Designer Aman Puri (Aftab Shivdasani) is the only son of the Puri family. His dad (Anupam Kher) wants him to marry, but Aman insists that he will not marry unless he meets the girl of his dreams. While trying to design his final project, he sees Esha Singh (Esha Deol), a fellow student at his college. Aman does his best to strike up a friendship with Esha, but she adamantly refuses him. His father, unable to see Aman hurt, decides to speak with Esha's mother, Mansi Devi (Jaya Bachchan). Mansi Devi assures Aman's father that she has no objections about Aman's intentions toward Esha. She then speaks to Esha, telling her there is nothing wrong with returning Aman's friendship.
Aman and Esha fall in love and are planning to get married. At Aman and Esha's engagement ceremony Dushyant (Sanjay Kapoor) shows up saying that he is Mansi Devi's son. Esha upon seeing Dushyant becomes extremely frightened. It turns out that Dushyant is Mansi Devi's son and Esha is his wife. On their honeymoon Dushyant attempted to get her gangraped and film the scene. Esha escapes believing that Dushyant died. She returns to Mansi Devi and tells her the truth about her son. Mansi Devi and Esha moved to another town, pretending to be mother and daughter. Dushyant vows to destroy Esha's life. Aman finds out the truth and vows that nothing can stop him from marrying Esha.
On Esha's marriage day, Mansi Devi goes to Dushyant with pudding, which she has especially made for him. Dushyant not trusting her asks her to eat it first. She does and then he eats it as well. It turns out that the kheer (pudding) was poisoned. Dushyant dies. After witnessing Aman and Esha's wedding ceremony Mansi Devi dies. Hence mothers-in-law are dedicated.