Dealing with a topic as sensitive as child sexual abuse runs the danger of easily falling into a space of sensationalism, voyeurism or simple unpalatability. It requires a meticulous and delicate treatment in order to drive its point home, to introduce a possibly unsuspecting or unwilling audience to it, to hone their sensibilities and awareness in the most constructive way possible. If a film makes you sit up and pay attention to your actions and of those around you, to perhaps strive for reform, then a product of art can be considered successful in a significant way. That is exactly what Maunn manages to achieve. 

The film opens with a shot in the dimming light of twilight on a terrace, clearly suggesting the passage of imminent darkness. The plot unfolds to reveal that the couple is quarrelling about sexual abuse of their ten-year-old daughter, Shreya at the hands of their neighbour's son, Dev. We make our way into the house, currently under a power-cut, while the couple continues to argue about their course of action regarding Dev. The muted colour palette and the dimly lit frames remain until the absolute moment of clarity is achieved by the viewer as well as Shreya's father when he finds Dev uncomfortably close to his daughter. The moment is further foregrounded by the end of the power-cut. Light floods back into the room, along with the father's undeniable realisation of his daughter's abuse. 

The crux is reached in the narrative in a forceful manner leaving the viewer unsure of what truly hit them. As they reel with the aftermath, the film succeeds in reiterating the message it had set out to convey at the start. However, how will it influence Shreya's parents?

Maunn (Silence) | Eros Now | Anurag Arora

The film opens with a still frame of a place of unknown location. The narrative takes its time to progress, but the pace is handled expertly which does not make the viewer impatient. Owing to the elegant and muted visuals, you are willing to allow the story its own time to unfold. The film, one about a father trying to put together enough money to get his daughter married in a semi-rural town of Haryana, possesses potential of being a poignant, moving piece of art, yet falls short of the mark. It's subtle and deep, and further supplemented by authentic performances, it encapsulates the struggles of the protagonist beautifully. The dilemma is between fulfilling the needs of his mother and that of his daughter, where he has to choose between either of the two. However, the ending does not offer sufficient reconciliation or closure for the viewer. This, in turn, also becomes a significant flaw of an otherwise sophisticated product.

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