Scene 1

The chorus brings the dead body of Bulha to the stage. They are chanting a verse from Bulleh Shah: "gor paya Koi Hor" (It is not me in the grave, it is someone else"

Scene 2
Qazi's Court

Mufti refuses to lead the funeral prayer of Bulha and grant permission for burial in the city graveyard, unless it is established that Bulha died a Muslim.

Scene 3
Narrators Sona and Chandi) express anger at Mufti's decision. They talk about Bulha's childhood and his miracles.

Scene 4
Qazi's Court

Qazi begins narrating the story of Bulha's misdeeds. He tells the court about Bulha's claim to be God (Ana-al-Haq)

Flash-back
Buha appears, chanting Ana-al-haq and paying tribute to Mansoor Hallaj, who was executed for chanting the same slogan in 10th Century Iraq. He is arrested and brought before the court. He refuses to repent. Bulha's teacher Maulvi Ghulam Mohyeddin Qasuri comes and tells the court that Bulha is saying that he is "Illa" (raw), not Allah. He proposes that Bulha should be sent to Shah Inayet Qadri in Lahore for training and learning. Bulha is sent to Lahore. Qawwals quote from Bulha about this stage of his life.

Scene 5
Narrators link the story.

Scene 6
Shah Inayet's madrassa

Shah is gardening. Bulha enters and sits under a mango tree. He is hungry and recites holy words "Allah is Rich" and the mangos fall in his lap. Shah notices that and recites the same words and the mangoes go back to the tree. Bulha seeks forgiveness and requests to become a disciple. Shah initiates Bulha in his order.
Qawals sing verse about the sufi concept of sufi training.

Scene 7
Narrators talk about the adverse reaction in Bulha's family to his becoming a disciple of a master from a lower cast (arain, the agricultural cast).

Scene 8
Bulha's sisters and sisters-in-law come dancing and urge Bulha not to degrade his Syed (high cast) family and leave the Arain master. Bulha says he rejects his Syed family and is happy to be a slave of the Arain master.

Scene 9
Shah's madrassa
Shah Inayet tells Bulha how to overcome ego. He says love of the human is a ladder to attain love of God. Ruler of Qasur comes to complain about Bulha's unorthodox behaviour and beliefs. Shah refuses to stop Bulha from professing his sufi ideas in public.

Scene 10
Soldiers from various factions fight each other.

Scene 11
Announcer announces the coronation of a new king and imposition of more taxes.
Narrators talk about the suffering of the common man during a period of unending strife and power struggle of the ruling families.

Scene 12
People are suffering and call for help. Bulha comes and sings a "funny" song about the strife between different sweets and edibles. People dance with joy. Soldiers interrupt them.

Scene 13
Qazi's Court
Qazi tells the Mufti about the shocking behaviors of Bulha and his sympathies for enemies of the Islamic government. He refers to Bulha's sympathy for Banda Singh Beragi, the Sikh warrior.

Scene 14
Banda enters the Qazi's platform and orchestrates the fight.

Scene 15
Bulha's hujra
Bulha and his companions sing qawwali. Banda comes in to seek refuge. Bulha hides Banda from the Moghal soldiers. Bulha and Banda get introduced. Banda talks about his hatred for Moghuls and all Muslims for they were responsible for the massacres of Sikhs and murders of Guru Gobind's sons.. Banda retorts that oppression cannot be ended with silence and inaction. Bulha argues that common Muslims are also victims of Moghul tyranny and says killing innocent civilians is against the teachings of Guru Nanak.

Scene 16
Soldiers fight. Banda leads the Sikh fight-back

Scenes 17
Narrators make fun of the mad emperor Bahadur Shah who had ordered a massacre of the dogs. A faqir sings Bulha's poem about dogs, who are more loyal than the pious ones.

Scene 18
Shah's madrassa
Shah advises Bulha to keep his mouth shut and not publicly divulge the sufi secrets. He says common people can't understand these experiences and this can cause chaos. Bulha says he can't keep his love for God a secret. He wants to share his joy and ecstasy. Shah warns that in this case, there will be trouble and the clergy will strike back. Bulha sings verses saying that he can't be a hypocrite.

Scene 19
Narrators talk about Bulha's journey as a sufi and as a Punjabi poet. They refer to an incident when Bulha was not able to look after Shah Inayet's nephew during his visit to Qasur.

Scene 20
Shah's Madrassa
The nephew complains to Shah Inayet about Bulha's behaviour and claims that Bulha has no regard for his master. He is setting up his own group and doesn't need an arain master anymore. Shah shows his anger and refuses to receive Bulha. Bulha is devastated.

