Domm: Visceral, flawed yet necessary

Domm had not piqued my interest when the trailer came out. Sure, the cinematography and environment design all seemed far ahead of what we are accustomed to seeing in Bangladeshi films, but it was not until I actually watched the film that I realised our storytelling can also be something to write home about.

The movie was not without its flaws, but it was one that was pleasantly surprising as the film ventured beyond fantastical pseudo-masculine themes or Bollywood's relentless tendency to stick out its tongue for nationalistic propaganda.

Directed by Redoan Rony, it stars Afran Nisho as Shahjahan Islam Noor and Puja Cherry Roy as Shahjahan's wife. The movie is inspired by the real life of Noor Islam, who was abducted by the Afghan Taliban and held hostage for 84 days when he went there for work in 2005. Rony beautifully adapted a story of our very own people. Without unnecessary gloss, overdramatic twists, or cringey romantic angles, he hit it out of the park with a clear-cut, straightforward narrative.

Even though this is a more extreme case, the film tells a grounded story that brings forth the sacrifices our migrant workers make to build a good life for their families. The endless horrors, isolation, and abuse that our people go through can never be fully encapsulated in a movie but attempting to make blockbuster films around that discourse pushes the entire film industry ahead in terms of the stories we want to be told and watched. Even while this film is premiering, our people are dying in wars and missile strikes they had no part in. Even in death, they are not free from poverty.

The film roots its protagonist in both his national identity as a Bangladeshi and the traditional Islamic values embedded in our culture. In the context of our recent political background, I assumed the film would be superficial in its portrayal of religious values in an attempt to attract more viewers. However, the director connects these elements seamlessly to morality, so that they serve as a perfect juxtaposition against the extremist values of the Afghan Taliban.

While recent popular films like Dhurandhar thrive on inter-religious conflict and warping of geopolitics into nationalistic propaganda to appeal to mass audiences, Domm chooses to explore both religion and nationalism against the backdrop of corrupt morality and extremism.

Is Domm the best movie that has come out this Eid? Probably not. But, when you look at the movies released this Eid, you shall notice our film industry shifting towards telling stories that the audience can connect to and not just go to the cinema hall for an easy dopamine boost from dramatic action scenes and love stories.

The film never lets the audience forget that there is no space for extremist values in a peaceful, morally just society. While Taliban members commit brutal murders in the name of religion and justice, and force women back into their homes, Noor cannot fathom why people would trap themselves in an endless cycle of horror instead of choosing peace and love, even on a beautiful day like Eid.

I thoroughly enjoyed the nuance in shaping the character's morality. He is not a Shah Rukh Khan or Salman Khan-type hero—unbelievably strong and patriotic, capable of outmanoeuvring an entire army and winning against impossible odds. The highlight of his character is his commitment to his faith and his kindness, which allow him to persevere through hopeless situations and constant torture. He consistently expresses his distaste for war and killing, even to his own captors. His anti-war stance, in a time when most major films romanticise militarised violence, is refreshing.

He is simply a poor working man who wanted to build a life for his family and become a kinder person. He strongly embodies the values of Bangalis that we rarely see represented on the big screen, even when his back is against the wall.

While the script is enveloped with well-written themes, the dialogue fell short at times. Much of it felt unnatural, more like exposition than genuine conversation. The actors did what they could, but when the flow of dialogue is weak, I do not think any actor could have made it feel any more impactful. It often felt unimmersive, and while it did enough to avoid any confusion in the narrative, its attempts to evoke sympathy and fear for the characters felt short-sighted.

For me, the main driver of the storytelling was not the writing itself but the craftsmanship behind it. Domm's cinematography and colour grading can rival foreign films. The set design and environments are far more expansive in scale, and while many of these are drone shots, the director's commitment to filming on-site in vast deserts and Afghan villages enhances the sense of hopelessness in the characters' struggle to escape the Taliban. 

When these scenes cut to flashbacks of a vibrant and gorgeous rural Bangladesh, the contrast immediately deepens our sympathy for the character just from a shift in colour grading and environment.

However, some scenes were too darkly lit, which might not have been an issue on a phone or television, but on Cineplex screens, the darker desert scenes appeared annoyingly grainy and difficult to follow. 

The editing also occasionally feels abrupt. You could be invested in a wholesome moment amidst the chaos, only for it to suddenly cut to an unrelated scene. This is not a major flaw, but it happens often enough to feel noticeably jarring.

Is this the best movie that has come out this Eid? Probably not. But, when you look at the movies that are popular this Eid, like Domm, Bonolota Express and Pressure Cooker, you can see our film industry shifting to telling stories that the audience can connect to and not just go to the cinema hall for an easy dopamine boost from dramatic action scenes and love stories.