Mirch Masala is a thriller drama. Set in colonial India, in the early 1940s, the movie follows the story of a young, beautiful and confident woman, Sonbai (Smita Patil). One day, an arrogant subedar (Naseeruddin Shah) or tax collector visits their village, along with his henchmen. The powerful subedar demands more than just tax from the villagers, and often exploits the village belles. He sets his eyes on the confident and beautiful Sonbai, who lived alone in the village, as her husband was away in the city for work. When he tries to molest her, she manages to escape and takes shelter in the spice factory, where women used to grind chillies into fine powder. The old caretaker of the factory refuses to open the door to anyone who wishes to harm Sonbai or other women. Later, the other women too stand up against the subedar, his men, the chief of the village and other powerful people who approve of such molestations. Will these women finally be able to bring some changes in this society?