Niharika

Niharika is late for work and rushing. That’s when she first meets him. She had joined the company a couple of months ago. She doesn’t know who he is and assuming he is another late comer chattered away all the way in the lift. Srijit, a widower, find the young woman refreshing and when he gets to his office he quietly calls her department head, Mira Sanyal, to spare her for late coming on this occasion. A month goes by. She doesn’t see him again but she can’t help thinking about him and his dignified yet handsome looks.
One rainy day as Niharika is rushing out during lunch break, she almost hit by a car in front of the office. The car turns out to belong to the handsome man from the lift. He offers her a ride and an apprehensive Niharika, who has to return to the office in forty-five minutes, accepts it. She expects him to drop her and drive away. But once she has completed her errand she finds him waiting for her. He tells her he will take her back to the office but instead takes her out for a quick lunch. It was during this ride to the restaurant that she finds out that he is the chairman of the construction company where she works as an interior designer.
They are late coming back from lunch and this time Srijit tells Mira that Niharika is a family friend. Mira doesn’t know quite how to treat Niharika and refrains from admonishing her for being late. In fact she admires Niharika for not pulling her weight considering her relation with the chairman’s family.
Niharika is twenty four and a confident young woman. Yet she is disconcerted at first because of the social and economic difference between them. But Srijit puts her at ease. He is conscious of the ten year difference in age between them but at the same enchanted by her. Over the next few months she finds out her dead father’s friend, who has been like a surrogate father to her was Srijit’s maternal uncle. As she they get to know each other she is introduced to his family. His mother takes an immediate liking to her. His brother, who is about the same age as Niharika, initially takes a dislike but later on becomes a good friend. A very strong bond develops between the Srijit and Niharika, who makes no secret about her feelings for him. Srijit is more reticent. While Niharika doesn’t see age as a problem, Srijit is wary because of a disastrous first marriage.
Although he had decided never to marry again, as their relationship develops, Srijit starts to think of a future with Niharika. When Srijit is out of town for a week, Niharika happens to go out for coffee with an acquaintance. The incident is reported to Srijit in a distorted manner and he starts thinking that Niharika preferred younger man. The promiscuous behaviour of his first wife taints his judgement and he ends the relationship without giving her a chance to explain. When she finally gets a chance to speak her mind he refuses to accept her explanation.
Over the next few months she becomes good friends with his brother Arjun, who has never had a serious relationship. She feels he is her only connection to Srijit. Not knowing what the actual relationship was between her and his brother was, Arjun proposes to her. She then tells him the truth about Srijit and herself. Arjun is unhappy but later on accepts it. Things come to a head on New Year eve when Arjun suggests that they have a pretend engagement, to make Srijit envious enough to realise his folly and change his mind about marrying Niharika. She goes along with it even though she is doubtful about the success of it. The scheme backfires and pushes Srijit even further away. She finds the pain unbearable. So she quits her job and moves back to Delhi.