The kohl-lined eyes of courtesan Mehr (Sonakshi Sinha) flickered with worry. A cryptic message had arrived, summoning her to a deserted haveli (mansion) on the outskirts of Lahore. Despite her apprehension, Mehr couldn’t ignore the sender – the veiled informant, Champa, who had previously exposed a corrupt official’s plans.
Following a dusty path, Mehr reached the dilapidated haveli. Inside, shadows danced in the flickering diya light. A raspy voice called out, “Mehr, come closer, my child.” Champa, frail and cloaked, lay on a cot.
“Champa, what is it?” Mehr rushed to her side.
Champa coughed, then whispered, “The Seth… he’s planning to betray the Rani (Queen)… to side with the British.”
Mehr gasped. The Rani, a secret supporter of the independence movement, was counting on the wealthy Seth’s resources. This betrayal could cripple the rebellion.
“How do you know?” Mehr asked, urgency lacing her voice.
Champa’s hand reached under the cot, pulling out a worn ledger. “Proof. I overheard Seth discussing it.”
Suddenly, the haveli door slammed open. A burly figure, the Seth’s right-hand man, stood silhouetted against the sunlight. Champa’s eyes widened in fear.
“Leave, Mehr!” she rasped, clutching the ledger.
A desperate struggle ensued. Mehr shoved Champa towards a hidden compartment behind a tapestry. The burly man lunged for Champa, but Mehr intercepted him. They grappled, a whirlwind of silk and desperation.
Just as the man was about to overpower Mehr, a figure burst through the window – Yusuf, the young revolutionary Mehr had befriended. He wrestled the man to the ground, a fierce glint in his eyes.
“Mehr, take Champa and go!” Yusuf yelled.
Mehr, tears welling up, grabbed the ledger and Champa. They scrambled through the hidden compartment, emerging into a dusty storeroom. Yusuf held off the man, the sounds of their fight echoing through the haveli.
Heart pounding, Mehr helped Champa stumble through an underground tunnel. It emerged in a secluded alleyway. Exhausted but determined, they flagged down a passing Tonga (horse-drawn carriage).
As they rode away, Mehr clutched the ledger, a heavyweight in her hand. It held the key to protecting Rani and the rebellion, but it also meant exposing herself to the wrath of the powerful Seth. Back in Heeramandi, a fierce resolve hardened Mehr’s gaze. For More Update Please Check APNE TV