Teesri Kasam is based on Phanishwar Nath Renu’s story’Maare Gaye Gulfaam’. It centers around Heeraman, a bullock cart driver who is almost caught smuggling contraband, he vows that he will never smuggle. Heeraman is a simplistic man, who is taken in by people easily. Next he gets into an accident carrying bamboo and vows to never carry bamboo again. Thereafter, he is asked to transport a lady called Heerabai from a nautanki company to the village’mela’ which is quite far away. As she spends time with Heeraman, during the journey, an innocent rapport is built between them. Iftekhar plays the young, flamboyant zamindar who lusts after Heerabai. In the end she is faced with a difficult choice. Life is a nautanki - can she play the role of Savitri for the rest of her life