, so they have no ability left to mount a defense. Ajaatshatru sees that the Vaishali State Head (Bipin Gupta) is a pacifist and a Buddha follower. The Vaishali State Head believes that victory in battle is only temporary and true victory is when man removes all enmity towards the fellow human and follows in the footsteps of Buddha. Amrapali, winning a dance competition, is crowned the Rajnarthaki (Royal Dancer) of Vaishali. She is known to everyone as a true patriot. Balbhadra tells Ajaatshatru that Vaishali has modern weapons like the cannon which were used very effectively against the Magadh army in battle. Ajaatshatru uses Amrapali's new court position to get close to the Vaishali State Head. The State Head finds that the soldier has a remarkable resemblance to Ajaatshatru. He wants to imprison the soldier and send a rumor that Vaishali has captured Ajaatshatru to rile Magadh. Som, meanwhile, has created a statue for Amrapali and she asks him to create a statue for Ajaatshatru as well. Meanwhile Veer finds Ajaatshatru in Vaishali and implores him to return. Veer says that Amrapali is not trustworthy as she will hand over Ajaatshatru to the Vaishali Kingdom. Ajaatshatru refuses to believe this and insists that Amrapali will love Magadh as much as he does. Som listens to the conversation and finds that the soldier is in fact Ajaatshatru. Som reveals to Amrapali that the soldier she loves is none other than Ajaatshatru. Being a true patriot, she breaks all ties with Ajaatshatru and tells him to never see her again. Veer takes Ajaatshatru back to Magadh as his mother had recently passed away. Veer can see that Ajaatshatru pines for Amrapali and goes back to Vaishali to get Amrapali. Veer tells Amrapali that Ajaatshatru is in pain, but she refuses to go with Veer to the enemy Kingdom. On his way back, Veer is found and attacked by the soldiers of Vaishali. Heartbroken, Amrapali tells the State Head of Vaishali that she would like to leave the position of Rajnarthaki. The members of the court put pressure on her, and everyone finds out that she had fallen in love with Ajaatshatru, when Veer is produced in court. The court declares her as a traitor. The State Head of Vaishali sentences her to life in a dungeon and orders to kill her on a full moon night. Veer is executed by beheading. Ajaatshatru, who is enraged to hear this, gathers his army, and storms the unsuspecting people of Vaishali and virtually burns the city down, killing almost everyone in it. He then rushes to free his beloved from the dungeons. He does set her free - but it is not the same Amrapali - this Amrapali is quite different and not at all thrilled to be in the presence of her conqueror lover. She is taken by him to the battlefield and is shown everyone he killed just to get her. She is horrified to see so much bloodshed. She tells she can't live like this anymore and surrenders herself to Gautama Buddha. Ajaatshatru also follows her and surrenders himself.