The Meaning Of Arth, 40 Years Later

Mahesh Bhatt's Arth, made 40 years ago, is still the gold standard when it comes to Hindi films on the daily burden of patriarchy forced on Indian women, especially when dealing with their husband's infidelities. It is unfortunate, though, that we had to wait four decades to see a film like Anubhav Sinha's Thappad

- Maithili Rao

Some films are destined to carry the weight of relevance over the decades. Arth is one of them.

Forty years later, it remains a textbook movie to draw the arc of self-realisation for an ordinary, middle class, dependant Indian woman. Mahesh Bhatt straddled the middle ground between mainstream and offbeat, defying the expectation of a reconciliation between a repentant husband and forgiving wife. And by doing that, Arth created a milestone in Hindi cinema.

Mahesh Bhatt proved that if he is honest and courageous, his own life can be mined for compelling stories teeming with fierce emotions. Yes, he has been called an exhibitionist, but that is a creative risk a filmmaker takes when he delves into his own life experiences. Autobiographical experience, when distilled through creative candour, yields a searing truth that one is forced to confront. Bhatt is almost a bystander to his own story because he generously gives centre space to the wife who goes through a relentless wringer of emotional turmoil. When he has the wisdom and ability to get scorching, emotionally gut-wrenching performances from his actors, a classic is born. Arth is the gold that emerged from the crucible of a nuclear explosion where hurt, rage, self-doubt, despair collide, and then are becalmed into acceptance. Acceptance that comes with growth of selfassurance and belief in one's dignity.