Glorious tales of Saudi women
Whispers, which recently premiered on Netflix, has come out on top, thanks to its treatment
When was it last that you watched a film from Saudi Arabia? Chances are that so far you are yet to see any substantial work of entertainment having Saudi Arabia as a backdrop. And backdrop matters because sometimes, it emerges as the USP for some work, as it did for the Netflix series Whispers, which has come out on top.
For this reason alone, the eightpart thriller written and directed by Saudi Arabian filmmaker Hana AlOmair becomes worth the watch. And let’s be clear: Al-Omair is a filmmaker to watch out for.
Another reason to watch this series is the application of the Rashomontechnique. Many a filmmaker till date has tried to ape the effect pioneered by ace filmmaker Akiro Kurosawa. However, not many, except Benegal in Sooraj Ka Satwa Ghoda, have been successful. Now, Al-Omair uses it deftly, too. The same scene is told and re-told from at least six different angles. While there is not much meat in the scene per se, the technique makes it worthwatching.
However, one drawback about the series is that it could’ve done with some tight editing, for the story could have been told in just four episodes. Instead, Whispers drags on a bit after the fourth episode and then gathers back pace in its penultimate episode.
The series opens with the death of Hassan (Abdul Mohsen Alnimer). He dies in a car crash just before his company is about to launch an app. As his wife Amal (Shaimaa Al Fadl) and daughters Sawsan (Norah Al Anbar) and Wa’ad (Nada Tawhid) struggle to cope with the sudden loss, spooky things begin to happen. They start getting calls from his phone. Skeletons start tumbling out of the family and business cupboards as his business partner Arwa (Mysoon Alruwaily) and estranged sister Lama (Elham Ali) come for the funeral.
The story unfolds from the point of view of these women and there relationship with Hassan. Even the episodes are named after them like Amal’s Illusion, Arwa’s Obsession, Sawsan’s Fear, etc.
Each episode deepens the mystery as to did really Hassan die in car crash or was he killed. New facts keep emerging keeping our interest alive in forcing us to binge-watch.
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However, despite the new faces, actors and even character names and their affluent background, the series keeps you hooked on. And while on it, it shatters the quintessential image of Saudi women thus far portrayed by Western media — that Saudi women are not unidimensional. They are entrepreneurs and hackers, as shown here. All flesh and blood, both good and bad, independent, ambitious and sometimes scheming too. And nothing wrong with it because that’s how people are — everywhere. They are neither good nor bad. They are both, as they ought to be.
What struck me was that the
woman filmmaker didn’t shy away from portraying women as grey. It will be interesting to see stories from all strata of that society.
One of the benefits of OTT platform is that they bring the best from the world to you, so it is especially refreshing to see works from places other than just European and American countries on it. Whispers provides us with an opportunity hitherto not too accessible to us.
As far as the mystery factor in Whispers goes, you guess some, you miss some, but overall, it’s worth the watch.