Usha is convinced that the Evil Eye, a curse that brings continuous misfortune, was cast upon her daughter, Pallavi, in the womb. What else could have possibly left her driven, career-oriented daughter edging closer and closer to 30 without a prospective husband? Determined to set Pallavi on the right path, Usha arranges date after date with potential suitors-but after yet another setup fails; it seems her efforts are proving fruitless. But in an unexpected turn of events, Pallavi becomes her own matchmaker when she meets-and quickly falls for-Sandeep, a young Indian-American entrepreneur. And though she expects her mother will be elated with her finally finding a man, Pallavi is distraught and confused to find her mother growing increasingly suspicious of Sandeep's motives...and his true identity.
Told through a series of phone calls and voicemails, this Audible Original penned by award-winning rising star playwright Madhuri Shekar transitions seamlessly from a light-hearted family dramedy to an unexpectedly supernatural thriller. With an endearing cast of well-rounded characters, sharp, natural dialogue, and a shocking edge-of-your-seat climax, Evil Eye is a can't-miss tale about cultural miscommunications, family secrets, and the lingering echoes of trauma.
Playwright Madhuri Shekar was awarded a commission through the Audible Emerging Playwrights Fund, an initiative dedicated to developing innovative original plays driven by language and voice. As an Audible commissioned playwright, he received funding and creative support to develop Evil Eye.
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(Audible Studios, 2 May 2019, 1 hour 38 minutes, bought from @audibleuk, free with membership for a limited time, various narrators)
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I loved this audio play. I enjoyed it the most of the plays I've listened to recently. When I started to listen I wasn't sure where this was going to go. It started off as a light-hearted play about relationships between a mother and daughter and differences between Indian and Western cultures. Evil Eye ended up being a lot darker than I expected. At first, Usha seems to be an overly concerned parent. Her behaviour is strange. Why is she so disapproving of Sandeep, a nice Indian boy she's long-pressured her daughter to find? Then things take a dark, supernatural turn which floored me. I was engrossed listening to this. It's fantastic. I also loved the way it was structured as a series of phone calls and voicemails.
