Seeing the girl is the story of three women who live inside one another's lives – dangerously.

Janaki is poised to enter into a conventional 'arranged marriage' when unanticipated events break out. A marriage takes place; a daughter is exiled from the sanctuary of her home while the other struggles to build a life. Then someone dies, caught in the vindictive shadow-play of life and secrets that must stay buried. Janaki narrates this dark and intricate story, pausing to let Amma and Leela too interweave their versions of the truth.

Yet the story never ends: the survivors are merely tired victims who must outlive every fatal tragedy.