Protagonist Om Prakash Makhija (Shahrukh Khan) is a junior artist in the 1970s film industry. He and his friend Pappu (Shreyas Talpade) are trying to succeed as leading actors. Om's mother, Bela Makhija (Kirron Kher), herself a junior artist, inspires and encourages her son to become a success. He is in love with the film actress Shanti Priya (Deepika Padukone), whom he eventually befriends after saving her from a fire in set. He tries to confess his feelings to her, but he gets overwhelmed by Shanti true kindness and decides to wait for a better chance.