Kaksparsh (2012)

Hari Damle (Sachin Khedekar), head of a Chitpavan Bramhin family, lives in the village Torgaon in Konkan with his wife Tara (Medha Manjrekar), their three children, his younger brother Mahadev (Abhijit Kelkar), and his widowed aunt, Namu Aatya (Savita Malpekar). Hari arranges the marriage of Mahadev with a pre-pubescent girl, Durga (Ketaki Mategaonkar), renamed as Uma after marriage. However, Mahadev dies before the consummation of the marriage. Hari performs death rituals (Śrāddha) for Mahadev but crows (symbolic of the spirit of the deceased in Hinduism) refuse to touch the offerings. Hari mumbles something while offering food after which crow touches the offerings. Brahmin community in the village now expects widow Uma to have her head shaved (a ritual). Hari opposes and does not allow any rituals to be performed for her as a widow. Hari stands behind Uma in all her difficulties which raise doubts about his intentions, including that by his wife, Tara. Years later, when Tara is diagnosed of a terminal disease, the now grown-up Uma (now played by Priya Bapat) takes charge of the household. Before Tara dies, she realises her mistakes and requests Hari to marry Uma which he readily refuses. In the meantime, Hari gets his son Sankarshan (Saksham Kulkarni) married. Once Hari finds Uma sitting outside the room of the newly married couple, listening to their playful banter. Disgusted by Uma's behaviour, Hari starts avoiding her. Upset by this behaviour, Uma tries to talk her heart out to Hari's friend Balwant (Sanjay Khapre) and requests him to find out the reason. Coincidentally, Hari overhears this and severs his relations with Balwant. Unaware of the reason for Hari's changed behaviour, Uma starts staying aloof, while her health starts degrading. Worried Sankarshan requests his sister Shanti (Manava Naik) to talk to Uma. Frustrated and unknowing of what loss she had throughout her life, Uma opens her heart but situation raises more questions about her relation with Hari. Uma decides to go on a fast and relents to none of the family member's request to quit. Hari, left with no other option, explains his behaviour. Hari reveals to Uma that when he was performing death rituals for Mahadev and offerings were not accepted by crow for a long time, he took a vow that he would not let any other man touch Uma. Thus, he did not allow practised rituals of shaving her head to be performed and also declined Tara's request of their marriage. When he learned through Tara that Uma has started loving him, he stopped talking to her, in spite of his love towards Uma. He eventually accepts that he loves Uma and would marry her, breaking his vow. Knowing the truth, Uma forgives Hari and agrees to the proposal. Hari fetches Mangala sutra but finds out that Uma is dead. He realises that Uma has sacrificed her life for his love where she did not want Hari to break his vow.