Mohabbatein - Plot

Plot

Gurukul is a university run by the stubborn Narayan Shankar (Amitabh Bachchan). Narayan wants the best out of his students so places an emphasis on honour, tradition and discipline. He has run the university for 25 years and forbids any kind of romance — anybody he catches falling in love will be expelled. The focus is on three boys: Sameer (Jugal Hansraj), Vicky (Uday Chopra) and Karan (Jimmy Shergill) who are all in love with three women. Sameer is in love with his childhood friend Sanjana (Kim Sharma). Vicky falls for a girl from the university next door named Ishika (Shamita Shetty). Karan becomes smitten by a girl he sees at the train station named Kiran (Preeti Jhangiani). However, they all know that if they are caught, they will be expelled so decide not to try and confess their love for their interests.

Raj Aryan (Shahrukh Khan) joins Gurukul as a music teacher. He is a strong believer of love — when he learns the three boys are in love, he encourages them to follow their hearts. He also slowly starts introducing changes to Gurukul much to the disgust of Narayan, who does not like changes. The boys soon end up disappointed when trying to get their love interests. Sameer learns Sanjana has a boyfriend. Vicky only makes Ishika dislike him when trying to woo her. Karan learns that Kiran is married to a pilot who is assumed dead. Raj tells the boys not to be disappointed. He believes they are lucky because Raj's love Megha (Aishwarya Rai) is dead. He says he continues to love her in the same way and believes the boys should also do the same. Raj often imagines that Megha is by his side.

Soon, Raj throws a party in Gurukul and invites the girls' school from next door — part of his plan to spread love throughout Gurukul. Narayan Shankar is furious and decides to sack Raj immediately. Raj reveals that he is Raj Aryan Malhotra. Raj was a student at Gurukul years ago and was expelled because he loved Megha, who was Narayan's only daughter. When Raj was expelled, Megha committed suicide. Raj believed that this incident would make Narayan change for the better; it only made him more stubborn. Raj promises that, before he leaves Gurukul, he will fill it with so much love that even Narayan himself will not be able to remove it. A battle now begins between love (Raj) and fear (Narayan). Narayan decides that he will keep Raj at Gurukal as a challenge.

Sameer, Vicky, and Karan soon win over the girls they love — Raj is winning the battle for the moment. Narayan does not give up so easily; when he sees the rules of Gurukul are being broken, he tightens them. The three boys continue to break the rules, which encourages the other students to do the same. Narayan decides to expel the three. Raj tries to reason with Narayan — he tells him that what the three boys did was caused by him so they should not be expelled for it. Raj also says that he feels Narayan lost the battle, because his daughter left him and now Raj (who considered Narayan an elder) is leaving him. Raj's words make Narayan realise his mistake. He publicly apologises to the students and steps down as the principal, allowing Raj to take over. Raj turns Gurukul into a love-filled university. In the end Raj, Narayan and an image of Megha walk happily towards the gates of Gurukul.