Plot

An alienated, Americanized teenager of East Indian heritage is sent back to India where he discovers not only his roots but a lot about himself.

American college student, Dev Raman, arrives in India as a foreign exchange student. His host family questions him about his family and Dev shares that his father recently died. He bonds with the family's son, Sunjay Mohan, and tells him he has no interest in exploring his Indian roots, but came there at the urging of his mother. Sometime later, Sunjay takes Dev to a Hindu temple. Dev tells him about a fight he got into in high school, which gave him the lasting reputation as a troublemaker that has followed him to India. On his first day of classes, the other students stare at Dev, and he becomes infatuated with a classmate named Sabitha. However, Sunjay tells Dev the girl is very traditional and it will be hard to win her over. Sunjay's sister, Rupal Mohan, asks Dev about America, and he tells her about the freedom he has there. She shares that she wants to marry a young man named Sunil, but her parents will not approve because he is North Indian. Sometime later, Dev is picked on by his senior classmates who demand he show them respect. Dev defends himself and gets into a fistfight with gang leader, Raj Kahn. Principal Balaji blames Dev for the fight and warns he will be expelled the next time something like this occurs. Sunjay tells Dev he needs to endure the "ragging" from the seniors, as it is a rite of passage. When Dev is kicked out of class for accidentally offending his professor, he wants to return home, frustrated by the cultural differences. Sunjay chastises him for turning his back on his Indian roots and for giving up so easily. Dev has a change of heart, and asks Sunjay to take him to his father's hometown someday. In time, Sabitha finally speaks to Dev when he sees her on a park bench. After speaking, she tells him she can be found there every Saturday. Sunjay invites Dev to see a famous Swami, and Dev tells the holy man that his father was always disappointed in him. The Swami tells him a parable about fathers and sons, which makes Dev feel better. Back at school, Sunjay helps Dev stay calm when the bullies approach. However, the torment escalates, and Dev is beaten, forced to drink alcohol, then pushed into traffic where he is nearly run over. Sunjay admits that Raj Kahn and the bullies have gone too far and understands if he wants to return home, but Dev finally understands that the bullies want respect, and asserts that he wants that for himself. Dev and Sunjay travel four hours by bus to Madras, the hometown of Dev's father. After visiting his father's former classmate and learning that the man received many letters over the years expressing pride for his son, Dev realizes that his father was hard on him because he wanted the best for him. Sometime later, Dev and Sunjay are robbed at knife point while walking down a rural road. Sunjay talks a shop owner into letting them work for a day to earn their bus fare home. As they clean fish for the shop owner, Dev enjoys the experience. Afterward, he starts a football game with the children in the village. Later, Dev sees the ghost of his father and says goodbye. He returns to university and is disciplined for missing an exam because of his delay in Madras. Dev argues that he has the second best grades in class, and is stunned when the professor accuses him of cheating. Dev meets Sabitha again, and tells her he wants to be a writer. She shares her dream of being a dancer, but says her family would never allow her to do so. In time, Rupal ignores her parents' wishes and marries Sunil. Her parents attend the ceremony, but show their displeasure. Later, when Rupal asks her mother to give Sunil a chance, she invites her new son-in-law over for dinner. Dev prepares to return to America and tells Sunjay his plans to tell Sabitha how he feels about her. One night, chaos erupts on the streets when a child is run over and killed by a drunken Muslim man. Raj Kahn, also drunk, joins the angry mob. When a window is broken in their home, Sunjay runs into the streets to retaliate, but Dev calms him down. The boys see Raj Kahn strangling an elderly man in the crowd. Dev attacks and beats Raj, as the onlookers cheer him on. When Dev stops the fight and walks away, the crowd attacks Raj and douses him with gasoline, preparing to light him on fire. Dev breaks into the circle, and rescues Raj, chastising the crowd. Sunjay tells Dev that his father would be proud of him. Later, at school, Raj salutes Dev for saving his life. After receiving good scores on his final exams, Dev waits for Sabitha at their meeting spot. When she arrives, she praises Dev for his heroic actions. He tells her he will write a book about it someday, and asks to continue their relationship after he leaves, promising to return and visit her. However, Sabitha tells him she is to wed a man she has never met, and must follow the customs of the arranged marriage. Before leaving, she holds Dev's hand. Sometime later, Sunjay finds Dev in a temple, and Dev confesses that India has changed him.