Ram and Sadhna are a married couple. Ram is a witty and compromising man while Sadhna is an impulsive, decisive and hasty woman. When Ram accidentally has a one-time affair with Sadhna's recently widowed friend Urvashi, Sadhna immediately files for divorce. Right after the separation she finds out she is pregnant but she gets determined to bring her child up single-handedly and not return to Ram. Years go by, the couple's son, Raju, is now 10 years old, Sadhna gets a job as a clerk at a company where Ram works as a manager. Ironically, he hires a flat nearby Sadhna's house. Sadhna is still very angry and cannot forgive Ram for his infidelity, while Ram tries to get close to Raju.
Ek Hi Bool is well written, narrated and acted. It is quite simple in execution, and thus its impact is effective. The film is an enjoyable mix of comedy and drama, and thankfully, it does not rely too heavily on sentimentality, though there are some glitches her and there. The dialogue is for the most part quite witty, and many of the situations are identifiable, and that's what makes the film entertaining all through. Ek Hi Bhool deals with the complexity of marriage and divorce, and one must note the depiction of middle-class families, their troubles and daily struggles, which is generally well done (not as good as in Hrishikesh Mukherjee films, but still pretty good). Laxmikant-Pyarelal's music is very nice.
As far as acting goes, this film is unsurprisingly Rekha's film. She is wonderfully in sync with the hot-tempered, funny and nop-nonsense Sadhna, even though the script actually never really utilises her true talent. You can cry with her, laugh with her, or just sit and be stunned by her beauty. Her dialogue delivery and mannerisms are very good, her hysterics are hilariously entertaining, while her dramatic scenes are compelling. This is a very colourful performance. Jeetendra too performs well. Shabana Azmi makes a wonderful guest appearance as Meena, Sadhna's beautiful and intelligent friend. Asrani, Yunus Parvez and Leela Mishra lend adequate support, and the kids are alright.
'Ek Hi Bhool' means 'Just One Mistake'. The viewers may have different opinions regarding who the mistake was actually made by - the husband or the wife. It is a movie with a message effectively conveyed through tears and laughs. Not great or flawless but definitely enjoyable. I recommend.
