Jamal, a 10-year-old Pakistani Muslim, mistakenly crosses the border between India and Pakistan and finds an unusual ally in a Hindu Brahmin, Bhola. Indian soldiers descend on Bhola's village searching for the so-called terrorist who crossed over. Bhola's neice, Rani, insists they can't let a Muslim into their Hindu home. With Bhola and Rani grappling with the consequences of harboring a Pakistani and their deep-set prejudice against Muslims, Jamal's only hope is the humanity shared by a people separated by artificial boundaries a long time ago
When his cricket ball crosses into no-mans land on the heavily mined India/Pakistan border, the young "Jamal" (an engaging effort from Julfuqar Ali) tries to retrieve it - at peril to his life! Pretty soon, a pair of Indian soldiers are chasing him and he has to hide amongst the rocks whilst a local teacher "Bhola" (Sushil Sharma) is questioned by his pursuers who claim their fugitive looked like just about anything but a small boy clad in bright red. The kindly man takes him under his wing and to his village where the youngster encounters his daughter who is initially reluctant to get involved before hitting on a clever idea for him to avoid those searching! What now ensues sees the boy briefly exposed to the neighbouring - pretty much identical - culture before they try to retrace his steps and get him back home to the safety of his mother. It's a simple story that clearly wants to point out the futility of the fences, minefields and the soldiers enforcing boundaries that exist on maps only. The people on either side just want to co-exist in peace and harmony, largely wishing to reserve their animosity solely for the cricket pitch.