Aakhir Kyon? 1985

Nisha, Smita Patil, is an orphan raised by her relatives alongside her cousin Indu, Tina Munim. Indu grows close to the charming and wealthy Kabir, Rakesh Roshan, but fate tilts when Kabir chooses to marry Nisha, leaving Indu hurt and disappointed. The early years unfold with Nisha radiating a carefree warmth, seemingly oblivious to Kabir’s secret liaisons, which he indulges in under the pretext of “business trips.”

As time passes, Nisha discovers she is pregnant, and her doctor warns that the pregnancy is complicated. In a bid to support Nisha, Indu’s mother, Shubha Khote, invites Indu to move in with Nisha and Kabir to help care for her. In this shared space, Indu’s influence grows, and she slips into an extramarital arrangement with Kabir, a choice that compounds the tension within the household. Meanwhile, Nisha delivers a baby girl, and the sudden shift in the family’s dynamics leaves her stunned when she uncovers the affair. She confronts Kabir and Indu, who refuse to end their relationship and urge her to adjust to the changing circumstances in her life.

Stripped of support and stability, Nisha leaves the home, entrusting her daughter’s upbringing to a faithful maid. She faces the world as a single mother, navigating a male-dominated society with grit and resolve. Along the way, she forms a friendship with Alok, Rajesh Khanna, and channels her energy into a career as a writer, carving out a path of independence and self-respect.

Kabir and Indu’s financial situation deteriorates as their reckless choices catch up with them, forcing a reckoning. When Nisha’s daughter reaches an age where marriage becomes a possibility, Kabir worries about securing a suitable alliance and the accompanying resources. In a decisive act of self-reliance, Nisha sells the publishing rights to her work and assigns the royalties to support her ex-husband’s future, setting up a stable income that he can rely on for life. This bold move marks a turning point, as Kabir sincerely apologizes for his past behavior and repents, while Nisha asserts that she has moved on and prefers her daughter to remain unaware of the pain her mother endured.

The tension between love, duty, and societal judgment comes to a head when Alok seeks to formalize their relationship. Nisha resists, clinging to traditional values that once defined her. In a pivotal moment, Alok presses her with a hard truth: “Akhir Kyon?” (Why So?) — a question born from the sting of a society that punished a wife for marital trouble while offering little protection or empathy. As the sindoor is applied, a symbolic mix of obligation and desire, the story anchors itself in questions about gender, resilience, and the cost of choosing one’s own path.

Throughout, the film unfolds with a lucid, grounded realism that keeps the focus on Nisha’s evolution—from a carefree, trusting daughter-in-law to a self-reliant author who shoulders responsibility not just for her child but for her own dignity. The relationships threading through the narrative—between Nisha and Kabir, Indu and Kabir, and Nisha’s burgeoning independence—are depicted with nuance, showing how choices reverberate across a family and challenge the constraints of tradition. The final act reframes the meaning of family, success, and personal sovereignty, inviting viewers to consider what it means to rebuild after betrayal and to protect the innocence and future of a daughter amid a world full of expectations and judgments.