| Director | Mani Ratnam |
|---|
Divya is a free-spirited college student from a conservative family in Madras. Her father Chandramouli has planned an arranged marriage for her and tells Divya to come home early from college to meet Chandrakumar, the prospective groom. Uninterested in marriage, she deliberately arrives home late, hoping Chandrakumar would have left, but finds him still patiently waiting. She gives various reasons to make him dislike her but, undeterred, he says that he likes her and agrees to the wedding. Divya initially refuses, but when her father has a heart attack, her mother begs her to accept the proposal to aid his recovery. Divya reluctantly marries Chandrakumar, but he sees how unwilling she is, and they do not consummate their marriage.
Chandrakumar takes Divya to his house in Delhi, but she cannot accept him as her husband. When he asks her what she would like as a wedding gift, she says she wants a divorce, which shocks Chandrakumar. Some time later, Divya tells Chandrakumar about when she was in love with Manohar, during her college days: Divya had Manohar arrested after witnessing him robbing a politician's son. She later learns that the politician's son had run over a girl with his car, and Manohar robbed him to pay for the girl's medical treatment. Feeling guilty, Divya bails him out.
When Manohar meets Divya again, he falls in love with her; although she initially rejects him, she eventually returns his feelings. Manohar is part of a revolutionary group that plans to hold an illegal rally. Divya disapproves, and asks him not to attend; he agrees on the condition that she marry him. On their wedding day, Manohar is falsely accused of participating in the rally and arrested. He escapes and runs to the marriage registrar's office where Divya is waiting for him. A policeman accidentally shoots Manohar, and he dies in front of Divya.
After hearing her story, Chandrakumar tells Divya that he does not care about her past, but the future that he wants to build with her. He tells her to either sign the divorce papers he has obtained, or accept the anklets he bought as his wedding gift to her; Divya chooses divorce. They consult a lawyer who tells them that, per law they must wait one year to file for divorce since they are newly married. The couple is forced to live together for a year.
Having told Chandrakumar about her past and the reason she was unable to accept her marriage, Divya finds herself free from her mental baggage and discomfort around Chandrakumar. She begins to appreciate her situation and make the most of it. Conversely, Chandrakumar is wary of her presence in his life as he fears what would happen once their divorce is approved. Troubled, he distances himself from her and rejects her every move. At the same time, he slowly begins falling in love with her while denying his feelings to himself.
One day, Chandrakumar is attacked by his company's labourers because he had suspended their union leader, and Divya rushes him to a nearby hospital. After Chandrakumar is discharged, Divya takes care of him and realises that she has fallen in love with him. She tries to show it by wearing the anklets he bought for her. But before he can notice the anklets, they enter an argument as Divya tried to surprise him. He asks her to return to Madras and books her trip. Some time later, Chandrakumar notices the anklets and realises that Divya does love him, but the next morning, both continue remaining distant.
Once Chandrakumar leaves for work, Divya arrives alone at the railway station, where she sees Chandrakumar waiting for her. He hands her the divorce papers, saying they were approved that morning. Divya breaks down, telling Chandrakumar that she loves him and would wait indefinitely for him to reciprocate. She tears the divorce papers and leaves to catch her train. Chandrakumar, surprised at Divya's open declaration, catches the departing train, stops it and carries Divya home.