Kinara 1977

Inder is a well-off architect who works alongside his uncle, a devoted admirer of the renowned dancer Aarti Sanyal. While playing a game of snooker against his uncle, he loses, and the uncle insists they attend the dancer’s concert. On the way to the show, a near-fatal accident changes the course of his life.

One day, the uncle proposes a trip to Mandu to appreciate its architectural beauty. There, Aarti Sanyal reappears in his life, revealing that she has quit dancing for six months after a life-shaking incident. Her grandfather explains that this pause is tied to a memory that haunts her. As they spend time together, she opens up about her love, Chandan, who affectionately calls her Tikoo. Her deepest dream is to publish a historical book written by Chandan, a project that seems to anchor her longing for the past.

Six months earlier, Chandan had died in a car accident on the way to her concert. Inder is startled to learn that the same accident he survived is the one that claimed Chandan’s life. The realization deepens the tension between them as he shares this truth with her, only to uncover that the revelation unsettles her even more. In a moment of distress, she tries to seize Chandan’s book from him, insisting she needs no sympathy from anyone. In the ensuing struggle, she tumbles down a flight of stairs and sustains injuries. Inder’s attempts to reach her are thwarted when her grandfather makes it clear that she hates even hearing his name, and they slip away in the early hours of the morning.

Back home, the uncle counsels him to step back unless his feelings amount to genuine love—if so, he should pursue her. Inder explains that he did visit the grandfather’s house, guided by an address listed in a Mandu hotel register, but found no one there. The uncle’s secretary scours clinics to locate Aarti, and eventually Inder learns where she is receiving treatment. At the clinic, Aarti has undergone eye surgery; though the bandages are removed, she loses her sight. Aarti’s mother is asked to confirm whether the visitor is a friend, not knowing that it is Inder in disguise as Prakash.

In the months that follow, Inder continues to support her while keeping up the ruse of Prakash. He accompanies her to prayer at a church and helps her regain a measure of her dancing prowess. He also works to arrange for a public performance, standing by her during the show. The money she earns from the performance is directed toward publishing Chandan’s book, yet when a publisher examines the manuscript, he reveals that the book is, in fact, empty. The publisher’s note stings: the pages hold no text at all. Returning home, Aarti confronts Inder about the secret he’s kept, suspecting that he has stolen everything—Chandan’s memory, her regained sight, and the hope of publishing the long-awaited book. She demands that he leave.

As days pass, Aarti begins to recognize that she remains trapped in the past. She returns to the same church with her grandfather, where she encounters Inder once more. In a moment of candor, she asks for forgiveness and explains that she spent too long living in what cannot be changed. She acknowledges how essential Inder’s presence has become in her life—whether she fully realized it or not—and, at last, the barrier between them softens. The film closes on a note of reconciliation and renewed partnership as they choose to face the future together.