Daman is a film about one of the darkest facets of the institution of marriage, marital rape among the upper middle classes.
Kalpana Lazmi, the famous filmmaker who has espoused various women-centric issues in her films, is at her best in conveying the trauma of a victim of marital rape. Without straying into women's lib, she has convincingly depicted what happens to those women who keep silent in the face of male subjugation.
Durga (Raveena Tandon) is the victim of the atrocities of her sadist husband Sanjay Saikia (Sayaji Shinde), an educated, well to do, tea estate owner in the state of Assam. The perverted Sanjay has no qualms in generalizing his attitude towards women—be she his wife, a prostitute, or his own daughter. With Sanjay doing everything to subjugate his wife, Durga's tribulations go on until she is driven to suicidal limits.
Steps in Sanjay's younger brother Sunil (Sanjay Suri) as Durga's savior. Unlike his elder brother, Sunil is gentle, cultured and the only one in the household who sympathizes with Durga. But he is too weak to counteract his elder brother. Yet Sunil's presence provides a great psychological support to Durga who bears her husband's cruelties stoically.
Things go from bad to worse for Durga when she gives birth to a girl child Deepa (Raima Sen). Even the arrival of a child in their life does not mellow Sanjay who sees Deepa as an additional burden. What is more, he even suspects Durga of having had sex with Sunil and accuses him of siring Deepa!
Sunil ignores his brother's suspicions and helps his bhabi in the upbringing of Deepa. By the time Deepa is 14 years old Sanjay wants to get rid of the burden and decides to marry her off. Now Sunil breaks his silence and speaks against his brother. Under the influence of liquor the temperamental Sanjay picks up a fight with Sunil and kills him.
This is the straw that breaks the camel's back, so to speak. Unable to take it anymore, Durga walks out of the house along with Deepa. To make both ends meet she relies on the property, which Sunil has transferred to them. Time passes by and all of Durga's miseries seem to be over. But the wily Sanjay won't let go of the mother-daughter duo so easily.
What happens when he find Durga? Is Durga still the same old timid and meek woman who takes all the pain silently or will she stand up to Sanjay's bullying tactics?
Raveena has given a heart-rending performance for which she also won the National Award. Lazmi has convincingly transformed the ravishing 'mast mast' lass Raveena into a battered and subjugated Durga just the way she had transformed the glamorous Dimple Kapadia into a tear-jerking Sanichari in “Rudaali”.
Sayaji Shinde once again establishes his credentials as a character actor of class while Sanjay Suri looks promising after his nondescript performance in “Tera Jaado Chal Gaya”.
A surprise package of the film is the Indipopper Shaan who makes his acting debut in the role of Raima's beau. He plays a small time boy who is independent, understanding and willing to wait for his love to come around.
And Bhupen Hazarika's music is undoubtedly the piece de resistance of the film.
Movie Review : The Daman Review (4/10) Daman is a film about one of the darkest facets of the institution of marriage, marital rape among the upper middle classes.
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