Demons
Introduction
Relationships are far from the rosy picture that we see usually on celluloud. It isn’t about a guy extending his hand from a moving train to pull his beloved in the coach. It also isn’t about a husband volunteering to help his wife meet her lover and neither is it a happily ever after as seen in the final scene of films aplenty. It is usually a lot of hardwork having to encounter anxiety, grief and regret, often as byproducts especially when the marriage is in the final stages of a fallout. There are so many complexities including that of infidelity and intimacy that often act as deal breakers in a supposed happy relationship from the outside. And every time there is an attempt at painting a reality on celluloid, I am absolutely game for it. In Demons, a new Hindi film which is now streaming on Zee5, it seemed to be a dark examination of a crumbling relationship marred by anxiety. Does it manage to impress, let’s find out.
Story & Screenplay
Demons follows the story of a married couple on the verge of a fallout where toxicity and anxiety stake a claim in their already broken lives. Will the relationship stand the test of time? The story here might seem to be on the lines of a one-act play but it does get deep with the emotions underlying the narrative. The depiction of complex emotions like anxiety is expertly showcased in this narrative which is essentially that of multiple free flowing conversations that define(or rather break) the relationship of the protagonists. Yet, the heaviness in the frama is cut through by some moments of dark humour that surprisingly works well in the context of the drama even as I found myself squirming uncomfortably on my seat while witnessing the screenplay standing at a little above 90 minutes.
First things first, this is a conversation heavy drama so you do need to pay attention to the lines while also trying to read between them to form an opinion about the protagonists who are introduced in the drama without any baggage of sorts. There is a playful intimacy between the protagonists right at the very beginning as they return to their house late at night before indulging in a cup of coffee. But the mood of the drama soon changes for the worse(much like their dwindling relationship) as a moment of intimacy between the two goes wrong resulting in a can of worms opening up. The theme touches upon intimacy and the importance of a growing relationship first up almost being a first layer of breach in a modern day relationship. But as they say, this is just the tip of the iceberg.
The proceedings are engaging and indulging but also uncomfortable with the kind of conversations exchanged between the two protagonists. The situations brought up are equally uncomfortable and quite dark with the tone of the drama wherein the writers do push the envelope to a large extent. And along the way, anxiety leading to a confession of an extra marital affair only for a couple of characters to be introduced in the second act to indulge in intimacy actually messes with your head to an extent. Perhaps, it was the vision of makers to completely immerse the viewers in the realms of darkness of a modern day crumbling relationship that is just so twisted and disturbing to witness.
The one gripe that I had with this drama was that it felt a little too long for my liking, given that it kind of did get slightly repetitive at the start of the third act. The idea of seeking validation from a stranger was an interesting plot point but stretched a little beyond what was actually needed. Yet, the internal trauma of a fallout with respect to each of the two protagonists further contributing to their state of anxiety is well established even as the events continue to be dark and mentally scarring. The ending here did take me by surprise but I would like to believe that it was a metaphor for ‘We feel like killing each other at times’ which is often an underlying emotion even in a successful marriage. The psyche of the characters is extremely well established by the end of the drama thereby validating the title of film in a very unique way, in a screenplay that is complex and very well written.
Dialogues, Music & Direction
This is a conversation heavy film and so you really need to sit through some of the most crass lines exchanged between couples to truly understand their psyche. The conversations are free flowing but quite intense and contribute to the vibe of the drama very well. The BGM also through and through relies on silence and the rawness surrounding the drama to heighten the escalating tensions between characters. The cinematography comprises of tight closeups that help you see through the outer simpler exterior of the characters and also peek into their psyche. And the frames absorb you into the drama while coaxing you to indulge in the conversations. This, despite the production design being below par(attributing to the shoe-string budget of the film). The editing is good and definitely doesn’t allow any abrupt breaks in the conversations. Director Rohit Mittal masterfully explores the subtler nuances of a modern day relationship which is on the verge of a fallout. He doesn’t shy away from getting deep into the intimate conversations between the couple without refining their thoughts that contributes to the rawness in the drama. The direction is incredibly good here while also creates flawed characters that contribute to the incredibly flawed world here.
Performances
The performances are pretty good by the members of the cast. Narottam Bain is excellent despite a limited screentime. Tejasvi Singh as Nisha is nicely restrained and quite subdued with her character while having a great screen presence along the way. She definitely makes to leave a mark. Sanjay Bishnoi as Nitin is such a natural onscreen and he manages to impress with his character who blurs the boundaries of right versus wrong. Swati Semwal as Megha is outstanding to the core almost lapping up the underlying emotions with a sense of purpose, usually through some incredible expressions. The conflicted and flawed nature of her character is brilliantly well carried out by her in what was a very complex character to portray. Vinay Sharma as Vinay is quite brilliant himself showcasing his vulnerability with such nuance. His inner turmoils are so wonderfully portrayed while tapping into extremely complex emotions in his character in a subtly towering act of the highest order.
Conclusion
Boasting of excellent performances, Demons is a dark and intimate examination of a falling marriage, and anxiety as a byproduct that makes for a wonderful watch which is also uncomfortable in many ways. Available on Zee5.
