Astitva
Encyclopedia
Astitva is a 2000 bi-lingual film made in Hindi
and Marathi
, written and directed by Mahesh Manjrekar
.
It is 1997. Malhar Kamat (Mohnish Bahl), an old musician and music teacher, is dying. He prepares his will where he leaves his entire jaydad (estate), comprising a haveli (mansion), 1.5 acres (6,070.3 m²) of land, 1400 grams gold and about 8 lakh rupees, to Aditi Shrikant Pandit (Tabu
). Upon his death two years later, the will is delivered to Aditi.
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
). Besides, Aditi's son Aniket(Sunil Barve) introduces his girlfriend & would be wife Revati(Namrata Shirodkar
).
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. Shrikant is intrigued & decides to consult his daily diaries where he has chronicled the events of his daily life. Shrikant realizes that he overlooked certain things anybody else could have easily noticed.
Shrikant realizes that 25 years ago, Aditi could not have possibly been pregnant, at least not from Shrikant. He shows her the diary, confronts her with the facts & demands explanation. In a flashback 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, although he makes it clear to Malhar that music will not be anything more than a hobby for Aditi.
Aditi's sister Sudha (Resham Seth) and her husband come to live with Aditi. 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. Aditi has missed a period. Sudha learns this & advises her to do something.
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.
As the story comes back to present time, Shrikant punishes Aditi for this by making her tell the truth in front of Aniket, Ravi & Meghna. Meghna loathes Shrikant, since she herself suffered spousal abuse from her drunkard husband before divorcing him & marrying Ravi. Aniket himself is disgusted with his mother after knowing the truth of his existence.
Shrikant decides that he will live with Aditi, but any spousal relationship between them will not exist. After Revati knows the truth, she breaks the engagement, not because of the truth, but because she realizes that Aniket is no different than the man whom he considered his father till now.
Meghna decides to take Aditi to Goa with her, but Aditi declines. She walks out of the house with Revati. The movie ends with Revati and Aditi walking out the house and on the road, whilst Shri and Aniket stand in the doorway, looking at them go.
The final denouement captures the essence of astitva.
Hindi
Standard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi...
and Marathi
Marathi language
Marathi is an Indo-Aryan language spoken by the Marathi people of western and central India. It is the official language of the state of Maharashtra. There are over 68 million fluent speakers worldwide. Marathi has the fourth largest number of native speakers in India and is the fifteenth most...
, written and directed by Mahesh Manjrekar
Mahesh Manjrekar
Mahesh Manjrekar is an Indian director, actor, writer and producer. He is credited with directing the critically acclaimed films Vaastav: The Reality , Astitva and Viruddh... Family Comes First . He has won a National Film Award and two Star Screen Awards...
.
Plot
This film is about the issues like male chauvinist protagonism, extramarital affairs, spousal abuse. It is about a woman trying to find her separate identity outside her marriage.It is 1997. Malhar Kamat (Mohnish Bahl), an old musician and music teacher, is dying. He prepares his will where he leaves his entire jaydad (estate), comprising a haveli (mansion), 1.5 acres (6,070.3 m²) of land, 1400 grams gold and about 8 lakh rupees, to Aditi Shrikant Pandit (Tabu
Tabu (actress)
Tabu is an Indian film actress. She has mainly acted in Hindi films, though she has also starred in Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam and Bengali language films, as well as one American film...
). Upon his death two years later, the will is delivered to Aditi.
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
Ravindra Mankani
Ravindra Laxman Mankani is a veteran actor who is noted for his work in many a daily soaps, plays and films. Though a civil engineer by qualification, Ravindra's love for acting and media pursued him to give his time to the cultural field....
) and his wife Meghna (Smita Jaykar
Smita Jaykar
Smita Jaykar is an Indian actress known in her native country for frequently playing supporting roles in Bollywood movies and TV shows.A native of the Thakurdwar neighbourhood in South Mumbai, she is a Maharashtrian whose husband, Mohan Jaykar, is the son of esteemed Marathi barrister Barr Jaykar...
). Ravi is a very close friend of Aditi's husband, Shrikant Pandit (Sachin Khedekar
Sachin Khedekar
Sachin Khedekar is an Indian actor and director, best known for his roles in Astitva, Imtihaan, and as Netaji in Shyam Benegal's Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose: The Forgotten Hero...
). Besides, Aditi's son Aniket(Sunil Barve) introduces his girlfriend & would be wife Revati(Namrata Shirodkar
Namrata Shirodkar
- Early life and family :Born on 22 January 1972 in a moderate Marathi-speaking family, Namrata Shirodkar is an Aquarian. She used to live in Khar, a suburb in Mumbai. Her sister is the actress Shilpa Shirodkar...
