Kanyadaan

The film opens with a spirited hockey match between the girls’ team Bulbuls and the boys’ team Heroes, ending in a win for the girls by 2 goals to 1. Lata, Sayeeda Khan, from the Bulbul squad, finds herself drawn to Amar, a poet on the boys’ side. The two Amars—Amar and his close friend Kumar—share a name that often causes confusion among their circle, setting up a thread of mistaken identity that runs through the story. Amar Shashi Kapoor is introduced as a perceptive, lyrical young man who forms a strong bond with his teammates, and the tension between duty, love, and friendship begins to unfold.

When Kumar learns about the budding romance between Amar and Lata, he takes charge to bring them together. He promises Lata’s father that he will look after her, especially since she has no in-laws to rely on, and his sense of responsibility pushes him to navigate the social expectations that surround marriage, family, and protection. The intent is noble, but the path is complicated by shared histories and competing loyalties within the group.

On a routine business trip, Kumar’s car breaks down in a rural town, and he encounters Rekha, a village girl who welcomes him into her home. Rekha, Asha Parekh, is kind and alluring, and the two quickly feel a mutual attraction. Rekha invites him to stay, and he accepts, drawn to the simplicity and warmth of her world. As they grow closer, the distance between city life and village life becomes a backdrop for their evolving feelings, even as Kumar remains mindful of the tangled circumstances around him.

Back in Rekha’s world, Rekha’s mother, Rekha’s Mom, Achala Sachdev, reveals a long-hidden truth: Rekha was married in childhood to a boy named Amar, a revelation Rekha herself had not known. She hands Kumar a photograph of the wedding and asks him to help locate the other Amar, deepening the mystery and heightening the sense of obligation that surrounds Rekha’s future. This startling discovery forces Kumar to confront a past that could redefine everyone’s lives, and Rekha must decide how to face a future shaped by traditions she never fully understood.

Kumar returns later with a childhood photograph of himself, along with a driving license that lists his full name as Amar Kumar. Rekha is overwhelmed with happiness and agrees to become his wife, feeling that destiny has bolstered their bond. Yet the revelation that the original Amar is already married to Lata complicates the picture: Kumar pleads with Rekha to accept the truth and still marry him, but Rekha’s emotions swing between love and the sense of betrayal that accompanies such a revelation. In a moment of despair, Rekha leaves the house and nearly collides with a car driven by the other Amar, a near-catastrophic reminder of the fragile balance between choice and fate.

Amar and Lata, realizing that Rekha has nowhere else to go and that she is caught in a web of circumstance, offer her shelter. Rekha, recognizing the reality of the situation, chooses not to reveal the truth to her benefactors. Kumar, meanwhile, sinks into sadness and turns to drink, while tensions rise at Amar’s home due to Rekha’s continued presence and involvement in household matters.

As tensions escalate, Rekha’s mother arrives from the village to lend her daughter perspective and guidance. She helps Rekha understand that the childhood marriage, conducted without consent, does not constitute a legitimate union in the eyes of tradition, and she explains that true kanyadan—when parents give away their adult daughter with her informed consent—should occur in a meaningful, consensual setting. With her mother’s insistence on consent and dignity, Rekha comes to a difficult but crucial decision: she accepts Kumar as her husband, recognizing that love and truth must align with respect for each other and for the families involved.

Throughout this journey, the story weaves themes of love, duty, tradition, and personal agency, presenting a nuanced portrait of relationships under the pressure of social norms. The cast’s performances—anchored by Rekha’s warmth, Lata’s resolve, and Amar’s sense of responsibility—drive a romance that is as much about honesty and consent as it is about affection. The film ultimately affirms that genuine connection can endure even when the path to union is tangled with miscommunication, past secrets, and the recalibration of what matters most.

Last Updated: October 09, 2025 at 12:40