Violence against women is the most shameful violation of human rights. It is a global phenomenon and plagues every society. In certain parts of India, women are told to tolerate and accept domestic violence.
DAMAN, meaning domination, is the journey of Durga (Raveena Tandon), who being a meek woman, is subjected to constant physical and psychological torture by her husband, Sanjay Saikia (Sayaji Shinde), a tea plantation owner in Assam. Her spirit is shattered when he rapes her once night. Her only emotional anchor through all this is Sunil Saikia (Sanjay Suri), her brother-in-law.
Durga bears a daughter, Deepa (Raima Sen), but Sanjay refuses to acknowledge her, saying that he will only accept a son. With Sunil's unspoken support and for the sake of her daughter, Durga is willing to endure all the pain and the humiliation.
Durga is forced to run away from Sanjay, when despite her protests he wants to marry off their daughter Deepa, who is just thirteen years old. Her only support is brutally snatched away from her when Sanjay kills his own brother in a fit of drunken rage, accusing Sunil of having an illicit relationship with Durga, and that he is the father of Deepa. Durga decides to leave home for the sake of her daughter.
Time passes by, but Sanjay's greed soon finds them both when Deepa is bequeathed all the property. He tries to kill Deepa, but Durga emerges as a raging lioness and the immense strength of Goddess Durga helps her to keep the resolve of not allowing her daughter to suffer the same fate as her.
Kalpana Lajmi directs DAMAN.