When disaster strikes, three men stand up to fight for the coal miners. Vijay (Amitabh Bachchan) a disgraced ex-naval officer is now working in the coal mine. Ravi (Shashi Kapoor) is an engineer in charge of the doomed project. Mangal (Shatrughan Sinha) is an escaped convict who finds shelter at the coal mine. KAALA PATTHAR is inspired by a true mining tragedy in Bihar.