Arti is the daughter of a leading politician who is also the Mayor of the city. The Mayor wants his daughter to inherit his popularity and scale the political ladder. Arti on her part is not reluctant, having basked in the sunshine of her father's success in politics. But as fate would have it, she falls in love with "J.K." (Sanjeev Kumar) a hotel manager, and gets married to him. "J.K." hates politics and a cold war follows between the couple and a political career gets the better of married bliss. They part with each other and live separately.
Arti (Suchitra Sen) makes good in her political career, away from "J.K." She plans election campaigns and other political activities with an eye for detail, even to the extent of directing "the operations" at the ordinary polling agent's (Om Prakash) level.
On one of her country-wide tours, Arti is booked to stay in a posh hotel. She arrives in her suite to find that it is decorated to her taste in every detail. She is surprised as to who could have anticipated her artistic tastes. She calls for the hotel manager, only to find that he is none other than her husband himself.
Then follows a turbulent phase in which Arti is redrawn to "J.K." emotionally and otherwise. They got out together a couple of times, and it is enough capital for her rival candidate to scandalise her on. She explains to her voters that he is her husband, and if they so desire she is prepared to step down from the political pedestal and withdraw from the election.
What is the response from the electorate?
What does her husband feel about it?
What ultimately triumphs- political career or marriage?
Producer J. Om Prakash's "Aandhi" (directed by Gulzar) will tell you.