Kandaen (2011) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Vasanth fell in love with Narmada at first sight and decided to use the same trick he had used to dodge his arranged marriage - pretending to be blind. He believed that by appearing vulnerable, he would earn her sympathy and love, just as he had used the lie about having a girlfriend to escape his grandfather's matchmaking attempt.

Foreshadowing: The film opens with Vasanth using deception to avoid an arranged marriage, establishing his pattern of lying to control outcomes.

• vasanth
• narmada
• pretend blind
• deception
• love

Vasanth went to celebrate with his friends at a bar where he got into a fight with a gang that had previously misbehaved toward Narmada. During the scuffle, an iron rod struck the back of his head, injuring his optical nerves and causing him to lose his vision permanently.

• vasanth
• blindness
• bar fight
• injury
• optical nerves

Vasanth was terrified that Narmada would leave him if she learned he was truly blind. When Shankar visited with Narmada's father, they made it clear Vasanth would never have been accepted into the family if he were blind. Additionally, Narmada herself had confessed that she was glad Vasanth was only pretending to be blind because living with a blind partner would be exceedingly difficult, which convinced Vasanth that revealing the truth would cost him their relationship.

Foreshadowing: Earlier in the film, Narmada's father objects to her marrying a supposedly blind man, establishing the family won't accept Vasanth if he were actually blind.

• vasanth
• narmada
• secret
• blindness
• lie

Narmada witnessed Vasanth asking a girl for help while crossing the road and misinterpreted it as infidelity, recalling their first encounter when he pretended to be blind. Her father Saami had already been arrested earlier, and when this new misunderstanding occurred, he decided to push forward with marrying Narmada to another suitor on the same date Vasanth and Narmada had planned.

Foreshadowing: Narmada's earlier discovery that Vasanth pretended to be blind made her paranoid about any interaction he had with other women.

• narmada
• father
• saami
• arranged marriage
• suitor
• misunderstanding

A series of coincidences brought them together on the flight. The London ophthalmologist's flight was cancelled, so Vasanth had to board a different flight to London with his Chennai doctor. Meanwhile, Narmada had requested time to go to London to study, and she happened to be on the same flight. The twist of fate placed both former lovers on the same plane heading toward the same destination.

Foreshadowing: Earlier it was mentioned that the operation required a surgeon from London, setting up the London journey.

• flight
• london
• coincidence
• narmada
• vasanth
• ophthalmologist

The air hostess turned out to be the same girl who had helped Vasanth when he asked for assistance crossing the road - the incident that Narmada had misinterpreted as infidelity. The air hostess tried to warn the flight crew that Vasanth deceives girls by pretending to be blind. The cabin staff then conveyed this information to Narmada, helping her finally understand that Vasanth had only pretended to be blind initially, though he was now truly blind due to the accident.

Foreshadowing: This girl had helped Vasanth earlier, and her appearance on the flight connects the misunderstanding from earlier in the story.

• air hostess
• warning
• truth
• deception
• flight

Despite feeling betrayed when she learned Vasanth had pretended to be blind, Narmada chose to forgive him after he sincerely apologized for the deception. Their engagement followed, indicating she believed his feelings for her were genuine despite the lie, and she was willing to move past the initial deception to build a future together.

• narmada
• forgive
• vasanth
• engagement
• apology

Vasanth's blindness was not permanent. The doctor had warned that laser treatment might restore his vision, but the operation needed to wait until his head wound healed, and a surgeon had to come from London. The surgery in London was successful, and Vasanth's eyesight was fully restored, allowing him and Narmada to return to India and begin their life together.

Foreshadowing: The doctor mentioned that laser treatment could potentially restore his vision if the operation was performed after his wound healed.

• vasanth
• blindness
• cure
• operation
• london
• vision restored

Narmada saw Vasanth asking a girl for help while crossing a road. This triggered her memory of their first encounter, when Vasanth had pretended to be blind to approach her. She interpreted this new interaction as a repeat of his deceptive behavior - using his blindness as a ruse to attract women - leading her to believe he was being unfaithful.

Foreshadowing: The film established that Vasanth pretended to be blind specifically to meet and charm Narmada, making his 'blindness' a sensitive topic in their relationship.

• narmada
• misunderstanding
• jealousy
• infidelity
• girl crossing road

When Vasanth returned to his hometown to visit his grandfather, he discovered that an arranged marriage had been set up for him without his consent. To dodge this match, he lied and claimed he was already in love with a girl. This lie set the entire chain of events in motion, as his grandfather eagerly demanded to meet this imaginary girlfriend, forcing Vasanth to return to Chennai and eventually meet Narmada.

• vasanth
• grandfather
• arranged marriage
• lie
• dodge

During the registration proceedings for their marriage, Narmada discovered that Vasanth was not actually blind. She was furious and immediately left the registrar's office, feeling betrayed by his sustained deception. However, after Vasanth sincerely apologized for lying to her, she forgave him, and their engagement went ahead despite the betrayal.

• narmada
• registrar
• discover truth
• anger
• forgiveness
• engagement