Sunil Barve
6-year-old inquisitive Charcha who has a modern/urban upbringing, accompanies her father on his official tour where she meets a shy rural boy, Panya (eight years old). As they grow to respect and understand each other's culture, their friendship is challenged by a proposed water dam, being sanctioned by Charcha's father, forcing involuntary migration on Panya's family.
An IT professional, Aakash, who leads a near perfect life, and Ananya, an actress, who leads a rather messy, imperfect yet classy life, face turbulent times post marriage as their careers take a drastic positive turn.
The film grapples with multiple issues, but primarily the changing nature of love and its impact on the twin institutions of marriage and family.
Astitva is a bold film with adultery. An ambitious male chauvinist and his loving wife are happily married but the guy is not able to give time to the family as he want to make it big in life. His work is of paramount importance to him. His work keeps him away from his home for days and this makes the wife very lonely. In one such instance, she succumbs to loneliness and has a physical relationship with her music teacher and becomes pregnant. She tries confessing to her husband, but he is so excited about her pregnancy, that he does not listen to her story. Twenty Five years later, circumstances force the suspicious husband's mind to work overtime and confronts his wife with facts and figures that when she was pregnant, he had not had any physical relationship with her for more than 9 months before the child's birth. Then whose child is it? The wife accepts it and ask for forgiveness...
Vivek's wife, Rama, often gets irked by her family as they are too optimistic and lack practicality. However, in their time of need, she supports them as she has good intentions for her family.
Rajni Tendulkar gets married to a printing press owner, A.A. Mangalkar, and has her name changed to Aarti. Both become parents to 3 children, Abhay, Asavari, and Ajinkya. Then Mangalkar's press burns down, and he is forced to work for an abusive employee, Raikar, who humiliates him. He, in turn, turns his anger on Aarti, the children learn from their father and become abusive toward her. The abuse multiplies after Abhay gets married to Meena, who orders her mother-in-law around. When Meena forces Abhay to convince his father to sell their Shivaji Park flat and move to Kandivli, Aarti opposes this, but is told to sign the relevant papers. Shock and surprises are in store for them when Aarti not only refuses to sign the papers but starts behaving strangely - as though she has been possessed by a spirit.
A father does not want to give his sons a share from his property. However, both brothers outsmart him and decide to fake their marriages in order to be entitled to receive their inheritance.
