Synopsis: Jayaram, a boy from Siddi community, loses his senses when he’s possessed by his grandfather’s spirit. Though the spirit paves the way for his self discovery and makes him understand the importance of his identity, he remains detached from reality. Can there be any way to cure him ? Can the Rhythm of Dammam lend a helping hand ?
Review:
You see, we often talk about human history with admiration — the way we moved through different time periods in a heroic manner gives us chills. Right from the time we ignited fire to the advent of AI, there are many awe-inspiring stories which illustrate how we used to live and how we are managing things in the contemporary world to survive. But, what we often forget to think is that there are many uninspiring stories, which are quite ahead in numbers compared to the awe-inspiring ones. Like, take the story of slave trade…
The victims were subjected to enormous physical and mental torture — something we should undoubtedly be ashamed of. It’s also a well known fact that the enslaved were Africans. Millions of them were shipped across various subcontinents to meet the labour demand and Siddis, an African descendant tribe, were also one among them; many were brought to India by Arabs and Portuguese to perform various slave roles. They are now widespread in several parts of India, and Karnataka happens to be the place where they reside the most. The reason to talk about Siddis here is that Jayan Cherian’s Rhythm of Dammam delves into their lives!
Though the word ‘slavery’ might work metaphorically to describe Siddi’s history at a superficial glance, their cultural magnanimity immersed in musical breeze, reveals their actual identity. So, the Rhythm of Dammam’s aim is pretty simple – to showcase Siddi’s culture to the ‘modern world’ who remain unaware of their richness. Dammam, a musical instrument commonly used by Siddis, plays an important role in the film’s narration. The acoustic scent from it comes in handy to amplify the emotions of the characters on various occasions and pulls the audience closer to the community. It feels as though we are part of the musical celebration. When there’s sorrow, a happy moment, or a feeling of togetherness, the Rhythm of Dammam echoes.
Our connection to the film extends further and evokes many questions at many levels when we are introduced to the world of Jayaram Siddi, a young boy from the community. His connection with Dammam seems inseparable, and so is the case with his grandfather’s spirit. It becomes more interesting when Jayaram begins to encounter his granddad in close proximity in his dreams, often leaving him with chills.
His dreams lead him to find the unknown parts of his history, aiding him in his self-discovery. The blend of magical realism with the unexplored story of an African tribe’s resistance against slavery keeps us at the edge of our seats; we are so emotionally connected to the narration that we also struggle to stay in touch with reality, just like Jayaram.
What’s more interesting is that the film does not shy away from depicting the plight of Siddis in the current world. They are now treated on par with dalits, which in a way reinvents the cycle of slavery in the name of casteism. This is very well highlighted in a particular scene, where the landlord confronts Jayaram and his father. We truly feel like joining forces with Jayaram’s father to curse the landlord once the confrontation ends.
There isn’t any annoying element in Jayan’s film. His efforts to throw light on the Siddis and their culture, with a great cinematic touch, deserve appreciation. In fact, we must be lucky to experience the pounding echoes of African tradition, along with the extraordinary narration and visuals. Let us not forget to add this piece to our watchlist. May the Rhythm of Dammam reverberate in our ears for as long as it can!
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