Clara Copperfield gives birth to David when her late husband's aunt Betsey visits her. Betsey leaves the house without seeing his face. David is brought up by his nanny Peggotty for 12 years when Edward Murdstone enters his mother's life.
Peggotty takes David to her village where he spends wonderful time with her generous brother Dan and his extended family. On his return, David is told that something was hidden from him.
Clara submits to her suppression by the brother-sister duo, who continuously snaps at David when he learns his lessons. Terrified David's memory fails him during every lesson.
After one particularly poor lesson, Edward Murdstone beats David savagely, who, in self-defense, bites his hand. David is sent away to join Salem, a residential school at Gangtok.
In Gangtok, David is picked up by school master Mell whose mother resides in an old age home. David is made to wear a sign that identifies him as one who bites and stay with Tariq, the only boy staying at hostel during the holidays.
Cruel headmaster Creakel terrifies David. Dominating head boy James Steerforth sends kind and gentle Tariq to another room to become David's room partner. David misses his mother and is fearful for her plight.
David is submissive to James and reveals to him that Mell has kept his mother in an old age home. One day Mell gets into a fight with James when he finds him uttering derogatory comments. Suddenly Mr. Creakle enters the scene.
Creakle fires Mell when James reveals to him that the school master has kept his mother in an old age home. David arrives home for the holidays and gets thrilled to find that he has a baby brother.
David behaves apologetically with Edward and Jane, but they just snub him. He is even kept away from his baby brother. Clara is helpless and unable to support Peggotty's protestations.
When David departs after holidays, Clara, standing at the door, holds up her baby to him. Creakle's daughter tries to commit suicide and James has to leave the school. On his birthday, David gets the news of his mother's death.
At home, Peggotty tells David that his little brother too had died. She narrates how Clara died in her lap cared by none else. David's future becomes a matter of worry when Peggotty gets fired.
Peggotty marries taxi driver Bakshi and they pledge a lifelong commitment with David. Edward sends David to Gangtok as a laborer and paying guest of Buddhiman Misra, a kind man under heavy debts.
Misra and his wife Asha sympathize with David who suffers doing hazardous work. Peggotte approaches Murdstones, but gets no clue about David's whereabouts. She resolves to find David and sends Bakshi on this mission.
Bakshi gets no clue about David's whereabouts at Salem School. David's co-workers despise David for being different from them. Misra becomes overwhelmingly upset when he is threatened of dire consequences by his debtors.
Misra is put behind bars when he fails to pay back his debts. Asha finds it difficult even to provide milk to her babies. But she refuses to accept money from David and sells household things to feed her children.
Misra's complainant gets Mishra released from jail. Misras decide to go to Mumbai and try their luck. Bakshi and Peggotty reach David and offer to keep him with them, but David decides to go to his granny Betsey.
After a long and difficult journey on foot, an exhausted David arrives at Betsey's house. Besides his granny and a young maid Janet, he finds there an eccentric old man Dick who suffers from fits.
David gets panicky when told that Betsey has informed Edward about him. Edward and Jane come and are scolded by Betsey for death of Clara and sufferings of David. Betsey adopts David and he celebrates by flying a kite with Dick.
Betsey arranges David's education at Dr. Sanyal's Academy in Namchi and stay at her friend lawyer Wickfield's house. He gets a caring friend in Wickfield's motherless daughter Agnes.
David grows as an all rounder. Recently married Sanyal seeks Wickfield's help in getting his wife Arti's cousin Madan employed. Wickfield's wicked intern Heep curiously watches relationship between cousins.
Heep tries to create doubts in Wickfield's mind about Arti and Madan. Arti's mother intrudes into her daughter's married life along with Madan. Agonized by the memories of his late wife, Wickfield drinks heavily.
Heep starts encouraging the drinking habit of Wickfield. At farewell party for Madan who has got employed in Kochi, David and Heep see Arti's shawl in departing Madan's hand. Arti's poor condition raises further doubts.
David has a coincidental meeting with James who takes him to his home. David meets his overindulgent mother, sarcastic cousin Rosa and faithful servant Littimer. James joins David in his journey.
David meets bed ridden Bakshi and joins along with James the celebration of Ham's engagement with Em'ly. James mixes up with Ham and Em'ly and learns rafting from Ham while David wanders in memory lanes.
James buys a raft to be used by Dan and Ham in his absence. David takes admission in Law College at Gangtok and joins Spenlow's firm as intern. Betsey rents lodging for him. David observes that Betsey is being stalked by an untidy man.
Agnes makes futile attempts to resist Heep's conspiracies of spoiling and entrapping Wickfield. David meets Spenlow's daughter Dora and falls in love with her. He confronts Jane, now a companion for motherless Dora.
