The film begins with the news of the death of Shivaji reaching the court of the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb. His advisers anticipate the collapse of the Maratha resistance, while Aurangzeb, though acknowledging the loss of a formidable enemy, orders a celebration. However, leadership has already passed to Sambhaji, Shivaji’s son. Burhanpur, a key Mughal administrative and commercial center, faces a sudden Maratha attack. The defenders, unprepared, are overwhelmed by the onslaught. In the midst of battle, Sambhaji falls into a pit where he faces a lion. Overpowering the beast, he kills it with his bare hands. The Marathas seize the Mughal treasury, directly challenging imperial authority.