Directed by Rafay Rashdi, Deemak is a slow-burn thriller built on tension, silence, and cultural fears. The story focuses on a family navigating personal tensions while unexplained phenomena begin to unravel their everyday lives.
With a talented cast, including Jawed Sheikh playing Mehmood, the deceased patriarch, Faysal Quraishi takes on the role of Faraz, a man caught between his wife Hiba (Sonya Hussyn) and his paralyzed mother (Samina Peerzada).
Bushra Ansari makes an appearance towards the tail end of the film when the situation is out of control. Each member of this ensemble brings years of experience to their roles, which is essential in a genre that can easily become exaggerated if not handled with control.
The film opens with a large, aging home—its wooden railings, heavy drapes, and shadowed corners hinting at what’s to come.
The film’s central conflict lies in the strained relationship between the daughter-in-law and the mother-in-law. Hiba is a new mother trying to settle into her role, while the elderly Dado has lived through decades of trauma and emotional neglect. A planned fall by Dado on the stairs leaves her bedridden and cared for by a home nurse, Iqra, until she also leaves without informing the family after witnessing strange things happening with Dado.
It is COVID time, and nurses are few and far between, so Hiba is left to tend to the house, children, and now Dado as well. Soon, it’s clear that the house is no longer just a home, and that something far more sinister has begun to take hold. The children are the first to notice it. Rafay, the younger son, first senses something is off, followed by his older sister Rumaisa. Their observations are dismissed, as often happens in such films.
Deemak uses horror not as a scare tactic, but as a lens through which to examine emotional decay. The termite metaphor (destruction from within) is carried through both the house and the relationships within it. Abuse, guilt, resentment, and denial are the real ghosts here, and they leave a stronger impression than any jump scare.
One of the standout aspects of Deemak is the performances. The lead actors have delivered remarkable portrayals, bringing depth and nuance to their characters. The direction is also noteworthy, and the visual effects are handled well, especially considering the limited history of high-quality horror visuals in Pakistani cinema.
However, there are some areas for improvement. The pacing can be slow at times, and some plot points feel underdeveloped.
Samina Peerzada delivers a strong performance, despite spending most of the film motionless. Her expressions do the heavy lifting; watching her eyes shift and her mouth twitch is more unsettling than any makeup or special effect. Faysal Quraishi holds the middle ground well, trying to balance loyalty and logic. Sonia Hussyn’s portrayal of a reserved, quietly terrified woman feels grounded and adds to the film’s tension.
The film ends on a grim note, suggesting that trauma doesn’t just haunt us; it settles in like termites. It lives inside walls and bodies, feeding off what’s already broken.
Overall, Deemak may not reinvent the horror genre, but it stays committed to its story. It is unsettling, restrained, and atmospheric. While it has some flaws, its strengths outweigh the weaknesses.
About the Author: Urooj Shafiq is a stay-at-home mom and cinephile with a passion for great movies and shows.
