- published: 05 Mar 2010
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Astitva (Devnagari: अस्तित्व, meaning existence, identity) is a 2000 bi-lingual film made simultaneously in Marathi and Hindi, written and directed by Mahesh Manjrekar.The movie revolves around a happily married wife who suddenly inherits a large fortune and her puzzled husband who questions its source.The movie won National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Marathi in 2000.
This film is about the issues like male chauvinist protagonism, extramarital affairs, and spousal abuse. It is about a woman trying to find a 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 (6,100 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). Aditi's son Aniket (Sunil Barve) introduces his girlfriend and would-be wife Revati (Namrata Shirodkar).
Aditi is a neglected housewife since Shree, her new husband travels extensively. Her only respite seems to be her music lessons. A mutual attraction springs up between her and Malhar Kamath, her music teacher. On one of Shree’s long trips abroad, Aditi gives in to her feelings of loneliness and in her desire for comfort, sleeps with Malhar. She subsequently gets pregnant, but in unable to tell her husband who the father is. However, twenty-five years later, it dawns on Shree that he may not be the father of the child after all and he confronts his wife about their son. Aditi chooses to confess the truth and finally walks out on him making herself a priority in her life.