INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
OF INDIA 2003
Feature Film
ANAAHAT
Eternity
Marathi/90 minutes/35 mm Cinemascope/Colour
SYNOPSIS
The story is set in Malla
kingdom of which Shravasti was the capital in the 10th
century and revolves around the issue of Niyoga, the selection
of a mate for impregnating a married woman whose husband is incapable
of fathering a child due to ailment or impotency. Niyoga was an
accepted social custom since the 6th century B.C.
The King of Malla was incapable
of producing an heir to the throne but was duty-bound in that
regard. The King and his wife Sheelavati were happily married
and shared an otherwise compatible life. The Queen did not feel
incomplete and had accepted his impotency. However the all-male
Senate, considering the ailment and age of the King, declared
that it was the duty of the Queen to accept Niyoga for the welfare
of the kingdom. Her approval or permission was never sought before
the decision was taken though the right to select a mate was given
to her. The King faced a predicament – he had sacrifice his personal
feelings for the larger interest while the Queen had to accept
the harsh reality against her will.
The climax of the film explores
the respective dilemmas of the characters – the King’s emotional
turmoil during the long hours of that night, the Queen’s discovery
of her sexuality through the experience of that night, the Senate
members’ unending justifications for their decision… and their
altered equations thereafter.
CREDITS
Producer: Amol Palekar &
Rohit Sharma
Director: Amol Palekar
Story: Surendra Verma
Screenplay: Sameer Kulkarni
& Sandhya Gokhale
Cinematographer: Debu Deodhar
Editor: Zafar Sultan
Art: Nitin Chandrakant Desai
Music: Sandhya Gokhale
Sound: Narinder Singh
Cast: Anant Nag, Sonali Bendre,
Deepti Naval
