Marital rifts and infidelity are not new themes in Hindi cinema. Often in movies, a person commits a mistake and the society expects forgiveness from him. But what if, after 50 years of successful marriage, a grandmother reveals a secret about her life that was hidden for decades? Can a man forgive his wife’s past mistakes as easily as he wants to forgive himself? Eminent actor and director Saurabh Shukla’s film ‘Jab Khooli Kitab’ seeks answers to these complex questions.
Summary: A secret that changes everything
The film is a cinematic adaptation of Saurabh Shukla’s popular play of the same name. The story revolves around Gopal (Pankaj Kapoor) and Ansuya (Dimple Kapadia), who are nearing their golden jubilee (50th anniversary). Anasuya wakes up from the coma and as she regains consciousness, she makes a confession that rocks Gopal’s world. She admits to a ‘mistake’ (infidelity) that happened in the early years of her marriage.
This revelation forces Gopal to look at 50 years of trust again with suspicion. Entering this family drama is Negi (Aparshakti Khurana), a young lawyer. He becomes a vehicle not only for legal proceedings but also for the family’s difficult emotional negotiations.
Double standards of masculinity and forgiveness
The film beautifully tells how a seemingly ‘progressive’ man suddenly turns into a narrow minded man after learning about his wife’s past. Gopal, who was a caring husband till now, suddenly started looking at Anasuya like a stranger. He questions himself if his whole life was an illusion.
The film takes words like ‘desire’ and ‘personal preference’ very seriously. For example, Gopal never knew how much Anasuya loved poetry. It shows how ignorant we can be of each other’s inner worlds despite being together for decades.
Excellent acting by the actors
Pankaj Kapoor: Pankaj Kapoor has given a masterclass as Gopal. From impatience and stubborn pride to helplessness and finally rediscovering love, her acting is superb. By the end of the film, his body language and way of speaking makes the audience emotional.
Dimple Kapadia: Seeing Dimple as a weak wife in the beginning seems a little strange, but as the story progresses, the seriousness of her voice and personality brings Anasuya’s remorse and resilience to life.
Aparashakti Khurana: He plays a lawyer who brings some relief and lightness to the story, as well as causes serious discussions.
Direction and screenplay
Saurabh Shukla has focused on the depth of emotions while making the play into a film. The film presents Gopal’s increasing dementia not as a curse, but as a cure for his marital crisis – as if forgetting is the only way out.
However, the second half of the film feels a bit drawn out and predictable. Some filmic liberties are taken in depicting the medical aspects (coma and recovery), which sometimes seem far from reality. But the juggling of Saurabh Shukla and Pankaj Kapoor saves the film from being too sentimental and keeps it a balanced ‘drama-comedy’.