Submerged follows the lives of residents from four villages in Madhya Pradesh—Nayapura, Gowadi, Narsinghpura, and Kotmir—who were displaced in 2007 when their homes were submerged by the Omkareshwar Dam. Forced to return during the COVID-19 pandemic, they face dire conditions due to the dissolved panchayat and lack of job cards, which prevents them from accessing employment under MGNREGA.

For 25 years, these villagers have been denied their entitled rights and government benefits, leading many to migrate to nearby cities for construction work. Their fertile lands have increasingly submerged, destroying crops and leaving them unable to use resettlement lands offered by the government, which are arid and far from their original homes.

Despite living in hazardous conditions with threats from crocodiles, mosquitoes, and wild animals, the community perseveres. Relief comes when they are included in the Devjhiri panchayat with the help of Samaj Pragati Sahayog, allowing them to obtain job cards and work under MGNREGA for 100 days a year. The film provides a poetic yet stark portrayal of how developmental projects, if poorly executed, can displace communities and ignore their long-term needs.