Trishna

Jay Singh arrives in Rajasthan to oversee his father's hotel business and spots Trishna dancing at a hotel. He is immediately drawn to her, marking the start of a tense attraction. This meeting sets the tone for the power imbalance that drives much of the story.

Trishna's family suffers after a Jeep accident destroys their vehicle and upends their finances. Jay offers her employment and showers her with gifts, deepening the power dynamic. Later that night, Jay rescues her from two men harassing her, but in a wooded area he makes an advance that is implied to be rape.

Trishna returns home sobbing after learning she may be pregnant. She undergoes an abortion, hoping to continue supported by her family. The pregnancy and its concealment intensify the strain between her and her family and set the terms for her later entanglements with Jay.

Because of her pregnancy and her family's need for income, Trishna is sent to care for her bed-bound aunt and work in her uncle's small factory. The arrangement keeps her from the life she hoped for and increases her sense of subservience. Jay remains an elusive, looming presence in the background.

Jay tracks Trishna down and proposes that she become his girlfriend in Mumbai. She agrees, seeking better prospects than factory life, and travels with him. The move marks the start of a new chapter in their complicated relationship.

In Mumbai, Trishna attends dance classes and develops talent, but Jay refuses to let her pursue a dancing career. He manipulates her into believing she does not want it and keeps her focused on his needs. Their home life is marked by his domineering control and domestic duties she must perform.

Jay travels to England when his father is hospitalized, and during his absence he confesses to having slept with two other women before Trishna moved in. The trip makes Trishna feel closer to him yet also vulnerable. His absence destabilizes their already fragile bond.

Trishna tells Jay about her pregnancy and abortion; Jay grows angry at the secrecy. He abandons her and stops paying the lease on their apartment. She is left to fend for herself, returning to a more precarious living situation.

Trishna moves in with friends from dance class, seeking support. Jay returns, pretending there was a misunderstanding and blaming her for the unpaid lease. The relationship remains unstable and emotionally damaging.

A dance coordinator offers to loan Trishna 30,000 rupees to start a career, presenting a choice between debt and remaining with Jay. She ultimately returns to Jay, hoping the money will unlock opportunity and reinforce their bond.

Jay's father falls ill, forcing Jay back to the hotel in Rajasthan. He offers Trishna a job at the hotel and asks to keep their relationship secret, continuing the arrangement under a veil of discretion. The move deepens the control over her life.

Jay's control becomes more overt, treating Trishna as a servant in public and orchestrating her personal life for his thrill. He imagines himself as the raja of the hotel, inhabiting rooms once used by rulers. The power imbalance intensifies into sustained abuse.

After months of abuse, a distraught Trishna grabs a kitchen knife and stabs Jay while he is sleeping. She manages to escape and returns to her village. The act marks a dramatic turning point in their fragile dynamic.

Trishna escapes to her family's village, where her mother and younger siblings welcome her back. Her father greets her with cold distance, underscoring the continued social stigma. The homecoming provides a fragile sense of safety and belonging.

Despite attempting to resume a normal life, Trishna ultimately commits suicide by stabbing herself with the same knife used to kill Jay. The end underscores the lasting damage of a coercive relationship. Her death closes the cycle of violence that began in Rajasthan.