From “Silsila” to “Masoom”, retro Bollywood movies that explored infidelity earlier than “Gehraiyaan”.

Since the release of Shakun Batras Gehraiyaan, social media has been awash with debate over the film’s portrayal of adultery or extramarital affairs, which many felt was “glorified.” Some viewers think it is a new trend that Bollywood has recently caught up with.

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But for as long as the cinema has existed, adultery has been a subject explored in a myriad of different ways.

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However, over the years our films have taken a retrograde turn rather than approaching the subject through a realistic lens. Infidelity has taken on a comical veil in films like Pati, Patni Aur Woh, Masti, Thank You, and No Entry.

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So we dug up a few films that were released decades ago but treated the subject with the maturity and sensitivity it deserves.

1. Silsila

Starring Amitabh Bachchan, Jaya Bachchan and Rekha, the film focuses on adultery and the complexities of relationships. The subject matter was treated with thorough maturity, and the plot was backed up by amazing performances. A controversial film at the time, it has aged into a classic today.

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2. Ijaazat

Gulzar’s Ijaazat, adapted from Subodh Ghosh’s Bengali short story Jatugriha, unfolds through flashbacks that trace what may have gone wrong in the protagonists’ marriage. A complex love triangle at its core is addressed with the utmost warmth and compassion. Also, the film has one of the most beautiful breakup songs ever – Mera Kuch Saamaan.

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3rd Art

Arth is one of director Mahesh Bhatt’s cinematic attempts to chronicle his own extramarital relationship with actor Parveen Babi. The film might be semi-autobiographical on the surface, but the film stands out for its multi-layered characters, portrayed by powerhouse actors like Smita Patil and Shabana Azmi.

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4. Astiva

Directed by Mahesh Manjrekar, the film explores the patriarchal norm that forgives a man for infidelity but punishes the woman. Starring Tabu, the film is about more than an extramarital affair, it’s about a woman’s own identity. Astitva is a film that was way ahead of its time.

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5. Libaas

The adultery-themed film revolves around theater director Sudhir (Shah) and his actress Seema (Azmi). From afar, the couple’s life seems perfect. Their marriage is thrown into turmoil when another man enters the picture. The 1988 film, based on Gulzar’s own short story Seema, was not released in theaters due to a disagreement between the creators. Later, in 2017, the release of the film was announced.

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6. Masom

A brilliantly executed film, Shekhar Kapur’s directorial debut Masoom is a timeless classic of Hindi cinema. The film, starring Naseeruddin Shah and Shabana Azmi, was adapted from the novel Man, Woman and Child by American writer Erich Segal. The story revolves around a family and their fairly normal life, which is disrupted by the patriarch’s discovery of an illegitimate child from an old extramarital affair.

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7. Fire

Often ranked among the most controversial films, Deepa Mehta’s Fire tackles a subject that few films, even films that ventured into social issues, addressed at the time. Usually cited as the first Indian film to address queer romance, Fire challenged many aspects at once – conservative society, patriarchal norms, and the underrepresentation of gay love stories.

Source: The Indian Express

8. Griha Pravesh

Similar to some of Basu Bhattacharya’s other films, Griha Pravesh was also about marital disputes. Starring Sanjeev Kumar, Sharmila Tagore and Sarika, the film explores the married world of an urban couple struggling to build a home for themselves.

Source: IMDb

9. Aakhir Kyon?

The 1985 film, similar to Astitva, is a poignant tale of a woman’s search for her own identity beyond being someone’s wife. The protagonist, Nisha, leaves her home after discovering that her husband is cheating on her. The separation gives her a new life and the opportunity to carve out an identity of her own.

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In contemporary cinema, the approach has changed with a handful of films such as Bombay Talkies, Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna and The Lunchbox presenting the subject with more thoughtfulness. However, these films are proof that infidelity is not a “modern” problem, nor is there a set way to deal with it.