Dor
Dor is a story about two women who are brought together by destiny. Meera (Ayesha Takia and Zeenat (Gul Panag) are from different faiths. Meera a widow; lives in a small traditional village in Rajasthan whereas Zeenat a Muslim faith independent woman hails from the hilly region of Himachal Pradesh. The fate of these women intertwines and what follows forms the crux of story.
Meera, a staunch Hindu Rajasthani woman, is married off young and stays in a Haveli with her in -laws and husband. Meera’s husband (Shankar) the only working member of the family works in Saudi Arabia and sends money back home for his wife and parents. Meera’s world comes crashing down when Shankar is killed by accident by his roommate.
Zeenat discovers that her husband (Amir) is arrested for the murder of Shankar and is going to be executed soon. Zeenat is told that if the wife of deceased forgives Amir as it was an accident, he will be free of all charges. Thus begins the journey of Zeenat to find Meera and beg for forgiveness so that her husband lives.
Meera, who is now a widow start believing that she doesn’t deserve to be happy as she is constantly blamed for Shankar’s death by his parents and starts leading a life without any color, grace or happiness. Zeenat after days of journey finally discovers Meera’s whereabouts and befriends her without revealing her real intentions. Thus begins the beautiful journey of these two women of self-discovery, friendship, freedom, self-belief and forgiveness. Something as simple as dancing is also frowned upon in the village. Watching them dance in deserts or sneakily enjoying street food will give you unparallel joy.
The story very subtly talks about various social evils which still prevails in some parts of Indian society like inequality, patriarchy, financial dependence, lack of freedom and flesh trading. The bond between Zeenat and Meera will keep you hooked.
Takeaway
The movie depicts the journey of two women whose fate are intertwined. It takes you on a beautiful journey; It will make you angry and hopeful at the same time. It talks about breaking barriers and taking risks for a better tomorrow.
Direction/ Cast/Music
The film is helmed by Nagesh Kukunoor who is known to make realistic films; mostly stories from smaller towns of India. The screenplay penned by him provokes the right number of questions and emotions. Ayesha Takia lives the role of the young vivacious new bride and the heart broken, self-loathing woman with utmost perfection. Gul Panag is solid as the strong, independent yet vulnerable Zeenat. The music of the film is its soul. The use of Rajasthani folk music with the lyrics penned by Mir Ali Hussain and composition by Salim – Sulaiman duo will stay with you for eternity.
Disclaimer: The above review solely illustrates the views of the writer.