Nihalani's screenplay transports Lorca's Spanish setting on to a Rajasthan village. Rukmavati, a domineering matriarch has five daughters Savitri, Damayanti, Chandra, Mumal and Padma, all unmarried. The domineering woman has inexorable control over her daughters placing them all in a repressive setting where they don't have any social life of their own outside their home. The frustrated and angry daughters respond in their individual ways to their mother's cruelty leading to a tragic ending.
Nahar Singh starts courting the eldest daughter Savitri but the youngest daughter Padma falls in love with him. He also responds to her. This makes Mumal jealous of her. One night as Padma goes out with Nahar, Mumal follows them leading to a confrontation. Rukmavati fires at Nahar. Padma commits suicide. Rukmavati, shaken but unbending still, has only to say, "My daughter died a virgin."
