Bhakta Tukaram Story

The film is based on the story of [[Tukaram]], an ardent devotee of [[Vithoba|Panduranga]] in the 17th century in [[Dehu]] village of present-day [[Maharashtra]]. Tukaram is kindhearted and ameliorates everyone, for which he exhausts his property. He lives with two wives, Avalai Jija Bai and Rukma Bai, and two infants. However, he is not interested in worldly matters and is constantly immersed in the adoration of the Lord. Mumbaji Go Swamy, who forges himself as holy and misuses public faith for self-consumption, is permanently barred by Tukaram. Begrudged, Mumbaji torments him, propagates him as an atheist, and ostracizes him. Hence, his family suffers from starvation, and though no one comes forward to support him, Rukma Bai passes away. Devastated, Tukaram quits, questioning the existence of God, when Panduranga appears and endorses his divinity as [[Abhang]]s to scripture. Now Tukaram awakens devotion via singing and becomes eminent, which impresses emperor [[Shivaji]], who facilitates him with material gifts, but Tukaram refuses courteously.

At this point, Mumbaji’s envy is boundless, so he uses a brothel woman, Bahina Bai, to lure Tukaram, but he shows her the reality of life—how beauty shrinks in old age—and makes her a devotee. Later, Mumbaji claims that Tukaram stole his verses when Pandit Rameswara Bhattar, a religious authority, arrives and orders Tukaram to immerse his works in the river and never publicly discuss religion, which he obeys. The river [[Ganga in Hinduism|Ganga]] retrieves it, affirming it as sacred, and Rameswara Bhattar becomes his follower. Meanwhile, Mumbaji hides the Lord’s statue, implicates Tukaram, and complains to Shivaji. So, Shivaji lands at Dehu to test Tukaram when, with his holy power, he restores the statue. Now, Mumbaji intrigues by notifying Shivaji’s presence therein to the Mughals, but the Lord protects him at the behest of Tukaram. Knowing it, the enraged Mughal Empire amputates Mumbaji, which Tukaram retrieves, and he bows his head down. At last, the Lord invites Tukaram to [[Vaikuntha]] with his mortal body by sending [[Garuda]]. Finally, the movie ends with Tukaram going to heaven, giving his ultimate preaching to follow righteousness, truth, peace, kindness, and mercy.