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 offers various excuses to make him dislike her, but he remains calm and declares that he likes her, agreeing 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 senses her reluctance, and the marriage is not consummated.
Chandrakumar takes Divya to his house in Delhi, but she cannot accept him as her husband. When he asks what she would like as a wedding gift, she says she wants a divorce, which shocks him. Some time later, Divya shares a troubling memory from college: she was in love with Manohar, and had him 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 bailed 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 planning 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 he wants to build with her. He asks her to 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 explains that, by 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 shared her past and the reasons she was unable to accept the marriage, Divya begins to feel more at ease with Chandrakumar. He, however, remains wary of what a formal divorce would mean, and he gradually withdraws, fighting his own growing love for her. He keeps his feelings hidden as he watches the real bond between them develop.
One day, Chandrakumar is attacked by his company's labourers after suspending their union leader, and Divya rushes him to a hospital. After he is discharged, she cares for him and realizes she has fallen in love. She tries to show it by wearing the anklets again, but an argument interrupts the moment. He asks her to return to Madras and books her trip. Later, Chandrakumar notices the anklets and understands that Divya loves him, but they remain distant.
At the railway station, Divya arrives to meet him as he awaits the train. He hands her the divorce papers, saying they were approved that morning, and Divya responds with an open declaration of love, saying she will wait forever for him to reciprocate. She tears up the divorce papers and leaves to catch the train. Chandrakumar, astonished by her honesty, runs to stop the departing train and carries Divya back home.
