I recently watched Bhumika, and while many call it a feminist classic about a woman's search for identity, I think we need to talk more about the blatant grooming and pedophilia that drive the whole tragic cycle.
Amol Palekar, who plays Smita Patil's husband, grooms her from childhood. He sees her only as a cash cow, spots her singing talent early and positions himself to exploit it.
The film shows a deeply unsettling scene where a young Usha is chased by her future husband, who 'jokingly' asks if she will marry him – a clear case of predatory behaviour masked as play.
Palekar's character slowly infiltrates the heroine's family, manipulating her so thoroughly that she eventually thinks he is her only way out. In reality, he just uses her as a meal ticket, even going as far as impregnating her out of wedlock while she is still underage.
In many films from that era (and even today), an older man 'pursuing' a young girl is often set to light‑hearted music or called a 'persistent lover'. Bhumika is one of the few Indian films where pedophilia and grooming are not romanticised.
(https://i.ibb.co/qFW8G5mM/vvzvue9wnt0h1.jpg)
If I'm not mistaken, this movie is based on the real‑life toxic/grooming relationship between Asha Bhosle and her first husband, right?
Sounds more like a Celine Dion biography to me.
Just wait till you watch Lamhe – that one is downright creepy.