Pati Patni Aur Woh

The story outlines the parallels with that of Adam & Eve. Here, Adam is Ranjit (Sanjeev Kumar), Eve is Sharda (Vidya Sinha) while the apple is Nirmala (Ranjita Kaur). Ranjit is newly employed in a company, whose pay scales can be gauged from the fact that he goes to work on a bicycle. However, this bicycle itself brings him face-to-face with Sharda, when he bumps into her by accident. Sharda's bicycle gets badly damaged & Ranjit drops her off. Ranjit has the habit to writing everything in his diary and that day he expresses his desire to meet Sharda again and take things forward with her. That same evening, Ranjit goes to the wedding of his friend. Abdul Karim Durrani (Asrani) is Ranjit's a co-worker at office & a poet. Sharda is also present at the ceremony. Sharda & Ranjit's love blossoms from there & soon they get married with the permission of Sharda's father (Om Shivpuri). Ranjit at that time earned Rs 600 per month. On their honeymoon night, Abdul trains Ranjit that whoever gets the upper hand on that night, stays on top of the marriage for the rest of their lives. Ranjit starts bossing Sharda around in a loving way from the next morning on-wards. Sharda is a simple woman and is happy to follow the directions of her husband. Sharda is barred from reading his personal diary. Ranjit would end every instruction to Sharda with an ominous "or else". But pretty soon, Sharda retaliates and wants to know what the "Or else" entails. This prompts Ranjit to backtrack, and they establish a marriage of mutual love and respect. In the course of a few years, Ranjit becomes a father, buys a car & rises to be the Sales Manager of the company. Sharda & Ranjit are still living in marital bliss although Ranjit has a bit of a roving eye for beautiful women. Ranjit now earns Rs 3239 per month as salary. That is, until Nirmala, Ranjit's new secretary, shows up. Ranjit is inexplicably attracted to Nirmala. She is an honest girl who is trying to make two ends meet. She is much more beautiful compared to Sharda. But most of all, she knows nothing about Ranjit's true intentions & his married life. Meanwhile, Abdul is also attracted to Nirmala and keeps running into her, but Nirmala does not pay him any attention. Ranjit is initially upset with his thoughts about Nirmala, but finally gives in. He carefully plans his further steps. He pretends to be the helpless grieving husband of a cancer-stricken wife, who won't live much longer. Ranjit says that his wife has been sick for 6 years and is completely bed-ridden, requiring round-the-clock care and attention. Nirmala feels sorry for him, thus making it easier for him to get close to her. Nobody, not Sharda, not even his closest friend, suspects a thing. As Ranjit spends more time with the youthful Nirmala, he has a newfound zest for life, which reflects in his energy at home with Sharda. Ranjit secretly reads the Kamasutra book in his bathroom. Nirmala lives with her maternal grandfather. Ranjit has an old car that keeps breaking down, but he refuses to sell the car as this was the first one he bought, and he believes that it brings good luck to him. One day, Ranjit bluffs to Sharda that he will be late coming home as he has a meeting. He takes Nirmala out to dinner. Next day, Sharda finds Nirmala's handkerchief, with lipstick marks on it, in Ranjit's pocket. She immediately confronts Ranjit, who makes up a story about a co-worker whose handkerchief he may have accidentally taken. Sharda reluctantly believes him. Ranjit decides to take his next steps more carefully. Sharda too starts thinking that her fears were unfounded. Ranjit makes even more interesting back up plans: He prepares two books of poetry, professing his love. The poems are the same in both, only one book contains Nirmala's name, and the other contains Sharda's. Ranjit keeps on taking Nirmala to luncheons & dinners, without Sharda's knowledge. The turning point comes when Sharda sees him in a hotel with Nirmala. She later asks him about his meeting, about which the clueless Ranjit lies. Sharda's fears are confirmed. She starts spying on him & Nirmala, taking incriminating pictures. After sufficient evidence is obtained, she secretly meets Nirmala, posing as a journalist. Nirmala thinks Sharda intends to blackmail her. But Sharda reassures her that she won't. When Nirmala tells her about Ranjit & his ailing wife, Sharda reveals her true identity. Sharda also finds the two diaries. Meanwhile, Ranjit gets another promotion & comes home happily to tell his wife about it. Sharda coolly tells him that he is busted. Ranjit does not know what has hit him. He turns around, only to see Nirmala behind him. Sharda tells him that she is leaving him & the divorce papers will be soon sent to him. Sharda & Nirmala console each other. Ranjit calls upon his friend Abdul & lies that Nirmala has said some malicious lies to Sharda about him. Abdul sides with him & lies about Nirmala's character. Sharda exposes Ranjit in front of him as well, with help of the evidence she has collected. Sharda tells Ranjit to choose either her or Nirmala. Ranjit quietly gives Nirmala some money & lies to her, in a last-ditch attempt at damage control. But honest Nirmala returns the money to Sharda, making things even worse for Ranjit. Sharda prepares to walk out on Ranjit. Meanwhile, Nirmala also resigns & leaves his life forever. Everything looks bleak for Ranjit. As Sharda is about to leave home, her innocent son asks what is happening. Just for his sake, Ranjit & Sharda try to reconcile. Life comes back on track. But soon another secretary Neeta (Parveen Babi) joins the office & Ranjit tries to resort to his antics once more. As if by coincidence, Ranjit's friend Abdul suddenly walks in & Ranjit backs off, taking this as a warning.