Patthar Ke Sanam 1967

Meena Mumtaz Askari and Taruna Waheeda Rehman are two friends who anchor the story in a small Indian town. Meena lives a privileged life with her widowed father, Thakur, while Taruna serves as her capable assistant and closest ally. On a trip back to the village from the city, Meena meets Rajesh Manoj Kumar, a charming yet teasing presence who unsettles her at first. When Thakur hires a new manager, Meena realizes that this is the same man she had met on the train. Together with Taruna, she toys with Rajesh by pretending to be in love with him, hoping to spark a reaction and a bit of fun.

Rajesh discovers the ruse, but instead of exposing it, he pretends to be enamored with both women. The playful pretense gradually becomes something more genuine for all involved, and Thakur grows optimistic that Meena might wed Rajesh. Yet Meena makes it clear she wants Rajesh for herself, while Taruna’s memory of a childhood engagement looms large in the background. Meena points out that Taruna had once been pledged to Lala Bhagat Ram Pran Sikand, a local contractor who handles the orchard contract and pays very little for the produce. This contract arrangement means Bhagat Ram can wield substantial influence over the family’s fortune, and Rajesh insists on keeping Bhagat Ram’s grip in check. Bhagat Ram, a nasty man, openly reminds Taruna that the old promise must still be honored, especially as his sister Gauri Aruna Irani has her own complex feelings—she is in love with Haria, a servant in Thakur’s house.

A turning point arrives when Rajesh is assaulted by a group of men, and his mother Shanti arrives to care for him. Thakur is reminded of a dark past where he murdered Shanti’s husband for wealth, a memory that colors every subsequent interaction. Shanti reveals a shattering secret: Meena is actually her daughter, and Rajesh is Thakur’s son. With this revelation, Shanti contends that marrying Rajesh and Meena would restore her lost wealth and position. She pleads with Taruna to stay away from Rajesh to prevent her plan from failing. Taruna agrees, inwardly feigning indifference, but Rajesh’s love for Taruna remains strong and unyielding.

Desperation grows as Taruna contemplates the emotional toll of the arrangement. She even reaches a breaking point and considers ending her life, a moment that underscores the fragile balance of affection, loyalty, and ambition within the circle. In a parallel thread, Haria reveals that she is not dead after all; Bhagat Ram has kept her alive in captivity, along with his sister Gauri, who resents Taruna’s presence and the disruption she represents.

The entangled fates burst into a confrontation as Rajesh confronts the gang, though the fight leaves him bloodied and beaten. Meanwhile, Gauri and Taruna become separated from their security and are moved under constant watch. Taruna, however, manages to free Gauri’s bound hands and, through a daring escape, Gauri leaps from a window to alert Rajesh. He races to rescue Taruna, and a broader struggle unfolds around the fate of the orchard contract and the family’s fortune.

In the climactic struggle, Meena is killed, and Bhagat Ram meets a violent end at Thakur’s hands, bringing charges and custody into the hands of the authorities. Shanti’s plans begin to crumble, but she refuses to leave quietly, forcing Rajesh and Taruna to insist that she stay with them. The film closes on a note of reconciliation and new beginnings: Haria and Gauri marry, and the household gradually finds a fragile balance again, even as the dust of betrayal, secrets, and ambition settles over the beloved little town.