# Astitva

> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Astitva
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Astitva.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astitva
> Source revision: 1350352233
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

For the TV series, see [Astitva...Ek Prem Kahani](/source/Astitva...Ek_Prem_Kahani).

2000 Indian film

Astitva Theatrical release poster Directed by Mahesh Manjrekar Written by Imtiyaz Husain Mahesh Manjrekar Screenplay by Mahesh Manjrekar Story by Mahesh Manjrekar Produced by Rahul Sughand Starring Tabu Sachin Khedekar Mohnish Bahl Ravindra Mankani Smita Jaykar Sunil Barve Namrata Shirodkar Cinematography Vijay Kumar Arora Edited by V. N. Mayekar Music by Rahul Ranade Sukhwinder Singh Release date 6 February 2000 (2000-02-06) (India) Running time 109 Minutes Country India Languages Marathi Hindi Box office ₹ 2.16 crores[1]

***Astitva*** (transl. Existence / Identity) is a 2000 Indian film made simultaneously in [Marathi](/source/Marathi_language) and [Hindi](/source/Hindi) languages, written and directed by [Mahesh Manjrekar](/source/Mahesh_Manjrekar). The film tells the story of Aditi Pandit, a happily married woman whose husband Srikant Pandit becomes suspicious when she unexpectedly receives a fortune willed to her by her former music teacher, Malhar Kamat. Srikant tries to figure out why she had received the inheritance from Kamat, many years after the music classes had ended, and subsequently makes a discovery.

Astitva won the [National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Marathi](/source/National_Film_Award_for_Best_Feature_Film_in_Marathi) for the year 2000.[2] Tabu's performance was highly acclaimed winning her several awards and is considered one of her best.[3][4][5]

## Plot

This article's plot summary may be too long or excessively detailed. Please help improve it by removing unnecessary details and making it more concise. (March 2021) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

Astitva encompasses issues such as [male chauvinism](/source/Male_chauvinism), extramarital affairs, and spousal abuse. It is about a woman trying to find an identity outside her marriage.

It is 1997. Malhar Kamat ([Mohnish Bahl](/source/Mohnish_Bahl)), an old musician and music teacher, is dying. He prepares his [will](/source/Will_and_testament) where he leaves his entire *jaydad* (estate) — comprising a *haveli* (mansion), 1.5 acres (6,100 m2) of land, 1,400 grams of gold and approximately 860,000 rupees — to Aditi Shrikant Pandit ([Tabu](/source/Tabu_(actress))). 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 party occasioned by the arrival of Dr. Ravi Bapat ([Ravindra Mankani](/source/Ravindra_Mankani)) and his wife Meghna ([Smita Jaykar](/source/Smita_Jaykar)). Ravi is a very close friend of Aditi's husband, Shrikant Pandit ([Sachin Khedekar](/source/Sachin_Khedekar)). Aditi and Shrikant's only child, Aniket ([Sunil Barve](/source/Sunil_Barve)) introduces his fiancée, Revati ([Namrata Shirodkar](/source/Namrata_Shirodkar)) to everyone at the party.

Shrikant opens the certified package that contains the will, even though it is addressed to Aditi, much to Meghna's chagrin and Ravi's surprise. Shrikant is intrigued and refers to his diaries from 25 years ago, in which he has chronicled events from his daily life. He realises that Aditi could not have possibly been pregnant from him at that time, because he was travelling on work. He shows her the diary, confronts her with the facts, and demands an explanation.

In a flashback, Shrikant is an up-and-coming star at a firm, seeking to break out on his own. His work keeps him traveling almost constantly. This leaves his newlywed wife Aditi lonely and frustrated.

When she asks 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 outside the home 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 Tipnis](/source/Resham_Tipnis)) 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 stating she loves only Shrikant. Aditi has missed a period. Sudha learns this and 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, 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 by making her tell the truth in front of Aniket, Ravi and Meghna. Meghna loathes Shrikant, since she suffered spousal abuse from her drunkard husband before divorcing him and marrying Ravi. Aniket is disgusted with his mother after learning the truth of his paternity.

Ravi confronts Shrikant, reminding him of his many extramarital affairs. Shrikant refuses to accept it stating he is a man and he did not bring any children, born of those affairs, home.

Shrikant decides that he will live with Aditi, but any spousal relationship between them will not exist. After Revati learns the truth, she breaks off her engagement, not because of the truth, but because she realizes that Aniket is no different from the man he knew as his father.

