Simran 2017

Praful Patel, portrayed by Kangana Ranaut, is a divorcee in her mid-30s living in the United States, where she works diligently as a housemaid for a prominent hotel chain. Frustrated by her circumstances, she is desperate to secure a mortgage that would allow her to leave her parents’ home. However, her father, [Hiten Kumar], and mother, [Kishori Shahane], grow increasingly displeased with her for not remarrying.

In an attempt to escape her reality, Praful reluctantly agrees to accompany her cousin, Amber, to a bachelor party in Las Vegas. Their escapades lead her to a casino where she is taught the intricacies of baccarat by a friendly Indian, resulting in a thrilling win of $2,000. Amidst the excitement, she crosses paths with Adam, a charming Californian, but their heated encounter takes an unexpected turn when they don’t engage in intimacy due to unforeseen circumstances.

After a streak of luck at the baccarat table turns sour, Praful finds herself in a precarious situation, losing $8,000—her savings for the mortgage. As a consequence, her loan application is denied because of her poor credit score. In a bid for help, she turns to her father, who suggests meeting Sameer, a young man designated as her suitor. Despite her reservations about marriage, Praful is drawn to Sameer’s honesty during their initial meetings and gradually finds fondness for him, leading to an engagement.

However, Praful’s compulsive gambling habits resurface, prompting another trip to Vegas, where she spirals deeper into debt and unwittingly takes out a massive loan of $32,000 from a notorious loan shark. As her gambling addiction wreaks havoc on her life, she finds it increasingly difficult to confide in her parents, who remain oblivious to her troubles while preparing for her wedding to Sameer.

At a family wedding, her budding relationship with Sameer deepens, but her financial troubles soon catch up with her. Praful is threatened for repayment of an escalating $50,000 debt, leaving her in a state of panic. Desperate and feeling cornered, she resorts to desperate measures by stealing from a gas station attendant, disguising herself with oversized sunglasses and a hood, but only manages to collect a mere $10,000.

As her situation intensifies, she concocts a daring plan to rob banks under the alias “Simran,” a nod to a character from a classic movie. Dubbed the “lipstick bandit,” she leaves behind robbery notes written in lipstick. In a moment of vulnerability, she tries to reveal her criminal activities to Sameer, but he dismisses her concerns with laughter.

Her manager, Mike Mehndi, makes unwanted advances towards her, further complicating her situation. When the loan shark confronts her at work, demanding the remaining $8,000, Praful discovers that her savings—hidden in a hotel locker—have vanished, taken by Mike. Faced with a crucial decision, she meets with the loan sharks and refuses to join their gang, even as they acknowledge her dual life as “Simran.”

As the stakes heighten, she pulls off a heist at the very bank that declined her mortgage application and plans to use the stolen funds to settle her debt. However, in a surprising twist, Sameer deposits his savings for his MBA into her account, giving her a chance at redemption. Ultimately, after evading the police, she learns that her loyal suitor has not abandoned her as she feared.

In a turn of events, Praful must confront her reality, leading her to surrender to law enforcement. She receives a ten-month prison sentence but finds a silver lining by selling the rights to her sensational story to a Bollywood producer for a staggering $50,000, thus turning her misfortunes into a new opportunity.