At the beginning
Used to refer to the specific point or time when something starts. It focuses on the starting point of an event, story, film, speech, or situation. (शुरुआत में” — किसी चीज़ के आरंभिक बिंदु पर)
At the beginning of the movie, the hero is a child.
At the beginning of the year, we made many plans.
(Tip: “At the beginning” is often followed by “of + noun” (e.g., of the story, of the year))
In the beginning
Used to talk about the early stage or initial period of something — not just a point, but a span of time. It often implies that things later changed. (“शुरुआत में” या “प्रारंभिक समय में” — जब कुछ नया शुरू हुआ था, लेकिन आगे चलकर कुछ बदल गया।)
In the beginning, I didn’t like the city, but now I love it.
In the beginning, they were good friends.
(Tip: “In the beginning” is used more generally, to describe the early phase or situation.)