Meghna decides to take Aditi to Goa with her, but Aditi declines. Before leaving the house, she demands her husband and son's presence to hear her. She states how her weakness is called sin, whereas Shrikant's weaknesses are accepted easily. She questions who has the authority to accept his weakness. Aditi also reveals to Shrikant that she has harboured another secret from him that he is impotent and that is why she was not able to bear any children with him; how could she have been labelled infertile if she didn't have a child. Revati reprimands Aniket stating he is alive as his mother didn't decide otherwise. The movie ends with Revati and Aditi walking out of the house and on the road, while Shrikant and Aniket stand in the doorway, watching them go.

The denouement captures the essence of *astitva*.[6]

## Cast

- [Tabu](/source/Tabu_(actress)) as Aditi Pandit

- [Sachin Khedekar](/source/Sachin_Khedekar) as Shrikant Pandit

- [Ravindra Mankani](/source/Ravindra_Mankani) as Ravi

- [Smita Jaykar](/source/Smita_Jaykar) as Meghna

- [Mohnish Bahl](/source/Mohnish_Bahl) as Malhar Kamat

- [Sunil Barve](/source/Sunil_Barve) as Aniket Pandit

- [Namrata Shirodkar](/source/Namrata_Shirodkar) as Revathi

- [Gulfam Khan](/source/Gulfam_Khan) as Asma Parveen

- [Resham Tipnis](/source/Resham_Tipnis) as Sudha

## Production

The role of lead actress was first offered to [Madhuri Dixit](/source/Madhuri_Dixit), a leading lady of her times. When she rejected the offer, it went to Tabu, who received an important film of her acting career.[7]

The story is based on [Guy de Maupassant](/source/Guy_de_Maupassant)'s novel "[Pierre and Jean](/source/Pierre_and_Jean)", which was also made into a 1943 French film *[Pierre and Jean](/source/Pierre_and_Jean_(film))*, the [Mexican](/source/Cinema_of_Mexico) movie *[Una mujer sin amor](/source/Una_mujer_sin_amor)*, released in 1952 and into the 2015 American drama film *[Peter and John](/source/Peter_and_John)*.[8]

## Music

1. "Chal Chal Mere Sang Sang" - [Sukhwinder Singh](/source/Sukhwinder_Singh)

1. "Gaana Mere Bas Ki Baat Nahin" - [Sadhana Sargam](/source/Sadhana_Sargam), [Shankar Mahadevan](/source/Shankar_Mahadevan)

1. "Gaana Mere Bas Ki Baat Nahin v2" - Sadhana Sargam, Shankar Mahadevan

1. "Kitne Kisse Hain Tere Mere" - [Hema Sardesai](/source/Hema_Sardesai)

1. "Main Thi Main Hoon" - [Kavita Krishnamurthy](/source/Kavita_Krishnamurthy)

1. "Sabse Pehle Sangeet Bana" - Kavita Krishnamurthy, Sukhwinder Singh

1. "Spirit Of Astitva" - N/A

1. "Zindagi Kya Baat Hai" - Sukhwinder Singh

## Accolades

Award[a] Date of ceremony[b] Category Recipient(s) Result Ref. Bollywood Movie Awards 28 April 2001 Best Story Mahesh Manjrekar Nominated [9] Best Actress Tabu Nominated Best Critics Role - Female Won Most Sensational Actress Won Filmfare Awards 17 February 2001 Best Actress Nominated [10] [11] Critics Award for Best Actress Won International Indian Film Academy Awards 16 June 2001 Best Actress Nominated [12] National Film Awards 12 December 2001 Best Feature Film in Marathi Producer: Jhamu Sughand Director: Mahesh Manjrekar Won [13] Screen Awards 20 January 2001 Best Film Astitva Nominated [14] [15] [16] Best Story Mahesh Manjrekar Won Best Screenplay Nominated Special Jury Award[c] Won Best Dialogue Imtiyaz Husain Nominated Best Actress Tabu Won Zee Cine Awards 3 March 2001 Best Actor – Female Won [17]

## Notes

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** Awards, festivals and organizations are in alphabetical order.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** Date is linked to the article about the awards held that year, wherever possible.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-19)** also for *[Nidaan](/source/Nidaan)*

