Kala Pani is a movie about institutionalized corruption and crime. Karan (Dev Anand) discovers that his father, believed dead, is in fact in jail for a murder he did not commit. Karan sets out to prove his father's innocence with the help of journalist Asha (Madhubala). The villain is the corrupt public prosecutor (Sanu). The key witness is a dancer, Kishori, played by Nalini Jayawant who elevates the film beyond its plot. Her own desire for Karan makes an ambiguous love triangle that provides other reasons to that of the Karan's vendetta for seeking out the truth.