Parichay

Rai Sahab (Pran) is a retired colonel who lives in his family mansion with his five grandchildren (Rama, Ajay, Vijay, Neeta and Sanju). All five children are estranged from him as they believe he is responsible for their father Nilesh Rai's (Sanjeev Kumar) death. Rai Sahab is a strict disciplinarian who has become cold and miserable after Nilesh stubbornly leaves him to pursue music professionally against his wishes. After his son's death, he brings the children to live with him. Music was something Rai Saheb believes beneath their stature. This creates a rift between them, and Nilesh leaves to pursue his dream. He returns a few years later, now married to his music teacher's daughter Suajat. Rai Sahab welcomes them, but tells Nilesh that in order to live a life on his own terms he must make his own house. He never hears from his son for the next 17 years (since he didn't know where Nilesh had gone), although he waits desperately. When he finally learns his son is dead, he rushes and brings back his grandchildren to live with him, but despite his best efforts at providing them with all material comforts and facilities, they do not get along. However the children refuse to obey him and constantly flout his rules. Rai Sahab is desperately seeking a tutor for them, but no teacher lasts for more than a few weeks (the children play pranks on them and scare them away), as none of teachers can turn his 'savage' grandchildren into well-behaved people. Ravi (Jeetendra) is looking for a job in the city. He is a nice guy and gives up opportunities when he finds that he is replacing an old, loyal employee of a firm. Ravi gets a letter from his uncle, informing him of a job opening for a tutor at Rai Sahab's house in his village. Ravi has no parents but is close to his aunt (Leela Mishra) and uncle (A. K. Hangal), who live in the village. While he does not take to Rai Sahab's cold demeanor in their first meeting, he initially takes the job out of need (since the next opportunity is a few months away & he has no money to even buy proper shoes). Later Rai Sahab tells him he believes Ravi can set his grandchildren straight and implores him to do so. Ravi promises to try. Rai Saheb offers him a place to stay in his Haveli The children try their best to scare Ravi away, like they have with previous teachers, however instead of complaining about them Ravi laughs at their pranks and tries to befriend them. He realizes that Rai Sahab has strict rules against singing and laughing in the house, and that the children are not even allowed to play outside as they had once tried to run away. Unlike other teachers, Ravi does not believe in punishments or scoldings and instead tries to teach with humor, stories, music and play. He has a strict rule about not hitting kids with a cane and ignores their misdemeanors as pranks. He realizes quickly that the children do not need a teacher, but are starved of affection and stubborn like their grandfather, which is causing them to misbehave. Ravi also counsels Rama to not take offense at every little thing with Rai Saheb, as her behavior is reflected directly in the actions of the siblings, who go on strike with her and in the process hurt their own studies and future. When Rai Sahab leaves homes for a few weeks for work, Ravi opens up Nilesh's old room and starts playing his sitar. The children open up to him after this. He regularly takes them out on picnics, plays with them and tells them stories. All the children start studying with Ravi and their behavior changes, becoming more receptive and respectful of elders. Ravi and Rama (Jaya Bhaduri) the oldest of the siblings slowly begin to develop feelings for each other. Rama is eighteen and the daughter of Nilesh and Sujata (Geeta Siddharth). Rama's mother passed away when she was a little girl. She learned music from her father and is close and protective of her younger siblings. Though she initially leads siblings in all their mischief, she quickly warms up to Ravi's unique approach and eventually becomes an ideal granddaughter. Rama begrudges Rai Sahab as she believes he never reached out to her father or them when they were destitute and arrived many days after he father's death, despite her father having written to him earlier. However, she finds out from Ravi that Rai Sahab received the letter very late, as he was away on business, and left as soon as he read it, without bothering to even carry anything with him. He reminds her how Rai Sahab lived with them for two days wearing the same clothes he came in, pleading with them to come and live with him. Rama realizes that she has misjudged her grandfather. A few days later, Rai Sahab returns to find the children studying with Rama and his son's framed photo hanging in their foyer. At first he is upset, but equally surprised to see his grandchildren studying quietly and greeting him respectfully, something that has not happened before. He finds out that Ravi has had to leave in his absence as he was offered a job in the city. However he is extremely happy at the children's changed behavior and begins playing and laughing with them, thankful to Ravi for having 'introduced' him to his grandchildren. In the city Ravi misses Rama. He received a letter from her and wonders if he should go back and ask Rai Sahab for her hand in marriage. His friend Amit (Vinod Khanna in a cameo) encourages him, and he leaves to meet Rai Sahab. Upon meeting him, he learns that Rai Sahab intends to marry Rama to a family friend's grandson - a wish he could not fulfill with his own son. Dejected, Ravi leaves without meeting the kids and Rama. As he packs and leaves for the railway station, Rai Sahab asks Rama if she met Ravi. Rama is surprised. In a poignant moment, Rai Sahab looks at Rama's face and realizes the truth. He brings her to the station just as the train pulls out with Ravi standing in the doorway. Seeing Rama and Rai Sahab, Ravi jumps out of the moving train and both unite. An ending scene invites audiences to their wedding on Monday 9 April.