Shankar is blinded permanently. Rukmini watches in horror, helpless. Raja Saab has Shankar thrown into a deep, abandoned coal mine pit to die. Rukmini is told he is dead. She is then locked away in a remote, dilapidated house on the edge of the mines, guarded by a loyal but scared old servant.
By chance, Rukmini sees this photograph. Mistaking Shankar for the man in her dreams, she falls in love with his image. Her servant, (Johnny Lever), secretly shows the photo to Raja Saab, hoping to arrange a marriage. Koyla 1997 English Subtitles
Meanwhile, Shankar survives the fall. Near death, he is found by a kind elderly woman and her grandson. Though blind, Shankar’s other senses become superhumanly sharp. He trains his body, learning to fight, move, and survive using only sound and touch. He becomes a fierce, vengeful warrior without sight. Months pass. One day, Shankar hears Rukmini’s voice carried on the wind. Using his enhanced hearing, he tracks her to the abandoned house. When they meet, Rukmini is shocked and overjoyed—Shankar is alive, but blinded because of her. Shankar is blinded permanently
Rukmini, however, dreams of love and escape. She has seen a photograph of a handsome, gentle man in a magazine and fantasizes about meeting someone like him. A poor, honest, and strong-willed miner named Shankar (Shah Rukh Khan) works in Raja Saab’s mines. Shankar is kind-hearted but has a fiery temper when he witnesses injustice. One day, a photographer comes to town to take pictures of the miners. Shankar poses for a fun, carefree photo. Rukmini is told he is dead
In a devastating twist, Raja Saab forces Shankar to sign a false confession that he seduced Rukmini before marriage. Then, to completely break her spirit, Raja Saab orders his men to burn Shankar’s eyes with hot coals () as punishment.