Contemporary India. A majestic fort. A royal dynasty that no longer rules. A king without a kingdom. Yet Eklavya (Amitabh Bachchan), their royal guard, lives in a time warp. He lives only to protect the fort, the dynasty, and the king.

Unable to cope with the suffocating customs of his land, the heir, Prince Harshwardhan (Saif Ali Khan), has stayed away in London. But the sudden death of the the queen, Rani Suhasinidevi (Sharmila Tagore), forces him to return to a land troubled by unrest. The King, Rana Jaywardhan (Boman Irani), influenced by his brother, supports the atrocities being forced upon the helpless peasants. This soon results in revolution, unveiling the safely guarded secrets of the fort that Eklavya has protected for so long.