Film begins with the theft of Ran-gamma's buffalo. Story primarily visits the incidents in a village over one day, also lays bare many forms of theft occurring in the lives of the villagers. Story explores the theft of Ran-gamma's desires and ambitions, shattering of Rani's dreams of marriage, loss of Ran-gamma's husband's masculinity, loss of the landlord's daughter's love for a man, theft of the family jewels, loss of land, spiritual values and relationships among many other instances that reveal the all-pervasive nature of theft in daily life. In a patriarchal society, we see how even in a tradition-bound village Ran-gamma defies the rules and courageously dons the traditional role of the man in the family.