hazel wilding first appears on 23 january 2002 when cab driver vikram desai (chris bisson) picks up her from an upmarket suburb. immediately, hazel flirts heavily with vikram and she then requests his services more frequently. it is not long before hazel seduces vikram at a hotel wearing lingerie and bearing a bottle of champagne. in february 2002, vikram is shocked to discover that hazel is married and feels that things between them have become too complicated. he then keeps a distance from her by sending other drivers when she requests his cab.