Subhash K Jha takes a look at Ek Thi Daayan which released in 2013. And as a bonus, Director Kannan Iyer reminisces about the making of the supernatural thriller!
Do you believe in the supernatural? Even if you don’t, this effective, though compromised, take on the wages of renewable evil would prompt you to look nervously over your shoulders the next time you pass through a dark, shadowy corridor.
So right away, a round of applause to producer Vishal Bhardwaj and first-time director Kannan Iyer for a scare fare that goes way beyond the mundane terror gimmicks of Indian cinema’s much-abused horror genre to search out the very core of the human nature.
Why do we fear the unknown? And could it be what we consider to be the supernatural is actually a manifestation of our own deep insecurities?
Ek Thi Daayan enters the world of the supernatural with a finesse and delicacy rare to the horror genre. The first hour of the storytelling, when we are taken back to the magician-hero Bobo (Hashmi)’s seemingly well-ordered childhood, is splendid, warm, funny, and, yes, ominous. The child actor Vishesh Tiwari, who plays the young Hashmi, and the little girl who plays his baby sister, are delightfully unaffected. The bubble-waiting-to-be-burst world of the two children is steeped in a distant sorrow and a vague terror, as though to say, we who believe Good triumphs would have to suffer a whole lot of evil before we arrive at that state of moral liberation.
More than the somewhat scattered second half, it’s in the early sections of the storytelling where director Kannan creates a feeling of fabulous foreboding through hints and whispers rather than red herrings and shrieks. The creaky lift descending into “hell” with the two children clinging on for dear life, the creepy lizard on the wall, which might be much more than what it seems, the hints and signs of diabolism are strewn across the length and breadth of the breathtaking frames.
But then again, the ‘witch’ could just be a scared little boy’s terror of a stepmother. Who knows why we fear what we do?
For crying out loud, this is such a normal, seductive world! To see it shatter with supernatural aberration is a heart-shattering experience. The nimbly knit script builds evil into the world of normalcy and innocence. The narrative’s gaze never falters as it sweeps across the characters’ lives, making inroads into the anatomy of evil without charting a course that has been greenlighted by cinematic horror conventions.
Ek Thi Daayan is far more delicately delineated, much more ‘caste’-effective than other films of the horror genre. The actors act terrified, but they don’t run around screaming blue murder. They are too shaken to act suitably scared. Emraan Hashmi, as the magician who finds his world torn apart by events his wand cannot pretend to control, brings an anguished tension into the plot without stumbling over the dark edges of the plot.
But the film clearly belongs to the three luscious ladies. While Huma Qureshi and Kalki are seductive and impish, it’s Konkona Sen-Sharma who clearly takes possession of her part and of the film with authority. The fact that her father, Mukul Sharma, has written the original story could have played a part in establishing Konkona’s comfort level with the eerie environment. But you suspect it’s more inherent. Talent finds its level.
Saurabh Goswami’s cinematography takes care of the rest. This is one helluva good-looking film that lights up not just the characters and their surroundings but also sheds luminous light on the darkness within the characters that reveals itself fits and starts to cast a splendid spell over the audience.
Ek Thi Daayan redefines the spook genre. It’s at once eerie and enchanting, soft, subtle, dark, and yet powerful and persuasive. Tonally rich, vibrant, and sensuous, the performances, including Pavan Malhotra as Hashmi’s bewitched dad and Rajtava Dutta as his bewildered shrink, boost the beauty of the witches’ tale.
More treat than trick no matter ‘witch’ way you look at it, Ek Thi Daayan is in one word, daayan-mic!
Says director Kannan Iyer, “Is it really twelve years since the release of Ek Thi Daayan?! But it doesn’t feel so long because of the frequency with which people tell me even now that it is their favourite Hindi supernatural thriller. That really gladdens me. It brings back great memories of working with a brilliant ensemble cast and a terrific young crew. If I were to single out one thing about Ek Thi Daayan, which makes me very proud, it is the striking performance of the three child actors, which used to awe the master actors on the set. That is fun to remember.”
Adding, “It all started with a short story just of a few hundred words written by the genius polymath Mukul Sharma (Konkona Sen Sharma’s father). Working on the screenplay with yet another genius Vishal Bharadwaj… what an experience it was! The DAAYAN, given the oversized worldwide mythology about witches and, of course, in India, was the critical casting choice on which the film hinged. I consider myself fortunate that an actress as awesome as Konkona was drawn to the role. Even now, watching her daayan scenes gives me goosebumps. She was just perfect. With Emraan Hashmi coming on board as Bobo, the magician, the film was on a solid wicket. Pavan Malhotra, Kalki, and Huma Qureshi joined the cast, making it a dream ensemble cast, each perfect for their part. The three children who had seriously long roles, rivalling that of the adult actors. Casting them was a different ball game from casting the adults. The casting director, Honey Trehan, did a great job in unearthing the superb talents of Vishesh, Sara, and Bhavesh. But it took countless workshops forging a chemistry with them. Yet I was very nervous about them till shooting day. But after the cameras started rolling, they just stole the thunder. No memory of Ek Thi Daayan can be complete without a mention of the song ‘YAARAM’. Gulzaar Saab, Vishal Bhardwaj, and Sunidhi Chauhan created a song for the ages.”
Softspoken and thoughtful the director who waited ten years to make his directorial debut says, “Maybe commercial considerations coloured the second-half of the storytelling. To me, the core of the story in Ek Thi Daayan is the relationship between the children and their stepmother, who they think might be a witch. I was not interested in the horror or the supernatural elements per se. It was the inherent drama in the theme that interested me. It’s always the drama that grips me. Pavan Malhotra and Konkona Sen-Sharma, who played their parents, would have their jaws fall open when they would see the kids perform. It’s amazing how much talent there’s among today’s youngsters.”
Kannan’s delayed directorial debut is attributable to a lack of writing talent in the film industry.
Says Kannan, “Though early in my career, I’ve been credited with co-writing Ram Gopal Varma’s Daud, but I am not really a writer. In fact it was the lack of writing resources that delayed my journey into direction. My producer, Vishal Bhardwaj, and I finally found a story that we both liked. It was a one-page story by Mukul Sharma about two kids using a lift to descend into the ground floor, which they thought was hell. Vishal wanted to build on that theme to incorporate the idea of witches in a contemporary setting.”
