Devi.. in 'One Single Room'?

 

 

 

Ahead of the International Women's Day, we have this tale of sisterhood, a tale of suffering and that of the truth, 'Devi', to give a reality check about the horrendous situations faced by women in our society. Electric Apples Entertainment's production, 'Devi', the 13-minute short film is a heart-wrenching experience that compels viewers to rethink on one and only one question.. again. Are women safe in India?

 

The film unravels the trauma of sexual violence faced by a group of nine women, all belonging to different social backgrounds, who share a single room, may be somewhere up above the universe. Featuring Kajol and Shruti Haasan who are doing their debut digital project, the story shows a saddening and underestimated part of what even women don't see, let's forget about other people.

 

 

The highlighting aspect about the said short film stands the room, that one single room. Why must have the director chosen a single room as the only location? Why does it look like a corner of some haunted mansion? The writer has likely proven a point here that, that room, that one location is the only one that has the potential to make this mind shattering truth more alive. The room seems to be located somewhere in between the heaven and the sphere. As if the women residing there are stuck!

 

Here also rise many metaphors showcased easy by the director through, again, that 'one single room'. The nine souls are stuck in one place from where they cannot leave, may be fearing of something. When a jouranlist starts reporting about some case on TV, the signal goes off. Wondering why, it is because a newcomer is making a move to come in. One more henious incident on the sphere and a more victim here!

The doorbell rings and the women starts to debate about whether they should keep allowing more 'newcomers' into the room? “This is not a dharamshala,” argues the student. “There is no space; it’s too hot in here", the other notes. What is this newcomer's story about and why there is no space? Does it mean that there will newcomers coming in the room unless they get the peace, justice? Justice should be that potent, like a benchmark for such crimes to cease, even in human minds! Then only can be the room empty, less haunted.

 

India courts have a backlog of more than 100,000 pending rape cases. Each day 90 rape cases are reported in India. The conviction rate in the rave case is just 32%. Ironically, the crime rate against women is higher in the nation where nearly 80% of the population worships goddesses. The cast is a group of Neha Dhupia, Neena Kulkarni, Mukta Barve, Shivani Raghuvanshi, Yashaswini Dayama, Sandhya Mhatre, and Rama Joshi.

 

'Devi' speaks aloud than any other blockbuster movie. It leaves you shocked, trembling with rage and disgust. Priyanka Banerjee, the director has built every character with care, trying to highlight aspects that make each woman unique from the other one in the room, yet same!