Mahdi Ahmed

Thirteen years ago, on a sweltering afternoon, I first encountered Hussain Munawar. The image is still clear. A slightly battered red Toyota Ist was chasing on the road. There he was, squeezing through the backseat window. He wore a long-sleeved horizontally striped T-shirt clinging to his frame, his hair tightly braided. His demeanor was far from pleasant as he harassed a young girl on the back of a motorbike. This unsettling introduction was my first glimpse of the character Tomas. Hussain portrayed this role so convincingly in the critically acclaimed Dhivehi film Loodhifa.

This gritty scene encapsulated the essence of Munawar’s directing style—unflinching realism.

My collaboration with Hussain began in late April 2010. He was only 22 years. He asked me to doctor a screenplay. The screenplay was eventually re-structured and re-written for his directorial debut. That screenplay became Sazaa, the first Dhivehi film to confront the issue of violence against women with such raw intensity.

Hussain’s approach to Sazaa was unapologetic. He believed that to make a genuine impact, the violence had to be depicted as it happened—brutal and graphic. His reasoning was clear. The public needed to understand the shocking reality some women endure. The only way to convey that was through an honest portrayal.

We continued working together on Dhilakani in 2013, and eleven years later, Hussain approached me again. Over coffee at Olympus, he shared a story his wife, Rish, had told him. It was a true account of a loving husband who resorted to extreme violence. We immediately saw the connection to Sazaa and decided that this story would be its spiritual sequel. Thus, Kamanaa was conceived.

Hussain’s commitment to portraying violence in its rawest form has never wavered. He is a deep thinker who approaches each project with a seriousness that demands authenticity. His philosophy is straightforward. If the public is to grasp the gravity of domestic violence, they must see it as it truly is. No filters, no sugar-coating.

Kamanaa is not just a film; it’s a re-enactment of real incidents. The violence portrayed is graphic and shockingly brutal, but it’s necessary. Hussain wants the public to confront the harsh reality some women face. He aims to spark a conversation that needs to happen.

Kamanaa is set to be released on 27 August 2024. Brace yourselves for a film that doesn’t shy away from the truth but forces us to confront it head-on.