Once Upon a Time in Indian Country 2017

Two college friends, Ranjeet and Gurtej, share a quiet ambition: finish their education, land steady jobs, and bring happiness to their families. The film follows their everyday struggles, the weight of poverty, and the stubborn hope that keeps them going even when doors keep closing. Their friendship is a steady anchor as they navigate family obligations, romantic yearnings, and a society that often seems indifferent to two young men trying to do right.

From the start, the story threads together two intertwined lives. Ranjeet lives at home with his parents and an uncle who has returned to their house after spending time in jail. This uncle’s past is a burden that lingers in conversations and glances, a reminder of a village dispute that spiraled out of control when a neighbor pulled a gun during a heated conflict. In a moment of panic, Ranjeet’s father acted to intervene, and the violence that followed resulted in a death. To shield his brother, the uncle accepts the blame, ending up behind bars. When he is released, he remains in the family’s circle, a living emblem of sacrifice and the thorny consequences of violence.

Gurtej, on the other hand, grows up with his family, which includes his sister Deepi and a neighbor he secretly loves—a mute young woman who quietly colors his days with a different kind of longing. Gurtej keeps his voice modest but earnest, lending his voice to a chorus that helps fund his life and his dreams. The two boys are inseparable in college life, sharing classes, late-night conversations, and the sense that their talents—whether academic or musical—could become real pathways to a better future.

As the plot unfolds, both families face practical worries that press in on them. Their father, trying to be supportive, provides reassurance with a warmth that feels almost rare in the face of mounting debt; the family’s tractor loan has left the household anxious about the next meal or repair bill. Ranjeet and Gurtej keep moving forward, buoyed by small acts of kindness from their mothers and the stubborn belief that education can still open doors that money cannot.

Graduation arrives, and with it a cruel reminder: the job market does not bend to dreams. The vacancies are scarce, and without connections or money, opportunities slip away almost as soon as they appear. The two friends defend themselves with the conviction that their talents will eventually count for something, but the immediate result is disappointment and a shared sense of uncertainty about how to honor their parents’ sacrifices. The day after, the weight of this setback presses down on them, and Gurtej senses a change in his father’s mood that signals a deeper loss—perhaps the fading possibility of bringing happiness to the family’s table and seeing his sister’s future secured.

Tragedy interweaves through the story as Deepi brings word that their father has died. In the wake of this loss, the two young men find themselves facing an altered world, where prayers and rituals offer fragile comfort. They turn to their faith, visiting Harmandir Shahib to lend their hopes to a higher power and to seek direction for the paths that lie ahead.

In the temple’s crowded quiet, a chance encounter with an elderly man becomes a portal to a troubling suspicion. The man slips on the stairs, and Ranjeet steadies him, noticing a talisman that seems to carry a heavier meaning than luck. Gurtej counsels restraint, urging him to put the troubling thought aside, but the moment lingers in Ranjeet’s mind. Later, a mysterious paper falls into Ranjeet’s hands, and the man who seems connected to the talisman reappears, adding a web of danger and intrigue to the brothers’ ordinary lives.

A fragile chain of events follows: a mysterious figure hovers at the edges of their days, a woman who comes to collect the paper dies in a fall on a rooftop, and a motorcycle rider disappears with the paper’s potential secrets. The two friends pursue answers, their curiosity sharpened by the fear that someone is playing a dangerous game with their lives and the safety of Harmandir Shahib. Their pursuit exposes them to threats and a sense that someone is using them, or worse, using the paper to signal a planned act of violence.

What begins as a search for a missing document becomes a hunt for a larger truth. The paper, when treated with silver nitrate, reveals a detailed layout of a terrorist bombing at Harmandir Shahib. Realizing the severity of what they have uncovered, Ranjeet and Gurtej report their discovery to the police, only to find the law enforcement response slow and unsatisfactory. Frustration grows into resolve, and the two decide to take matters into their own hands, determined to prevent a catastrophe that could shake their community to its core.

The investigation takes them through the temple’s throngs, where devotion and distraction collide. They struggle to sift through clues without drawing too much attention or alarming innocent worshippers. Their persistence pays off in a moment of hard-won clarity: they locate the bombs and prepare to act, understanding the gravity of the danger and the responsibility they bear. But the outcome is not as straightforward as they hoped. In the ensuing confrontation with the bombers, Ranjeet and Gurtej’s courage shines, and they manage to disable or destroy the threat. Yet, before the danger can be fully resolved, the police arrive, misreading the situation and shooting the two friends as if they were the attackers.

The city mourns the deaths, while the truth of the brothers’ sacrifice slowly emerges. The police chief, who recognizes the two as innocent heroes, must navigate the bureaucracy and the fear of speaking out too soon. He discovers there is a sixth bomber, hidden somewhere, and the breakthrough comes when a friend reveals the bomber’s whereabouts. The confession finally clears Ranjeet and Gurtej of suspicion and confirms that their actions saved lives rather than endangered them.

In the aftermath, the community grapples with the revelation. The police chief’s decision to hold a public briefing confirms what many had begun to suspect—the two young men acted with courage and a faith in protecting Harmandir Shahib and the devotees who gather there. A formal statement extols Ranjeet and Gurtej as heroes who risked their lives to safeguard others, and the village lends its own tribute through a ceremony that honors their dedication and the sacrifices their families have endured.

This story is more than a crime-and-religion thriller. It is a study in resilience, the way people mold hope from hardship, and the powerful pull of community, faith, and friendship. It moves from intimate family moments—the quiet struggles of a father trying to keep his family afloat, the sister’s quiet sorrow, the neighbor’s quiet longing—to a sweeping, high-stakes pursuit that tests the protagonists’ morals, their courage, and their sense of duty. The narrative keeps faith with its characters: even when the world seems unfair, their integrity and bravery illuminate a path forward, and their memory becomes a symbol of how ordinary people can become extraordinary in moments of crisis.