Meenakshi Sundareshwar 2021

An unemployed B. Tech graduate Sundareshwar who is uninterested in taking over his father’s saree business instead sets his sights on a career in the Information Technology sector. Under family pressure, he agrees to meet a potential wife with his relatives, and fate nudges him toward a connection with Meenakshi. After a warm introduction, the two dive into conversation, discover a shared spark, and quickly fall into a genuine, if imperfect, romance. Yet a twist of misdirection reveals that Sundar and his family arrived at the wrong house, a moment that could have frayed nerves but instead becomes a quirk that strengthens their bond.

Meenakshi’s grandfather steps into the story with a firm, almost fated confidence. He persuades the two families to pursue a marriage, drawing on the belief that the gods Meenakshi (Parvathi) and Sundareshwar (Shiva) are a celestial match. This belief sets the tone for a solemn, culturally resonant union, and the families arrange a formal ceremony in the Meenakshi Sundareshwar temple, marking a commitment that feels as much about tradition as about affection. The temple ceremony anchors their relationship in ritual, even as the couple begins to navigate life as newlyweds who barely know each other.

The real test arrives when Sundar earns an internship opportunity in Bangalore. The job promises career momentum, but it also requires him to relocate far from home. The company’s policy of hiring only single interns forces Sundar to keep up appearances, and Meenakshi cannot join him in the new city. What follows is a prolonged, delicate exploration of a long-distance relationship, where distance magnifies doubts and small misreadings can loom large. Sundar tries to shield his wife from worry by presenting a facade of loneliness, but Meenakshi senses there is more beneath the surface than mere absence; she seeks truth, not truth’s approximation.

On Sundar’s birthday, Meenakshi decides to surprise him, hoping to bridge the distance with affection. Instead, she discovers him singing and dancing with friends at his apartment, a scene that she interprets as a sign of detachment or indifference. Hurt and feeling unseen, she leaves Sundar’s place, a rupture that tests the strength of their vows and the patience of their families. Sundar’s father and his nephew accompany Meenakshi to Sundar’s office, and in a moment of revelation, Sundar’s father learns that Sundar is a talented engineer who could have followed a different path—one that honors his own ambitions and the family’s needs. He forgives Sundar for not stepping into the saree business, and Sundar thanks Meenakshi for catalyzing this personal shift, even as Meenakshi remains deeply hurt and decides to return to her own city.

A brief, quiet setback follows when Sundar attempts to reach out with a video message, only to learn that poor wifi prevents Meenakshi from viewing it. The plot thickens when Meenakshi’s old classmate Ananthan approaches with a professional opportunity tied to a saree gifted from her father-in-law’s shop. Believing this gesture will support her, she accepts and wears the saree the next day, unaware of the deeper expectations she is stepping into. The result is a miscommunication that deepens a rift with the in-laws and leaves Meenakshi feeling disrespected and isolated. Feeling overwhelmed, she leaves once again, seeking guidance from her grandfather, who urges her to try one more conversation with Sundar.

Following that advice, Meenakshi texts Sundar to meet, but a colleague—acting without Sundar’s knowledge—responds with a misleading invitation, adding tension and a hint of revenge born from the first day. Sundar is stunned by the manipulation and races to reconcile, but Meenakshi has already ventured into the night, grappling with the fragility of trust.

The story resolves not in a dramatic confrontation but in a late-night, intimate moment. Meenakshi makes her way to a cinema venue, attending Rajinikanth’s Darbar (2020) screening, and Sundar follows, seeking forgiveness and a chance to repair what distance had stretched. In a quiet embrace, they acknowledge their love and recommit to navigating the complexities of their relationship together, choosing honesty and patience over assumptions as they step forward.