Ali, an honest and honorable man, moves to Istanbul when he is transferred there. He moves in with his sister Hacer and brother-in-law Yakup. Yakup's niece Ayşe also lives in the same house. From the day he starts his job as a civil servant, Ali reacts against the swindlers and bribe-takers around him. As a result, his boss and other civil servants become uncomfortable with the situation. When Yakup runs away with the money he collected to build a mosque, Ali and Ayşe are left alone. Not wanting to leave each other, the two get married. Ali is fired from his job for preventing the civil servants from taking bribes and goes to the village with Ayşe. Yakup, who has fled to Istanbul, calls Ali and Ayşe to join him at his insistence. Ali and his family, who go to Yakup's side out of desperation, will never be able to escape their troubles.

The film is based on 'Fikrimin Ince Gulu', a novel by Adalet Agaoglu, which depicts a first generation gurbetci/guest-worker returning home. It covers his land journey in short bursts from Germany to the Turkey's west border - and extensively from thereon to his village close to Ankara - capital of Turkey. He begins his journey purchasing a second hand yellow Mercedes - possibly his first car - using his meager savings working as a laborer. Offering deep insight into the mind of a manual laborer Bayram (Ilyas Salman) making his first trip back home, resorting to flashbacks in highlighting Bayram's motivation and experiences from his childhood right up to the events leading to his first departure from Turkey to Germany.

In the harsh times of the small time crime in Istanbul, a conscientious police officer Cumali is recognized by the police chief Ziver Bey who sees Cumali as a threat and matches him with Sekerpare, a famous harlot.

While working as an assistant to swindling driver Şakir, ingenuous Abbas falls for the same woman his boss loves.

To bid for his beloved's hand in marriage, poor villager Feyzo must come up with an enormous dowry to appease her father.

Going through his daily routine in a stereotypical neighborhood, a street cleaner falls in love with a charwoman. Unfortunately for him, so does his superior officer.