‘Ankahee’, inspired from Vikram Bhatt’s extra-marital love affair with then Miss Universe Sushmita Sen has a very conventional theme. Though the promos of the film give it a very nice feel to it, the movie, however, fails to impress.
The movie starts off beautifully with the well-presented titles and the fabulous song ‘Tumse Yun Milenge’ being sung by Kunal Ganjawala in the background. But then, however Vikram Bhatt chooses to take a 16 year leap after the main story and then show it as a flashback when Aftab tells his grown up daughter to read his story written in his diary. This seems unnecessary as it makes the movie quite slow and boring.
The story revolves around 3 main characters, namely, Aftab Shivdasani, who is a doctor, his wife, Ameesha Patel, and Miss Universe Kaavya (Esha Deol). Aftab is a happily married man having a school going daughter. One day, miss universe Kaavya, attempts suicide due to depression and is admitted to a hospital. Aftab saves her life.
Then they start talking and realize they enjoy each other’s company. They meet often and slowly fall in love and sleep together. They are spotted together and the scandal involving a Miss Universe and a married man is printed in the newspapers.
When Ameesha learns about their affair, she decides to leave her husband. But Kavya is very possessive of her lover and does not want him to meet his wife anymore; not even when his daughter falls sick, thinking that he’s lying. Thus she commits attempts suicide again and dies.
So he has to live all alone. 16 years have passed and Aftab is on the deathbed. He and Ameesha look as if they’ve aged 30 years! Hrishita Bhatt plays their grown up daughter who reads her fathers story. Finally he dies, and Ameesha forgives him and starts crying, letting out all her emotions.
The movie could have been better, if not great because though it’s a good concept, Its after all an old wine in a new bottle – it should have been shown in a newer/fresher manner. The performances of Aftab and Ameesha could have been better, Esha did a fine job. The editing should’ve been tighter – with a total exclusion of the 16-year leap. A couple of songs are good, but the male version of ‘Ek Pal’ is excluded probably because it does not fit in the script but it could have been played during the end credits because it’s very nice.
On the whole, its an okay movie, watchable only once.