Ek Duaa (VOOT Select)
Cast: Esha Deol, Rajveer Ankur Singh
Director: Ram Kamal Mukherjee
Rating: 3.5 stars
Societal anomalies, largely prevalent and rarely acknowledged, need a constant pricky tapping on the senses to draw loathly realisation and possible redemption.
Ek Duaa, streaming on VOOT Select, is a compelling reminder of the curse of female foeticide and killings of girl children in India.
Helmed by Esha Deol (turns producer with this attempt), the story has a genial flow and, like a dagger to a heart, takes you on a slow, powerful, poignant emotional journey, leaving you shocked at the end.
Abeeda (Esha) and her husband Suleman (Rajveer Ankur Singh) are a couple who finds it difficult to make ends meet. Trapped between traditional nostalgia and elusive hope for betterment, Abeeda and Esha live the mundane macabre mosaic life in suburban Mumbai’s Muslim society.
The story brings forth the genuine struggle of a family, who in search of mirage-like happiness, prefers sons to daughters, for sons mean fortunes.
Abeeda braves battles with a smiling face, with her daughter Duaa by her side. Duaa is chirpy but sad for being constantly discriminated against by her family members. Abeeda has a son too, a darling of all, but the family wants more sons to ward off their misfortunes.
There is a startling twist at the end which will leave you in horror; however, we won’t spoil it for you. You must watch to seethe in the feeling.
Ek Duaa has its heart in the right place, and kudos to director Ram Kamal Mukherjee for using silence as powerful means to keep you intrigued. Impactful background score with expressive emotional moments replete with diverse vibes of connect leaves viewers intensely captivated.
The thoughtful writing and screenplay, devoid of unnecessary pomp and circumstance, uplifts the overall voice of empathy and apathy.
Modhura Palit displays extreme finesse while capturing the moments of mind and milieu. The songs accentuate plot appeal and special mention of the art direction team that aptly manages to lend quintessential realism.
Ek Duaa doesn’t overdo and that’s the secret sauce. It is simple yet shakes you to the roots. It is an important nugget in the OTT industry as it tells a tale with bravery, not boisterousness.
Esha Deol shines as Abeeda and the villainous (read: venomous) Dadi stands out too. Ek Duaa’s story can be said to be a microcosm of Indian society, told with honesty, leaving you misty-eyed and a lot to ponder on.