Krishna, a young boy, is abandoned by his mother at the Apollo Circus after she informs him that he must earn 500 rupees to pay for his brother's damaged bicycle. Left behind, Krishna travels to Bombay, where he finds work delivering tea and is nicknamed "Chaipau" by local street children. He forms friendships with a heroin addict and drug dealer named Chillum, and Manju Golub, the daughter of a corrupt businessman and prostitute. As Krishna navigates the challenges of street life in Bombay, he dreams of saving the necessary money to return home.
Salaam Bombay!
In the dark alleys of India's crime-ridden streets, a young man named Krishna fights to stay alive amidst a web of drug lords, human smugglers, and destitute populations.