Anahat (film)


Anahat is a 2003 Marathi film directed by Amol Palekar and starring Anant Nag, Sonali Bendre and Deepti Naval. Anahat focuses on a woman asserting her right to sexual fulfillment.
Anahat,, 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. It was also screened at Jerusalem Film Festival in 2011 along with five other movies.

Plot

Anahat is set in the 10th century A.D in Shravasti, the capital of the Kingdom of Malla. It revolves around two individuals — the king of Malla who is unable to father an heir, and the Queen, Sheelavati, who is forced to choose a potent mate for one night. But, while the queen is ordered to merely produce an heir through the prevalent custom of Niyoga, she enjoys the sexual act without hurting her husband and comes to realise what her life was missing.