Pehchaan: The Face of Truth

Swati Azad and Mridula are two inseparable friends in college. After successfully completing their college, they get married to Ajay Lal and Milind Khanna respectively. Four years later, Prasad Saxena, another former collegian meets with a pregnant Mridula and informs her that Swati has committed suicide as she had lost her sanity. However, he suspects that she was actually killed by the Lal family. Mridula gets hold of Swati’s diary, reads it, and concludes that the Lal family did kill Swati. She has the case reopened, files various documents in Court, and has the Lals, Ajay and his dad, Hasmukh, charged under section 302 and 34 of the Indian Penal Code. It is here that Mridula will find out that she has opened up a virtual Pandora’s box, for the lawyer representing the Lals is none other than Deepak Khanna, her father-in-law. When Milind finds out he accuses Mridula of trying to disrupt the Khanna family life and tells her that she is losing her sanity.

Directed by Shrabani Deodhar, Pehchaan: The Face of Truth leans on a strong ensemble — Vinod Khanna, Rati Agnihotri, Raveena Tandon — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about drama titles of 2005.