In the 13th century Afghanistan, Jalaluddin Khilji of the Khilji dynasty plots to seize the throne of Delhi. In return for supplying him with an ostrich, his nephew Alauddin Khilji asks for Jalaluddin's daughter Mehrunisa's hand in wedding. Alauddin's wedding is organized, but on the night of the event, he engages in adultery with another woman and kills Jalaluddin's courtier who catches him red-handed, leaving his wife horrified. Meanwhile, Rajput ruler Maharawal Ratan Singh travels to Sinhala to acquire rare pearls for his first wife Nagmati. The Sinhala princess Padmavati unknowingly wounds Ratan Singh while hunting a deer. The two fall in love and are married.
Jalaluddin seizes Delhi's throne and permits Alauddin to repel a Mongol invasion of Delhi. Alauddin undertakes an unsanctioned raid on Devagiri. Learning of Alauddin's ambition to take over his throne from his wife and nephew, Jalaluddin travels to Kara, where his nephew is also stationed. Alauddin captures Devagiri's princess and makes her part of his harem. Jalaluddin arrives and gifts the slave Malik Kafur to Alauddin, who has Jalaluddin and his guards assassinated, declaring himself Sultan.
Padmavati journeys to Mewar with Ratan Singh, but is lusted for by Singh's royal priest, Raghav Chetan. Chetan is caught watching Ratan and Padmavati when they kiss and is thrown out of the kingdom. The first wife of Ratan is also jealous of Padmavati. Chetan travels to Delhi and informs Khilji of Padmavati's beauty. Alauddin, who wants to own every unusual thing in the world, invites the Rajputs to Delhi. Upon learning of their rejection, he orders an attack on Chittor. After many unsuccessful attempts in seizing Chittor, Khilji feigns peace and is allowed to enter Chittor where he meets Ratan. He asks to see Padmavati. The Rajputs, knowing his intentions, threaten him and tell him that he is only alive because he is a guest. He is allowed to see Padmavati momentarily after he insists.
Ratan Singh is taken prisoner by Alauddin, who demands to see Padmavati. Upon being insisted by the chief queen, she agrees and travels to Delhi to meet Khilji. Meanwhile, Alauddin's nephew attempts to assassinate him. Alauddin is wounded but defends himself. While on the Sultanate's frontiers, the Rajputs plan to ambush the Khilji soldiers in the morning which is the time for namāz. Padmavati frees Ratan with help of Mehrunisa. The Khilji soldiers who are praying are alerted and attack but are ambushed by the Rajputs disguised as women. The Rajput attack is repulsed, with the ambushing Rajputs killed. Padmavati is hailed for saving
Ratan in Chittor and compared to a goddess.Alauddin imprisons Mehrunisa for helping the Rajputs and marches to Chittor. He and Ratan engage in a single duel, Alauddin is nearly defeated by Ratan who is dishonorably killed by Khilji's forces by being shot with arrows but berates Alauddin for fighting dishonorably before dying. The Khilji army succeeds in defeating the Rajputs and capturing Chittor, but are unable to capture the Rajput women who commit Jauhar with Padmavati.