Astitva

Infobox Film | name = Astitva
imdb_id = 0261545


writer = Imtiyaz Husain
Mahesh Manjrekar
producer = Rahul Sughand
director = Mahesh Manjrekar
starring = Tabu
Sachin Khedekar
Mohnish Bahl
Smita Jaykar
music = Rahul Ranade
Sukhwindara Singh
released = October 6, 2000
runtime = 117 min.
language = Hindi

"Astitva" (Devnagari: अस्तित्व, meaning "existence, identity") is a 2000 Hindi feature film, written and directed by Mahesh Manjrekar.

Plot

This film is about the identity of the husband and wife in a marriage.

It is 1997. Malhar Kamat (Mohnish Bahl) is an old musician and music teacher. He prepares his will where he leaves his entire "jaydad" (estate), comprising a "haveli" (mansion), convert|1.5|acre|m2 of land, a not-so-insignificant quantity of gold and about 8 lakh rupees, to Aditi Shrikant Pandit (Tabu). Upon his death two years later, the will is delivered to Aditi.

It is 1999. When the will reaches Aditi in Pune, she is in the midst of an impromptu lunch party occasioned by the arrival of Dr. Ravi Bapat (Ravindra Mankani) and his wife Meghna (Smita Jaykar). Ravi is a very close friend of Aditi's husband, Shrikant Pandit (Sachin Khedekar). Shrikant opens the certified letter package with the will even though it is addressed to Aditi, much to Meghna's chagrin and Ravi's surprise. Why did Malhar Kamat do this? Shrikant decides to consult his daily diaries where he has chronicled the events of his daily life.

Flashback to about 25 years ago. Shrikant is an up-and-coming star at a firm, seeking to break out onto his own. His work keeps him traveling almost constantly. This leaves his newly wedded wife Aditi lonely and frustrated. When she requests him to let her work someplace (clearly to relieve her boredom and find a good use for her time), he takes it as an insult and rebuffs her saying no woman in his family has ever worked and that he earns enough for them to live comfortably. He suggests (although not very enthusiastically) that she take up music. The music teacher is Malhar Kamat.

Shrikant continues his unending travels all over the world. Aditi is lonely and frustrated. Her frustration is provoked further by the arrival of her sister Sudha (Resham Seth) and her new husband. Their constant lovemaking further deepens Aditi's feelings of yearning and abandonment. And one spring afternoon, as Malhar breaks into his new "ghazal" in the rain, Aditi's resolve is broken under the influence of the season. Malhar returns a couple of days later, and Aditi asks him to leave. But, even as she is torn with guilt and fear since the unfortunate event, the damage is done. Malhar quietly leaves.

When Shrikant returns, Aditi breaks down and tries to tell him the truth about her pregnancy. But Shrikant is doubly elated, having won the first major contract for his own firm and now hearing of his imminent fatherhood, and breaks out into celebrations without letting Aditi complete her story.

Back to the present day, Shrikant discovers, from his diary entries, Malhar Kamat's connection to his son Aniket (Sunil Barve). He immediately summons Ravi and Meghna to Pune and forces Aditi to confess her indiscretion. Aditi confesses. Hell breaks loose: Aniket disowns his mother, Shrikant freaks out but refuses to divorce her and pronounces punishment: she must live with him as long as it takes and he will not henceforth speak to her. Meghna and Ravi try to talk him down but he remains adamant. Meghna (herself divorced from her former husband who had similar character traits to Shrikant) is stunned by this and reveals it to Revati. Revati promptly breaks off her engagement to Aniket.

Things finally become worse. Divorce seems inevitable. Aditi makes up her mind about her "astitva" or identity. She delivers a landmark speech to Shrikant, in the midst of Aniket, Ravi and Meghna. The speech touches critical points about their marriage , her feelings and his feelings , Shrikant's fidelity and commitment and Aniket's stand and resolve.

The final denouement captures the essence of "astitva". [cite web | title=indiafm.com|url=http://www.indiafm.com/movies/cast/6526/index.html/]

Cast

*Tabu as ...... Aditi Pandit
*Sachin Khedekar as ...... Shreekant Pandit
*Ravindra Mankani as ...... Ravi
*Smita Jaykar as ...... Meghna
*Mohnish Bahl as ...... Malhar Kamat

Awards

*2000 : Filmfare Best actress (Critics) for Tabu
*2000 : Star Screen Award Best Actress for Tabu
*2000 : Star Screen Award Best Story for Mahesh Manjrekar

References