This East Indian film by Mrinal Sen is a narrative that examines the strained relations between the British colonialists and native villagers in 1920s India. A young Indian villager who hunts with a bow and arrow has a friendly rivalry with an Englishman, also an excellent hunter, who uses a shotgun. When the Indian boy finally is able to demonstrate superior marksmanship and hunting ability with the bow and arrow, he loses interest in the Englishman. At the same time, a dispute breaks out in the village that divides the villagers' loyalty, and ultimately involves kidnapping, murder, and the struggle to overcome the injustices of British rule.