'Doah-Deep Waters' End of Innocence

by RAMNATH N PAI RAIKAR
Posted on 2008-12-02
'Doah - Deep Waters,' a Marathi film by Pushkaraj Paranjpe narrates a rustic tale, revealing desperation on the part of a single mother to ensure safe future for herself and her children, even at the cost of sacrificing her elder daughter at the altar of lust.
Based on the best-selling 1970s Marathi novel, ‘Kaleshar Pani’ by the celebrated author, H M Marathe, the film displays how physical lust and its consequences destroy innocent adolescent lives.
Set in present day rural Maharashtra, ‘Doah - Deep Waters’ opens with Bhiki (Leena Bhagwat), a single mother of three and mistress of a village goon, Vishnu (Suhas Palshikar) surviving by selling fritters under his abusive protection.
Kamli (Harshada Tamhankar), Bhiki’s eldest daughter, a very good artist is not academically inclined but insists on attending school as it is the only escape from her impoverished surroundings. On the verge of puberty, Kamli is shunned by her classmates and picked on by the teacher.
While the village grocer and class bully lust for her, Kamli develops tender feelings for the handsome, intelligent and kind Ajay (Abhay Mahajan), who arrives from Mumbai and joins her class. Confused by Bhiki’s constant pressure to ensnare Ajay into a physical relationship, Kamli tries to seduce him awkwardly.
The situation results in Ajay failing in his annual examination and committing suicide in the dark waters of the river flowing through the village. Kamli, unable to accept the truth falls sick and dies after being molested by a local quack, just as an award is declared by the UNESCO for one of her sketches. A very depressing portrayal of a desperate family, ‘Doah - Deep Waters,’ with some very realistic performances, succeeds in conveying the message to the audiences. However, it leaves a very bitter taste among the viewers.