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["Astitva Box Office Collection till Now | Box Collection"](https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movie/astitva/box-office/). *Bollywood Hungama*. 6 October 2000. Retrieved 12 December 2023.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["48th National Film Awards"](http://pib.nic.in/focus/foyr2001/fomar2001/fo270320012b.html).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["Film Review: *Astitva*"](https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-miscellaneous/tp-others/film-review-astitva/article28048420.ece). *The Hindu*. 13 October 2000. [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [0971-751X](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0971-751X). Retrieved 25 June 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** Singh, Shikha (4 November 2016). ["Top 5 Performances by Tabu"](https://in.bookmyshow.com/entertainment/movies/top-5-performances-by-tabu/). *BookMyShow*. Retrieved 25 June 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** ["From 'Maachis' To 'Andhadhun', Here's Why Tabu Is One Of The Most Versatile Actors Of Our Time"](https://www.scoopwhoop.com/entertainment/tabu-greatest-actress-of-our-generation/). *www.scoopwhoop.com*. October 2018. Retrieved 25 June 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["indiafm.com"](http://www.indiafm.com/movies/cast/6526/index.html/). 13 August 2011.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["Casting chronicle: One's miss is another's hit"](https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/photo/casting-chronicle-2-states-baazigar-darr-munna-bhai-arjun-kapoor-imran-khan-372135-2014-05-05). India Today. 5 May 2014. Retrieved 5 May 2014.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** ["Pierre and Jean (1943)"](https://en.unifrance.org/movie/4073/pierre-and-jean#). *en.unifrance.org*. Retrieved 10 May 2022.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** ["The Nominees and Winners for the Bollywood Awards 2001 were"](https://web.archive.org/web/20020407134036/http://www.bollywoodawards.com/ballot/ballot.html). *Bollywood Movie Awards*. Archived from [the original](http://www.bollywoodawards.com/ballot/ballot.html) on 7 April 2002. Retrieved 27 June 2021.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** ["46th Filmfare Awards 2001 Nominations"](https://web.archive.org/web/20010210102906/http://filmfare.indiatimes.com/ffawards/nominees.html). *[Indian Times](/source/Times_Internet)*. [The Times Group](/source/The_Times_Group). Archived from [the original](http://filmfare.indiatimes.com/ffawards/nominees.html) on 10 February 2001. Retrieved 27 June 2021.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** Dhirad, Sandeep (2006). ["Filmfare Nominees and Winners"](https://sites.google.com/site/deep750/FilmfareAwards.pdf?attredirects=0) (PDF). *Filmfare*. pp. 107–109. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20151019034032/https://sites.google.com/site/deep750/FilmfareAwards.pdf?attredirects=0) (PDF) from the original on 19 October 2015. Retrieved 27 June 2021.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-14)** ["2nd IIFA Awards 2001 Nominations"](https://web.archive.org/web/20010826062906/http://server1.msn.co.in/iifa/nominee/index.html). *[MSN](/source/MSN)*. [Microsoft](/source/Microsoft). Archived from [the original](http://server1.msn.co.in/iifa/nominee/index.html) on 26 August 2001. Retrieved 27 June 2021.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-15)** ["48th National Film Awards"](http://dff.nic.in/images/Documents/69_48thNfacatalogue.pdf) (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20200725232402/http://dff.nic.in/images/Documents/69_48thNfacatalogue.pdf) (PDF) from the original on 25 July 2020. Retrieved 27 June 2021.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-16)** ["Nominations for 7th Annual Screen Awards are"](https://web.archive.org/web/20040219220635/http://www.screenindia.com/svawards/winom.htm). *[Screen](/source/Screen_(magazine))*. 2001. Archived from [the original](http://www.screenindia.com/svawards/winom.htm) on 19 February 2004. Retrieved 27 June 2021.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-17)** Express News Service (21 January 2001). ["Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai all the way, bags 8 trophies"](https://web.archive.org/web/20040224140257/http://www.expressindia.com/ie/daily/20010122/ien22062.html). *[The Indian Express](/source/The_Indian_Express)*. Mumbai, India. Archived from [the original](http://www.expressindia.com/ie/daily/20010122/ien22062.html) on 24 February 2004. Retrieved 27 June 2021.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-18)** ["Screen Award winners for the year 2000 are"](https://web.archive.org/web/20031029003354/http://www.screenindia.com/screenawards/award00.html). *[Screen India](/source/Screen_(magazine))*. [Indian Express Limited](/source/Indian_Express_Limited). Archived from [the original](http://www.screenindia.com/screenawards/award00.html) on 29 October 2003. Retrieved 27 June 2021.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-20)** "Zee Cine Awards 2001". *Zee Cine Awards*. 3 March 2001. [Zee Entertainment Enterprises](/source/Zee_Entertainment_Enterprises).

