Anaahat

All you want to know about Anaahat

Anahat
Promotional movie poster for the film
Directed by	Amol Palekar
Starring	Sonali Bendre Anant Nag Deepti Naval
Release date(s)	2003 May 6, 2004 (Commonwealth Film Festival)
Running time	90 min.
Country	India
Language	Marathi
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Anahat (Eternity) is a 2003 Marathi film directed by Amol Palekar and starring Sonali Bendre, Anant Nag and Deepti Naval. Anahat focuses on a woman (Bendre) asserting her right to sexual fulfillment. Anahat, (the eighth feature film of the actor-turned-director), is the second offering by Palekar which examines gender-related issues, the first being Daayra. The film was inspired by Surendra Verma’s Hindi play Surya ki Antim Kiran Se Surya Ki Pehli Kiran Tak. Anahat was screened as the opening film of the 2003 Indian Panorama, an International film festival[1].

Plot

Anahat is set in the 10th century, in Shravasti, the capital of the Kingdom of Malla. Anahat revolves around two individuals — the king of Malla (Nag) who is unable to provide an heir and the Queen, Sheelavati (Bendre), who forced to choose a potent mate for one night. But while the queen is ordered to merely produce an inheritor through the prevalent custom of Niyoga, she ends up enjoying the sexual act. Her overt demand for a repeat act thickens the plot.

Palekar has handled the epic depiction very sensitively, thereby underlining the popular and unjust definitions of sexuality and potency. The film ends on a progressive and humanist note