Astitva – Ek Prem Kahani (transl. 'Existence – a love story') was a Hindi-language soap opera that aired on Zee TV channel for more than three years. The story focuses on the concept of women's identity through the character of Dr. Simran, who embodies patience, consistency and suppression in a subtle way. She is a gynecologist who enters a complex situation when she marries a man ten years younger than herself. It shows the ensuing struggles in her life.