Sometimes all it takes for a movie to be called great is woman oriented subject. Astitva is a stupid movie. Only hypocrites can say that this movie is about a ‘woman’s identity’.
I saw this movie, I am a guy, hopefully not MCP, and I despised this movie.
Please do not rate my review without reading it till the end.
Storyline-
Aditi Pandit (Tabu) is middle-aged housewife. Her son Aniket is engaged to a smart modern girl. Husband Shrikant (Sachin Khedekar) is a businessman. His friend and friend’s wife are visiting them. Friend’s wife has a story- She has left her first husband (after he cheated on her) and now she is married to Pandit’s friend.
One fine day, Aditi receives a big chunk of wealth. A musician called Malhar has died, leaving all his money for Aditi. Pandit gets curious, scans his old diaries and finds out the truth- their son is not his, Aditi had a brief affair with Malhar and he is the biological father of Aniket.
Aditi admits it and says that hubby dear should forgive her because he has himself cheated on her several times!!!
Hubby refuses to forgive and forget. The son supports Shirkant and they humiliate Aditi. But son’s fiancée calls off the engagement, and offers shelter to Aditi. The humiliated Aditi leaves the house (as though she had an option) and goes with her son’s ex-fiancée, to search her ‘identity’.
Can we expect anything good from director Mahesh Manjarekar- the one who has made Pran jaaye par shaan na jaaye? NO.
What’s the director’s point here? Where is the so-called identity he is talking about?
I don’t see people gaining anything from this movie- especially women. As a man, I would not like existence of a woman like Aditi in my life- in any relationship.
Aditi is a pathetic weak character- her only achievement in life being that one night stand with Malhar.
Aditi cheats on her husband because he was ignoring her, too busy with work, etc. Then why did she tolerate it at first place?
But she does tolerate it. She also tolerates his extra marital liaisons. Why? Weakness? No daring to get out of a loveless relationship? Fear of unknown? Or guilt due to her own cheating?
This film should have been named- Teri bhi chup meri bhi chup!
Aditi suffers for years, tolerating her husband’s affairs. Good example for today’s women?
I don’t think so.
What about Malhar? It didn’t seem that he was doing ‘timepass’ with Aditi. She knows that the son belongs to him. She knows that Shrikant isn’t a man worth gifting somebody else’s child. Malhar stays single for the rest of his life, dies leaving behind his estate for Aditi.Only because of that weak, selfish woman, Malhar has to live a life where he has a son but he cannot openly declare it. What a pity for a father- to stay away from his child- his own flesh and blood.
Isn’t Aditi responsible for all this? This weak woman whose only solution to marital problem is keeping her mouth shut, finally leaves the house. That was the funniest part. So much the two men in that house humiliate her, that its like they almost throw her out of the house. She also has the support of her son’s fiancée, and Meghna, so it’s no big deal that she leaves the house.
The only identity Aditi has is that of a weak, fearful, selfish woman. She even tells her husband that ‘I have loved you and you only’. So, the man who cheats and humiliates gets her love, what’s exactly the director’s message? That women should love such type of men?
Hell, I would have never written a review on this movie otherwise, but the reviews on Mouthshut on this movie were highly misleading, so I had to write this one. One reviewer called Aditi’s one-night-stand ‘just a single mistake’! If couples start generously commiting and forgiving such ‘little mistakes’, marital ststem will lose its meaning.
Astitva has good performances by all. Though, Namrata Shirodkar and Sunil Barve as a couple look very odd.
The music is ok. The movie is technically fine but there is no substance in it.
The movie justifies adultery and reiterates the fact that women should suffer silently for 25 years, if possible, manage a few affairs in response to husband’s affairs, and venture out to look for ‘identity’ when husband kicks them out of the house.
I would rather like the women of my society to be strong and truthful, who do not suffer silently for years and who courageously fight their way out of traps.