Anjali (Rimi Sen) arrives in Mumbai looking for a job. Having run away from her village, she hopes to earn enough to pay off her family's debts to their landlord or risk marrying the landlord's son. With money running out, the only way she can find cheap lodging is by feigning marriage to a stranger, Nandu,(Aftab Shivdasani) an aspiring musician, an arrangement thought up by local milkman and fixer, Bholu (Amin Gazi). Anjali and Nandu initially don't get along but must make do to retain their low-rent accommodation.

Meanwhile, Jeetu (Akshaye Khanna), an electronics salesman struggles to find a loan to start his own business. His wealthy and miserly father refuses to loan Jeetu money, instead encouraging him to steal. Jeetu discusses his situation with his friend Anil (Sanjay Narvekar) who tells him that the quickest way to wealth is marrying a rich man's daughter. He confides in Jeetu of his plan to marry the daughter of Kachara Seth (Shakti Kapoor), a rich businessman. To feign richness, he pretends to being Radheshyam Tiwari's son and conspires with Tiwari's servant Pandu to trick Kachara Seth into a quick engagement, hopeful that the father-in-law will be unable to do anything upon discovering the truth after marriage. He also nudges Jeetu to go ahead and steal. Following his advice, Jeetu ends up stealing from his parents' safe and opens his electronics store.

Meanwhile, millionaire businessman Radheshyam Tiwari (Paresh Rawal), who lives in a village with his wife Anjali Tiwari (Shoma Anand) and retains the mannerisms of a villager despite his riches, decides to spend a few weeks in the city. With news of Tiwari's arrival, Pandu, fearful for his own employment, asks Anil to flee and make some excuse to Kachara Seth delaying the wedding.

Anjali gets news of Tiwari's arrival from a friend and pays a visit to the villa hoping to land a job there. She meets Tiwari's wife who distrusts and rejects her. Desperate for a job, she decides to wait outside to meet Tiwari himself. At this point, Jeetu shows up at the villa to fix a stereo he sold to Tiwari. Seeing Anjali at the door, he mistakes her for Tiwari's daughter and instinctively starts wooing her.

Unable to land a job at the Tiwari's, Anjali later bumps into Jeetu when she responds to a vacancy at his store. Already trying to woo Anjali for assuming her to be Tiwari's daughter, Jeetu hires her readily. Afraid of losing the job, Anjali continues the pretense. Every day after work, Jeetu drops Anjali off at the Tiwari villa believing she lives there with Anjali exiting the villa after Jeetu leaves. With Jeetu often showing up at Tiwari's villa asking for Anjali and Mrs. Tiwari spotting the real Anjali frequently outside the villa, the Tiwaris become convinced that each is having an affair with the younger counterparts. This results in several acrimonious arguments and much tantrum throwing between the elderly couple.

Nandu, in the meantime, has begun to fall in love with Anjali. Nandu and Jeetu cross paths resulting in a very public verbal altercation between them. Meanwhile, Anjali receives a letter from home, informing her that the landlord's son Raja (Rajpal Yadav) is coming to visit her. Raja arrives the next day but is intercepted by Nandu at the train station, who teams up with Bholu to formulate a plan to scare the simpleton Raja away from the city before he can get in touch with Anjali.

Agitated by Pandu and Anil absconding, Kachara Seth also makes several visits to the villa. Tiwari's attempts to explain to him that his only son is in London fall on deaf ears as Kachara's accusations create further rifts between Mr. & Mrs. Tiwari.

Now Jeetu is after Tiwari for Anjali's hand in marriage, Tiwari is after Jeetu for his perceived dalliances with his wife, Kachara Seth is after Tiwari and his missing son Anil; and Nandu's landlord's wife has fallen for Nandu and is after him about eloping with her. All the major characters start chasing after each other and end up in a warehouse, where a big melee follows.

In the end, Jeetu and Nandu confront Anjali and profess their love for her, forcing her to choose between them. Seemingly cornered, Anjali decides to write their names on paper chits, agreeing to marry the one whose name comes up. Jeetu picks out a chit, only to find Nandu's name on it, who then walks off with Anjali in tow. Left alone, Jeetu collapses to the floor, heartbroken and sitting amidst the remaining chits, opens another one, only to discover Nandu's name on that one too and then on all the other ones as well. He then realizes Anjali had fallen for Nandu along the way and she was never smitten to him to begin with.

• Paresh Rawal as Radheshyam Tiwari
• Akshaye Khanna as Jeetu
• Rimi Sen as Anjali
• Aftab Shivdasani as Nandu
• Shakti Kapoor as 'Raddiwala' Tejabhai a.k.a. Kachara Seth
• Shoma Anand as Anjali Tiwari
• Rajpal Yadav as Raja
• Tiku Talsania as Popat Seth (Nandu and Anjali's land lord)
• Upasna Singh as Dulari (Popat's wife)
• Sanjay Narvekar as Anil
• Neena Kulkarni as Renuka(Jeetu's mother)
• Jagadish as Pandu (Radheshyam Tiwari's servant)
• Manoj Joshi as Inspector Waghmare
• Razzak Khan as Babu Bisleri
• Amin Gazi as Bholu
• Shaan as himself in the song 'Chain Aapko Mila'
• Sadhana Sargam as herself in the song 'Chain Aapko Mila'

The music of Hungama was composed by Nadeem–Shravan & lyrics penned down by Sameer (lyricist). Songs Tera Dil & Hum Nahin were among popular hits at that time.

Track listing