Agnes' visit while David is drunk by James embarrasses him. David rejects Sanyal's offer for a paid assignment. Heep attaches himself to an unwilling David and reveals his intention to marry Agnes.
David visits Misras' house where he discovers his childhood friend Tariq who could study and become a lawyer due to Mell's support, now an IAS Officer. David attends Dora's birthday who stuns him with the news of Edward's marriage.
David meets Dora at Julia's place and they exchange rings after expression of mutual love. He visits James's house and faces Rosa's suspicious queries about James' activities. David finds James too polite and apologetic.
David visits Peggotty's house, where ailing Bakshi dies in his presence. Em'ly elopes with James and lands in Mumbai. Peggotty is scheduled to go to Gangtok with David for some legal affairs. Dan decides to go with them in search of Em'ly.
Mrs. Steerforth blames Em'ly for her son's downfall and Dan for having raised such a wretch. At David's instance, Dan departs to Mumbai in search for Em'ly. Heep moves into Wickfield's house and starts living in David's room.
During a chance meeting at Spenlow's office, David and Peggotty rebuke Edward. Tariq seeks Peggotty's help in buying back a painting made by his fiancee, which has been taken away by a debtor whom Mishra owed money.
David and Pegotty get back Tariq's painting by be-fooling the shopkeeper. Betsey comes along with Dick and with the news that she has been ruined by faulty business decisions. At Agnes' instance David takes a job as assistant to Sanyal.
Em'ly is saved by Bheema and wife Shanta from a fake casting agent. Dora and Agnes become intimate in their first meeting. Tariq guides David for additional income. Dick's desperation for helping Betsee worries David and Betsey.
David tells Dora about his financial woes. He assigns Dick some copying work to satisfy his urge for being helpful to Betsey, He does multiple jobs in shifts and also gets some success as a writer.
Mishra is employed by Heep to the discomfort of David. Jane discovers David'd love letters from Dora and tells Spenlow about her love affair. Spenlow calls David to his office and rebukes him in Jane's presence.
Spenlow dies due to cardiac arrest. Grieving Dora goes into seclusion. Bheema and his wife take Em'ly's address without telling her about Dan's presence in the city. Heep is bent upon buying Misra's soul.
Bheema fails to locate Dan. To distract David, Betsey sends him to Namchi. David finds that Heep has made Wickfield an addict and has taken control of the office. David feels that he and Misra have grown distant from each other.
Mr. Wickfield becomes hysterical when Heep announces his intention to marry Agnes. Asha wonders why David left without meeting her. Knowing Dora's plan to go abroad, David summons Agnes who convinces Dora's aunt for marriage of the lovers.
Heep is slapped by David for having maligned Sanyal's mind about Arti. David brings Peggotty to join Agnes and Tariq for decorating the bungalow bought by Betsey for him. In Mumbai, James starts treating Em'ly like a captive.
Asha looks at Heep's favors to her husband with suspicion. David's biographical writings alarm Edward's new wife Maria. Misras get hurt for not being invited in David's marriage, yet they celebrate the occasion.
Misras feel sad when told that David did send invitation. Heep shakes Misra by swearing that he will ruin David. Dora turns out to be a terrible housekeeper. David engages Tariq for an unknown legal affair of Sanyal.
Guided by Betsey, David and Dora try to smooth their married life. Sanyal surprises his wife by disclosing his will in her favor along with divorce documents. Heep blackmails Misra as he has signed papers against the debt.
Dick and David help in removing misunderstanding created by Heep and reuniting Sanyal and Arti. Betsey plans to have a break at Rhenok along with Dick. In Mumbai, bewildered Em'ly reaches Bheema's house in a hysterical state.
Littimer tells that James deserted Em'ly. Em'ly gains consciousness but doesn't tell what had happened to her. Betsey's alcoholic ex-husband dies at her door. Asha confronts Misra for having sold his soul.
Heep starts humiliating Misra. Bheema and Shanta send recovered Emily to Sikkim but Dan finds that she didn't reach home. Dora is pregnant and doctor advises her complete bed rest. Asha shakes Misra by leaving home in protest.
Misra succeeds in convincing Asha to return. Dan rescues Em'ly who had suffered cruel atrocities. Heep forcefully sends Wickfield to some asylum. Misra informs Tariq and he reaches along with David, Betsey and Dick to confront Heep.
Misra boldly exposes all the misdoings of Heep, also responsible for Betsey's ruin who had never revealed Wickfield's indirect role in it. Betsey witnesses Misra family's attachment with David and rescues Wickfield from the asylum.
Betsey decides to help Misras in settling at Delhi. David accompanies Dan to his village to convey Em'ly's message to Ham that he should forget Em'ly and move on. There he has to face deaths of two dear ones.
