During the early 20th century, a young Yuri Zhivago, an orphaned boy raised by friends of his family, grows up to become a poet and a doctor in Moscow. Amidst the turmoil of the Russian Revolution and World War I, he marries Tonya, the daughter of the family that took him in. As he serves as a doctor on the frontlines, Yuri encounters Lara, a beautiful and enigmatic nurse deeply involved in radical political causes. Their paths repeatedly cross in the chaos of war and revolution, and they share an intense, forbidden love.

As the revolution intensifies and social structures collapse, Yuri's life becomes increasingly fraught with danger and uncertainty. Despite his efforts to maintain a sense of normalcy with his wife and young son, the situation deteriorates. Yuri grapples with his divided loyalties between Tonya and Lara, and is eventually forced to make difficult choices regarding his future. Societal shifts and personal sacrifices deeply impact his life, reflecting the broader upheavals sweeping through Russia during this turbulent period.