In 1986, Saroo, a five-year-old boy, with his elder brother Guddu, his mother and his younger sister in Khandwa, India. Guddu and Saroo coal from freight trains to trade for milk and food. One day, Saroo his brother to look for a job and they at a nearby train station, where Saroo to stay back and take a nap. Guddu to wake him up, but Saroo too tired. When Guddu not return, Saroo for him and a train presuming Guddu aboard. He asleep again in one of the compartments, and up to find the train in motion. After several days, it in faraway Calcutta, where he not understand the local Bengali language. He at a ticket counter and to obtain a ticket home, but the attendant not recognise the name of his village. He the night in the station with some street children, but then woken up and forced to run when a group of men to kidnap them.