Many might disagree with this, but Turkish films know how to play with human emotion. The finesse with which Turkish directors craft their movies and imbue them with emotions is something that’s missing from a lot of modern cinema; be it comedy or thriller, Turkish films are second to none. Mehmet Binay and Carner Alper’s latest film, Bihter, is no exception. Balancing themes like infidelity, courage, and cowardice, Bihter chronicles the story of the protagonist with the same name, who became the victim of her desires and caught romantic feelings for Behlül, her husband’s relative.
Spoilers Ahead
Who Is Bihter? Who Does She Marry?
The movie introduced Bihter (Farah Zeynep Abdullah) as a young woman relishing the pleasures of life. Like all her sisters, she wanted to fall in love with a rich man who could give her everything she wanted. Even though Bihter was born into a rich family, their wealth deteriorated after her father’s sudden death. Maybe this was the reason why Bihter’s mother, Firdevs (Hande Ataizi), wanted to remarry again to restore her previous status. Her most potential suitor was Mr. Adnan (Osman Sonant). He was a wealthy man with a massive mansion, which everyone was jealous of.
Unfortunately, Firdevs’ plan to become the mistress of the mansion went down the drain. Mr. Adnan made it clear that he wanted to marry Bihter, not Firdevs. Bihter’s sister also hated the news, and why shouldn’t she? She had to marry a middle-class man who lived in her house, while Bihter was to be married to the most wealthy man in the town. Even though none of Bihter’s family members were thrilled to hear such news, they had no choice but to agree. Bihter’s marriage to Adnan would open many doors for them, especially for her brother-in-law. Bihter agreed to the marriage, even though Adnan was almost twice her age and had a son and a daughter, Nihal (Helin Kandemir).
Why Did Bihter Cheat On Adnan? Why Does She Hate Firdevs?
Bihter got what she wanted: wealth, a massive mansion, and whatnot. Her nuptials with Adnan made her the most respected and powerful woman in the city. Everyone wanted to be on her good side so that they could benefit from Adnan. However, no matter how much Bihter tried, she couldn’t bring herself to love Adnan. He was old, weary, and often not able to please Bihter sexually. Thus, it was no surprise that Bihter had started to want someone who was young and strong and would make her feel like she was the queen of the world. Adnan’s relative, Behlül (Boran Kuzum), was a perfect candidate. He was big, brawny, and had an air of affable charisma. Adnan, on the other hand, loved Bihter with all her heart, but even he could change what his new wife’s heart desired.
Moreover, Adnan often invited Firdevs to his mansion without consulting with Bihter first. She was sick and in need of regular care, Adnan justified. This angered Bihter greatly, as she hated her mother. Years ago, Firdevs cheated on Bihter’s father with a different man. Unfortunately, his heart wasn’t strong enough to take the news, and he died. Bihter also started hating Adnan when, one night, he forced himself on her. This made Bihter fantasize about Behlül, and she finally gave in to her desires and bedded him. Neither of them wanted to make this a one-time thing. No matter how much they resisted, they often found themselves in a similar situation: unclothed and in the warm embrace of one another. Whenever Bihter found an opening, she slipped out of her room to have sex with Behlül. Eventually, their love faltered when Behlül realized they could never be a couple. He asked Bihter to elope, but she refused. This angered Behlül greatly, and he distanced himself from Bihter.
Why Did Firdevs Want Behlül To Marry Nihal?
Behlül had a reputation for being a flirt in Istanbul. Rumor had it that he was a Casanova who never slept with the same woman again. Virgin, married, widowed, divorced—everyone wanted Behlül in their bed, the rumors claimed. Bihter’s mother, Firdevs, suspected that there was something going on between Behlül and Bihter. She even had Besir, the house’s servant, watching both of them. In many instances, Firdevs tried to convince Adnan that Behlül going out with his wife and daughter could become a subject of gossip. Firdevs’ aim was to convince Adnan to marry Nihal to Behlül. When Bihter came to know about it, she tried everything to throw Firdevs out of the house. Since Firdevs was no longer weak and invalid, she could return home, Bihter said. Firdevs even tried to convince Nihal of the same. Unfortunately for her, Nihal had no interest in getting married, at least not right now. Nihal agreed to court Behlül when he secretly visited her on her aunt’s island. Behlül loves Bihter, but he needs this marriage. In reality, Behlül wanted to become a politician, and being Adnan’s son-in-law would garner him many votes. Plus, Adnan had more than enough money to back his election campaign. Bihter had made up her mind that she wouldn’t allow this marriage to take place. Firdevs, on the other hand, wanted to make this marriage happen at any cost. She even convinced Adnan that this was the only way for him to save his marriage with Bihter. Firdevs made it look like Bihter was vying for Adnan’s attention, and lying about pregnancy was just one of her stunts for attention.
Did Bihter Stop Behlül And Nihal’s Marriage?
Since Behlül talked Nihal into marrying her, Bihter wanted him to talk Nihal out of it. Behlül adored Bihter, but the latter saw their time together as an adventure. When Behlül didn’t run after her, she went crazy, and when he stopped, she got ambitious. Bihter, too, fell for Behlül, but it was too late. Bihter was willing to pay any price to stop Behlül from courting Nihal. Bihter even did something she wouldn’t have done otherwise. Bihter asked for Firdevs’ help, but it proved ineffective. Next, she used Behlül’s flirtatious nature to break the marriage, but it backfired. Nihal’s inevitable marriage to the man of her dreams made Bihter cold towards everyone. It became her daily routine to instigate petty fights with the maids, servants, and anyone who failed to add madam before her name. When nothing worked, Bihter made attempts to seduce Behlül but failed in that as well. The latter even refused to talk to her or listen to anything Bihter had to say. Unfortunately, on the day of his marriage, Adnan learned about his wife’s infidelity. Nihal, too, was made aware that Bihter and Behlül were having an affair. But at that point, Bihter was in no condition to care about anything. She had become delusional, and she was even willing to kill herself. So, did she? No, Bihter didn’t kill herself. Instead, she chose to end her marriage and walked out of the lavish mansion she believed herself to be the queen of. As for Behlül, he escaped, fearing for his wife. Mr. Adnan was generous but a powerful tycoon and there was no way he would’ve left Behlül alive after learning of his betrayal.
Final Verdict
Even though Bihter hated her mother, she was no different than Firdevs. Like her, Bihter, too, thought the world revolved around her and that she was the most important and influential person in the mansion. She hated her mother for sleeping with another man, and yet she followed in her footsteps. She cheated on Adnan with Behlül. Maybe the reason Bihter didn’t want Firdevs in her house was because she reminded her of herself. Bihter even admitted this one night to Firdevs when she asked for help. Firdevs wanted to court Adnan, but her plan fell through when the latter chose Bihter. She then indulged herself with Behlül, but this too hit a road bump, thanks to Behlül’s political ambition. In the end, Bihter lost both Adnan’s support and money and Behlül’s.
