The story is about brothers Karan Singh (Salman Khan) and Arjun Singh (Shahrukh Khan) being raised by a single mother Durga Singh (Raakhee Gulzar) in a rural Indian village. One day, when the brothers visit their rich grandfather at his mansion for the first time in twenty years, they are killed by the jealous Durjan Singh (Amrish Puri), who wishes to own the mansion himself. Durga refuses to accept the loss of her sons, and goes to the temple to pray to the goddess Kali to bring them back. That same night, they are reborn into separate city families as Ajay (Karan) and Vijay (Arjun). Durga continues to pray regularly at the shrine, often being mocked by Durjan Singh's family.
Ajay (Salman Khan as reincarnation of Karan) grows up to be a champion prizefighter, and uses the proceeds to buy medicine for his alcoholic father. One day, a businessman called Saxena (Ranjeet) offers him the money he needs to save his father who is in dire need for surgery due to his alcoholism. However, when Ajay arrives at the hospital, Ajay's father has already died, and he cremates his father, returning the remainder to Saxena. Out of debt, Ajay agrees to work for him. Later, Ajay falls in love with Bindiya(Mamta Kulkarni).