).
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. Shrikant is intrigued & decides to consult his daily diaries where he has chronicled the events of his daily life. Shrikant realizes that he overlooked certain things anybody else could have easily noticed.
Shrikant realizes that 25 years ago, Aditi could not have possibly been pregnant, at least not from Shrikant. He shows her the diary, confronts her with the facts & demands explanation. In a flashback 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, although he makes it clear to Malhar that music will not be anything more than a hobby for Aditi.
Aditi's sister Sudha (Resham Seth) and her husband come to live with Aditi. 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. Aditi has missed a period. Sudha learns this & advises her to do something.
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.
As the story comes back to present time, Shrikant punishes Aditi for this by making her tell the truth in front of Aniket, Ravi & Meghna. Meghna loathes Shrikant, since she herself suffered spousal abuse from her drunkard husband before divorcing him & marrying Ravi. Aniket himself is disgusted with his mother after knowing the truth of his existence.
Shrikant decides that he will live with Aditi, but any spousal relationship between them will not exist. After Revati knows the truth, she breaks the engagement, not because of the truth, but because she realizes that Aniket is no different than the man whom he considered his father till now.
Meghna decides to take Aditi to Goa with her, but Aditi declines. She walks out of the house with Revati. The movie ends with Revati and Aditi walking out the house and on the road, whilst Shri and Aniket stand in the doorway, looking at them go.
The final denouement captures the essence of astitva.
Cast
- TabuTabu (actress)Tabu is an Indian film actress. She has mainly acted in Hindi films, though she has also starred in Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam and Bengali language films, as well as one American film...
as Aditi Pandit - Sachin KhedekarSachin KhedekarSachin Khedekar is an Indian actor and director, best known for his roles in Astitva, Imtihaan, and as Netaji in Shyam Benegal's Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose: The Forgotten Hero...
as Shrikant Pandit - Ravindra MankaniRavindra MankaniRavindra Laxman Mankani is a veteran actor who is noted for his work in many a daily soaps, plays and films. Though a civil engineer by qualification, Ravindra's love for acting and media pursued him to give his time to the cultural field....
as Ravi - Smita JaykarSmita JaykarSmita Jaykar is an Indian actress known in her native country for frequently playing supporting roles in Bollywood movies and TV shows.A native of the Thakurdwar neighbourhood in South Mumbai, she is a Maharashtrian whose husband, Mohan Jaykar, is the son of esteemed Marathi barrister Barr Jaykar...
as Meghna - Mohnish Bahl as Malhar Kamat
- Sunil Barve as Aniket
- Namrata ShirodkarNamrata Shirodkar- Early life and family :Born on 22 January 1972 in a moderate Marathi-speaking family, Namrata Shirodkar is an Aquarian. She used to live in Khar, a suburb in Mumbai. Her sister is the actress Shilpa Shirodkar...
as Revati
Awards
- National Film AwardsNational Film AwardsThe National Film Awards is the most prominent film award ceremony in India. Established in 1954, it is administered, along with the International Film Festival of India and the Indian Panorama, by the Indian government's Directorate of Film Festivals since 1973.Every year, a national panel...
- 2000 -
National Film Award for Best Feature Film in MarathiThe National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Marathi winners:...
- Filmfare AwardsFilmfare AwardsThe Filmfare Awards are presented annually by The Times Group to honour both artistic and technical excellence of professionals in the Hindi language film industry of India. The Filmfare ceremony is one of the oldest and most prominent film events given for Hindi films in India. The awards were...
- 2000 - Nominated - Filmfare Award for Best Actress - TabuTabu (actress)Tabu is an Indian film actress. She has mainly acted in Hindi films, though she has also starred in Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam and Bengali language films, as well as one American film...
- 2000 - Won - Filmfare Best Actress (Critics)Filmfare Critics Award for Best ActressThe Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actress is given by Filmfare as part of its annual Filmfare Awards for Hindi films. The award is given by the chosen jury of critics assigned to the function, and is a derivation from a previous award known as the Filmfare Critics Award for Best Performance,...
- TabuTabu (actress)Tabu is an Indian film actress. She has mainly acted in Hindi films, though she has also starred in Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam and Bengali language films, as well as one American film...
- 2000 - Nominated - Filmfare Award for Best Actress - Tabu
- Star Screen AwardsStar Screen AwardsThe Star Screen Awards is an annual awards ceremony in India honoring professional excellence in film. The nomination and award selection is done by a panel of distinguished professional from the industry itself.- History :...
