Pardes

Suraj Dev [Alok Nath] extends a warm greeting to his childhood friend Kishorilal [Amrish Puri], an NRI visiting India after many years. During the visit, Kishorilal is captivated by Suraj’s daughter Kusum Ganga [Mahima Chaudhry], and he envisions a future alliance by marrying her to his son Rajiv. To steer the arrangement, Kishorilal sends his adopted son Arjun [Shah Rukh Khan] to India to oversee the matchmaking and family dynamics.

Arjun enters Kusum Ganga’s household with a plan to “westernize” the way things run, a prospect Kusum [Mahima Chaudhry] resists with quiet resolve. The initial friction is real and sharp, yet the two gradually form a genuine friendship as they navigate household chores, values, and the expectations of two very different lives. The arrival of Rajiv intensifies the tension, as he is initially surprised by Indian customs but appears respectful of Kusum’s charm and character. Kusum turns to Arjun for insight into Rajiv, yet Arjun crafts a carefully curated, flattering picture of Rajiv that glosses over his flaws, sowing the seeds of a future heartbreak.

With a sense of obligation and affection, Kusum accepts the match and prepares to depart for the United States with Rajiv’s family after their engagement. In the US, Kusum finds the extended family cool and distant, treating her as an outsider within a much more modern, westernized home. She begins leaning on Arjun for emotional support, and their bond deepens as he becomes her confidant. As time passes, Rajiv’s true nature comes to light: he drinks heavily and pursues women, showing a lifestyle that clashes with Kusum’s ideals and the promises of the engagement. Feeling betrayed, Kusum blames Arjun for the deception, and Kishorilal urges her to try to understand Rajiv and to work on the marriage, arguing that she’s the central pillar who can steady the household.

A turning point arrives on a trip to Las Vegas, where Rajiv presses Kusum to sleep with him before marriage. Kusum makes a clear stand to remain faithful until marriage, clashing with Rajiv’s arrogance and his disregard for Indian traditions. The confrontation escalates; Kusum slaps Rajiv, rejects the engagement by discarding her ring, and, in a fit of intoxicated aggression, Rajiv assaults Kusum. She fights back, sustaining injuries, and escapes. Arjun finds Kusum crying at a train station and safely escorts her back to India.

Back in the village, Kishorilal—believing that Arjun and Kusum have eloped—confronts them with hostility, even threatening violence. The situation intensifies as Rajiv and Kishorilal arrive in India, and Arjun and Rajiv clash in a fierce confrontation that leaves Arjun bleeding. Kishorilal intervenes and demands the truth. Arjun explains that his actions were meant to protect Kusum from Rajiv, not to elope with her, and he confesses his enduring love for Kusum. Kusum confirms his account by revealing the marks of Rajiv’s assault, leaving Kishorilal stunned. He rebukes Rajiv with a slap and cancels the engagement, declaring that Kusum will marry Arjun instead. The story closes with the couple returning to the United States to begin a new, married life together, their bond strengthened by the trials they have endured.

Throughout, the film threads themes of tradition versus modernity, trust and deception, and the resilience of love when tested by cultural and personal conflict. The emotional arc follows Kusum Ganga and Arjun’s evolving relationship as they navigate family expectations, moral boundaries, and the consequences of choices made under pressure, ultimately choosing to build a life together in a world that spans two continents.

Last Updated: October 09, 2025 at 10:44