Krish Malhotra (Arjun Kapoor) is a Punjabi guy, a nerdy IITian studying management in IIM Ahmedabad, who meets a charming and bubbly, but determined Tamil girl Ananya Swaminathan (Alia Bhatt). He helps her with her economics and then they start studying together thus becoming good friends and then ultimately falling in love. Soon they commit to each other seriously.
However, things don't take place the way they want to when their parents give each other cold shoulder over their preconceived notions. Krish's mother Kavita (Amrita Singh) hates the 'Madrassis' whom she suspects of being conniving and dishonest and Ananya's parents, including here mother (Revathi) look down on the Punjabis for being uncultured.
So as to get closer to Ananya, Krish chooses his job at Chennai, where he meets her family and tries whatever he can to gain their acceptance. He helps her father with his bank work, tutors her brother for his IIT entrance and helps her mother with her singing passion and finally succeeds.
However, when Ananya comes to Delhi to meet Krish's mother and his family, things go sour when Krish's mother doesn't like her and his father (Ronit Roy), with whom he has a broken relationship acts indifferent. However, soon things get better as she succeeds to make an impression on Krish's family.
Now they decide to help both the families meet each other and get acquainted so that they can accept each other and their proposal for marriage. The further story narrates what lies ahead of Krish and Ananya.