- 2000 - Nominated - Star Screen Award for Best Film
- 2000 - Won - Star Screen Award Best ActressStar Screen Award Best ActressThe Star Screen Award Best Actress is an Indian cinema award established in 1994, which is chosen via a distinguished panel of judges from the film industry. The winners are announced in January of each year....
- TabuTabu (actress)Tabu is an Indian film actress. She has mainly acted in Hindi films, though she has also starred in Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam and Bengali language films, as well as one American film... - 2000 - Won - Star Screen Award Best Story - Mahesh ManjrekarMahesh ManjrekarMahesh Manjrekar is an Indian director, actor, writer and producer. He is credited with directing the critically acclaimed films Vaastav: The Reality , Astitva and Viruddh... Family Comes First . He has won a National Film Award and two Star Screen Awards...
- 2000 - Won - Star Screen Award Special Jury AwardStar Screen Award Special Jury AwardThe ' is a special award conducted by the Star Screen Awards to recognise a great performance by an actor in the previous year. The winners are listed below:-...
- Mahesh ManjrekarMahesh ManjrekarMahesh Manjrekar is an Indian director, actor, writer and producer. He is credited with directing the critically acclaimed films Vaastav: The Reality , Astitva and Viruddh... Family Comes First . He has won a National Film Award and two Star Screen Awards... - 2000 - Nominated - Star Screen Award for Best DialogueStar Screen Award for Best DialogueThe winners of the Star Screen Awards for Best Dialogue are listed below:-See also:* Star Screen Awards* Bollywood* Cinema of India...
- Imtiyaz HusainImtiyaz HusainImtiyaz Husain is an Indian film writer. He wrote the 2000 film Astitva with Mahesh Manjrekar.-External links:He is from Ambur - Tamil Nadu.Known as Mohamed Imtiyaz Kailashgiri.... - 2000 - Nominated - Star Screen Award for Best ScreenplayStar Screen Award for Best ScreenplayThe winners of the Star Screen Awards for Best Screenplay are listed below:...
- Mahesh ManjrekarMahesh ManjrekarMahesh Manjrekar is an Indian director, actor, writer and producer. He is credited with directing the critically acclaimed films Vaastav: The Reality , Astitva and Viruddh... Family Comes First . He has won a National Film Award and two Star Screen Awards...
- Zee Cine AwardsZee Cine AwardsThe Zee Cine Awards or "ZCA" for short is an awards ceremony for the Hindi film industry. It was first held in 1998 in Mumbai. Since then, it has gained substantial popularity as a notable awards ceremony to the Indian population as well as to the viewers of Zee Network.In 2004, the ZCA went...
- 2000 - Won - Zee Cine Award Best Actor- FemaleZee Cine Award Best Actor- FemaleThe Zee Cine Award Best Actor- Female is chosen by the viewers and the winner is announced at the actual ceremony.The most frequent winners are Rani Mukerji, Tabu, Aishwarya Rai and Kajol with 2 wins each. The former two winning consecutively in a row....
- TabuTabu (actress)Tabu is an Indian film actress. She has mainly acted in Hindi films, though she has also starred in Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam and Bengali language films, as well as one American film...
- 2000 - Won - Zee Cine Award Best Actor- Female
- Bollywood Movie AwardsBollywood Movie AwardsThe Bollywood Movie Awards was an annual film award ceremony held between 1999 and 2007 in Long Island, New York, United States, celebrating films and actors from the Bollywood film industry based in Mumbai, India.-History:...
- 2000 - Won - Bollywood Movie Award - Critics Award FemaleBollywood Movie Award - Critics Award FemaleThe winners are listed below:-...
- TabuTabu (actress)Tabu is an Indian film actress. She has mainly acted in Hindi films, though she has also starred in Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam and Bengali language films, as well as one American film...
- 2000 - Won - Bollywood Movie Award - Critics Award Female
- International Indian Film Academy AwardsInternational Indian Film Academy AwardsThe International Indian Film Academy Awards, also known as the IIFA Awards are presented annually by the International Indian Film Academy to honour both artistic and technical excellence of professionals in Bollywood, the Hindi language film industry. Instituted in 2000, the ceremony is held in...
- 2000 - Nominated - IIFA Award for Best Actress - TabuTabu (actress)Tabu is an Indian film actress. She has mainly acted in Hindi films, though she has also starred in Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam and Bengali language films, as well as one American film...
- 2000 - Nominated - IIFA Award for Best Actress - Tabu