## External links

- [*Astitva*](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0261545/) at [IMDb](/source/IMDb_(identifier))

- [*New Straits Times* review](https://books.google.com/books?id=7cgyAAAAIBAJ&dq=vijiyan+review+new+straits+times&pg=PA37&article_id=3735,404348)

v t e Films of Mahesh Manjrekar Vaastav: The Reality (1999) Astitva (2000) Kurukshetra (2000) Jis Desh Mein Ganga Rehta Hain (2000) Nidaan (2000) Ehsaas: The Feeling (2001) Tera Mera Saath Rahen (2001) Hathyar (2002) Pitaah (2002) Rakht (2004) It Was Raining That Night (2005) Viruddh... Family Comes First (2005) Vaah! Life Ho Toh Aisi! (2005) Matichya Chuli (2006) Shikshanachya Aaicha Gho (2010) City of Gold / Lalbaug Parel (2010) Ami Subhash Bolchi (2011) Kaksparsh (2012) Natsamrat (2016) FU: Friendship Unlimited (2017) Me Shivaji Park (2018) Bhai: Vyakti Ki Valli (2019 The Power (2021) Antim: The Final Truth (2021) Panghrun (2022) Nay Varanbhat Loncha Kon Nay Koncha (2022) Ek Radha Ek Meera (2025)

v t e National Film Award for Best Marathi Feature Film 1954–1960 Mahatma Phule (1954) Me Tulas Tujhya Angani (1955) – (1956) Gruhdevta (1957) Dhakti Jau (1958) – (1959) Kanyadan (1960) Certificate of Merit – (1954) Shevagyachya Shenga (1955) – (1956) – (1957) Dhakti Jau (1958) – (1959) Umaj Padel Tar (1960) 1961–1980 Manini (1961) Rangalya Ratree Ashya (1962) Ha Majha Marg Ekla (1963) Pathlaag (1964) Sadhi Mansa (1965) – (1966) Santh Wahate Krishnamai (1967) Ektee (1968) Tambdi Mati (1969) Mumbaicha Jawai (1970) – (1971) Pinjra (1972) – (1973) – (1974) Saamna (1975) – (1976) Jait Re Jait (1977) – (1978) – (1979) – (1980) Certificate of Merit Vaijayanta and Manasala Pankh Astat (1961) Jaawai Majha Bhala and Gariba Gharchi Lek (1962) Te Majhe Ghar (1963) Tuka Jhalasi Kalas and Sawaal Majha Aika! (1964) Yuge Yuge Me Vaat Pahili (1965) Discontinued after 1965 1981–2000 Umbartha (1981) Shapit (1982) Smruti Chitre (1983) Mahananda (1984) Pudhche Paool (1985) – (1986) Sarja (1987) – (1988) Kalat Nakalat (1989) – (1990) – (1991) Ek Hota Vidushak (1992) Lapandav (1993) – (1994) Bangarwadi (1995) Rao Saheb (1996) – (1997) Tu Tithe Mee (1998) Gharabaher (1999) Astitva (2000) 2001–2020 – (2001) Vastupurush (2002) Not Only Mrs. Raut (2003) Uttarayan (2004) Dombivali Fast (2005) Shevri (2006) Nirop (2007) Harishchandrachi Factory (2008) Natarang (2009) Mala Aai Vhhaychy! (2010) Shala (2011) Investment (2012) Aajcha Divas Majha (2013) Killa (2014) Ringan (2015) Dashakriya (2016) Kachcha Limboo (2017) Bhonga (2018) Bardo (2019) Goshta Eka Paithanichi (2020) 2021–present Ekda Kaay Zala (2021) Vaalvi (2022) Shyamchi Aai (2023)

v t e Guy de Maupassant's Pierre and Jean (1888) Films Only a Dancing Girl (1926) Pierre and Jean (1943) A Woman Without Love (1952) Astitva (2000) Peter and John (2015)

---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Astitva](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astitva) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astitva?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.