Scene 21
Narrators talk about Bulha's condition at being rejected by his master. He returns to Qasur and tries to take solace in qawwali. But some zealots take a fatwa from his teacher Maulvi Qasuri. Bulha can't challenge his own teacher's fatwa. He decides to leave for Gawalior to pray at Shah Ghaus' shrine.

Scene 22
Narrators talk about the political anarchy in Punjab and the civil war between Moghuls and rival forces.

Scene 23
Bulha is arrested by Banda Singh's men. Banda tells Bulha that he has avenged the murders of his Guru's sons and wrecked havoc on Moghuls and Muslims. Bulha asks Banda if he is happy and satisfied now. Will his gurus forgive him for the bloodshed? Banda says he was forced to take this road. The oppressor's hand had to be stopped. But he expresses admiration for the likes of Bulleh Shah. Banda's soldiers sing Bulha's songs about true love and oneness of humanity. Banda tells his men that if there were like Bulleh Shah, the world would have been a better place.

Scene 24
Bulha continues on his journey to Gawalior, singing a song about appeasing the estranged beloved. Bulha prays at Shah Ghaus's tomb and is told to learn song and dance to appease his master. He is asked to seek music guru Tan Sen's blessing. Bulha goes to Tan Sen's grave and is blessed with the art of music. But he is told to go and learn dancing.
Bulha approaches the dancing girl Muradi.

Scene 25
Muradi's kotha
Muradi is talking to Sona and Chandi about Bulleh Shah. Bulha enters. He is first stopped by the guard. Muradi welcomes him and sings his own poetry for him. Bulha asks her to be his teacher. Muradi initiates Bulha as her student.

Scene 26
Bulha is dresses as a dancing girl and starts dancing along with other dancers, Qawwals sing the poem written about this incident. It says "your love has made me dance like a dancing girl". Shah Inayet watched the dance and embraces Bulha. He forgives Bulha.

Scene 27
Qazi's Court
Qazi sums up his case against Bulha and reminds the court that he had been expelled from Qasur because of his treasonable and blasphemous conduct and poetry.

Scene 28
Shah's Madrassa
Shan Inayet tells Bulha that he has finished his training successfully and now will be on his own. He gives Bulha a ring and a shawl. Bulha dances in ecstasy. Qawals sing poem entitled : Who is Poor Bulha".

Scene 29
Qazi's Court
Qazi reads the charge sheet against Bulha and quotes from Bulha's blasphemous and outrageous poetry. Bulha is asked to repent but he refuses. Orders are issued of his expulsion. Bulha is persuaded by Muradi and others to move out of city limits, and establish a hujra at Muradi's land.

Scene 30
Banda is being taken in a cage. He tells Bulha that he is being taken for execution but he has fulfilled his mission. His name will remain as a symbol pf how peace-loving people can rise in rebellion if pushed to the wall. He asks Bulha to continue with his qawali, with his crusade. Bulha sings his own poem about the topsy turvy times.

Scene 31
Bulha's hujra outside Qasur

Sona and Chandi are eating carrots during the fasting month of Ramzan. They are beaten up by some zealots. They tell Bulha about the incident. Bulha tells them that if they claim to be Muslims or something, they are bound to get beaten up. Bulha sings his poem "I don't know who I am". Devotees come and sit. They are leaving the Qasur city to join Bulha. Maulvi Qasuri comes to apologise for the fatwa against qawali and asks Bulha to pray for him.

Scene 32
Nadir Shah attacks Punjab and demands ransom money and other benefits. People are distraught. Bulha sings his poem written about Nadir Shah's attack on Punjab.\

Scene 33
Narrators talk about Bulha's high stature as a poet of the people and his growing popularity. Then everything is shattered by the news of Shah Inayet's death.

Scene 34
Bulha sings his requiem on Shah Inayet's death. He is urged by Muradi to pull himself together and finish his work. Bulha declares that he will not compromise and keep fighting against the forces of hatred and exploitation. He sings his last song.

Scene 35
Qazi's Court
Qazi tells the court that Bulha never repented and left a legacy of treason and blasphemy. The Mufti gives his verdict: Bulha's funeral prayer is refused. He will not be allowed burial in the city graveyard.

Scene 36
Narrators castigate the clergy for their verdict and say that history will give its own verdict. It will be the mullahs and obscurantist who will die. Bulha will live.
Bulha's funeral procession is formed again. The qawali "Gor paya koi hor" ("there is someone else in the grave". is sung by qawals.

Scene 37
Bulha's shrine (now center of Qasur)
Narrators tell the audience that today after 250 years, Bulha is as powerful as ever whiles the muftis, nawabs and qazis of those times have perished and their offspring yearns to be buried in the graveyard around Bulleh Shah's shrine.