Ankahi Kahaniya 2021

Here’s the rephrased section:

In the bustling streets of Delhi, Pradeep Loharia (Abhishek Banerjee) toils away at Delight Wear, a local fashion retail store where he tends to the ladies’ section with unwavering dedication. Despite his humble abode in the city’s slums, shared with a roommate, Pradeep’s sincerity shines brighter than the gleaming mannequins that adorn the store’s racks. His colleague Shanty, on the other hand, leaves all the workload to Pradeep and skips town as soon as their demanding boss, Jay Upadhyay, departs.

Pradeep’s life is a blank canvas, devoid of any romantic entanglements - or so it seemed. The arrival of a new female mannequin at Delight Wear would change everything. Pradeep was besotted, showering her with affection and attention, much to the chagrin of his coworker Shanty, who dared not touch her for fear of earning Pradeep’s ire. He named her Pari and began a flirtatious routine, adorning her in jewelry and taking her on imaginary dates to the beach.

However, Pradeep’s antics didn’t go unnoticed. The store owner caught wind of his peculiar behavior on CCTV footage and confronted him. Initially, it seemed like game over for Pradeep, but he begged for his job and was instead banned from the women’s section and Pari’s presence. His fixation only grew stronger, leading to a confrontation with Shanty that ultimately cost him his job.

With his tail between his legs, Pradeep returned to his village, where he ran into childhood friend Sashi (T.J. Bhanu). Despite the true reason behind his departure from Delight Wear, Sashi agreed to marry him. In a bizarre twist, Pradeep contacted his former employer and requested his job back - only to discover that Pari was no longer in residence.

Upon learning of her disappearance, Shanty apologized profusely for not intervening sooner. She revealed that the store owner had long since rid himself of the troublesome mannequin. A heartbroken Pradeep embarked on a mission to find Pari, scouring markets and costume shops until he finally tracked her down. With a heavy heart, he bid her adieu once more, this time for good.

In the heartwarming tale, Nandu (Delzad Hiwale) dwells within the walls of a local cinema hall, where he spends his days stamping tickets and running the snacks stall. His meager earnings are carefully managed to support his uncle’s struggles with addiction. Meanwhile, Manjari (Rinku Rajguru) resides in a crowded chawl with her large family, her life a tapestry of mundane routine. Yearning for the simple pleasures, she often finds herself longing for a treat or a movie escape. One fateful day, Manjari visits Nandu’s cinema with her friend Sujata, only to return and discover that her purse has been left behind. As she retrieves it, she meets Nandu for the first time. The subtle encounter sparks an unspoken connection, and Manjari finds herself drawn back to the cinema hall. Her attention is piqued by Nandu’s possession of the red bindi from her purse, a small yet significant token that becomes a symbol of their budding connection.

As fate would have it, Manjari and Nandu’s paths continue to cross, their imagination fueled by the cinematic fantasies they’ve witnessed. When Manjari’s mother locks her inside the house, she finds solace in sneaking out to meet Nandu at dawn. Over a shared ice cream treat, their bond grows stronger, with Manjari holding onto ticket stubs from her favorite movies as a reminder of their clandestine encounters.

In a bold move, Manjari decides to leave her life behind and join Nandu at the cinema hall. The duo heads to a bus station, where they share a meal and Nandu’s doubts about providing for Manjari begin to surface. He purchases a ticket to Surat and instructs Manjari to take the front seat, assuring her that he’ll occupy the back row. However, Nandu ultimately returns to his life at the cinema, leaving Manjari behind.

In a separate narrative thread, Tanu (Zoya Hussain) finds herself trapped in a loveless marriage with Arjun (Nikhil Dwivedi). On their wedding anniversary, Arjun presents Tanu with a necklace, its clasp broken. In an effort to have it repaired, Tanu discovers that Arjun purchased two necklaces, raising suspicions about his fidelity. As she becomes increasingly paranoid, Tanu begins to snoop on Arjun’s phone, only to speculate that he’s involved in an affair with Natasha (Palomi Ghosh), who is married to Manav (Kunal Kapoor). Despite her best efforts to confront the situation, Tanu’s inquiries are met with silence from Manav.

As Manav returns home, he can’t help but notice the new necklace in Natasha’s dresser drawer, a mystery he’s eager to unravel. Confronted by Tanu, Manav declares his intention to divorce Natasha, only for Tanu to counter that infidelity is an unavoidable reality of modern marriage. Tanu’s words strike a chord within Manav, and soon they’re hatching a plan to uncover the truth about their spouses’ extramarital escapades.

Their investigation leads them to the company off-site, where they piece together the events surrounding Natasha and Arjun’s illicit tryst. Manav reveals his theory that Natasha is drawn to success, and as they delve deeper into the situation, Tanu shares her own aspirations - a small cafe in a seedy neighborhood, complete with a library for unpublished authors on the top floor and live performances by local musicians on weekends. It’s here that Manav begins to see Tanu in a new light, admiring not only her entrepreneurial spirit but also her beauty.

As they continue to follow the trail of clues, they discover that Natasha met Arjun at a company presentation, where they bonded over their personal struggles and decided to take a romantic getaway to the beach. Coincidentally, Manav and Tanu find themselves at the same beach, where the tension between them becomes palpable.

Back at home, Natasha’s frustration with her marriage boils over, leading her to call Manav and lash out about feeling trapped in her family life. Her subsequent night out on the town ends with a chance encounter that leaves her seeking comfort - and solace - in Arjun’s arms.

Meanwhile, Tanu shares with Manav a shocking revelation: this isn’t the first time Arjun has strayed, and she’s repeatedly forgiven him rather than walking away. For Tanu, her sense of identity is inextricably linked to her relationship with Arjun. As Manav tries to console his friend, their emotional connection deepens, culminating in a passionate night that will forever alter the trajectory of their lives.

As the dust settles, both Tanu and Manu return home to face the music. Arjun’s affection towards Tanu is a stark reminder of the love she once shared with him, while Natasha requests a divorce, acknowledging that she no longer deserves the man she once loved. In a stunning turn of events, Tanu reveals that Arjun and Natasha have already parted ways, their discussion of their future together having proved too much for their relationship to bear. The revelation sends a chill down her spine, as she realizes that Arjun has long since planned his divorce - a prospect that fills her with dread, given the likelihood that he’ll never be faithful to her again.

In the end, Tanu finds the strength to break free from Arjun’s gravitational pull, recognizing that she no longer wants to serve as his backup plan.