The story begins at Sir Richard's Mental Sanatorium, run by the strict and authoritative Dr. Khurana (Om Puri), along with the other two main doctors, Dr. Sunil (Jackie Shroff) and Dr. Tanvi Khurana (Kareena Kapoor), who is the daughter of Dr. Khurana. Dr. Tanvi has treated a female patient (Sulabha Arya) who wears no. 36 with love and proper care, rebelling against Dr. Khurana's inhumane ways of dealing with mentally ill patients. As she gets discharged, Tanvi doesn't get acknowledged for her efforts, which devastate her and since then, has become embittered and vows to never come close to any patient, especially no. 36.