Omar loses his wife on their honeymoon and then goes on an eclectic journey through his mind to make peace with his loss.
Soulmate or Tawa'am Rouhy, in Arabic, is an Egyptian romantic film presenting a love story that is both sweet and bitter. It explores the possibility of love blossoming amidst troubles and clashes. The film was originally released in 2020 and stars Hasan Al Raddad, Amina Khalil, and Aïcha Ben Ahmed in the lead roles. It was directed by Othman Abo Labn with a screenplay by Amani El-Tunsi.
The story follows Omar after his wife dies on their honeymoon. He is a deeply affected widower who seeks the help of a therapist. The therapist proposes an unconventional method to treat him. Here's what you need to know about the film in more detail:
The story begins with Omar's marriage to Reem. The couple is happy with the union but not Reem's father who thinks Omar has no prospects. The newlyweds go off on their honeymoon where they decide to go snorkeling. The waters are inviting to Reem but Omar feels dread to enter it. Once inside, they have a great time and are embracing each other when Reem gets snatched away from Omar. He tries his best to look for her but it feels like she has gone without a trace. He goes ashore and screams for help. Several men find his wife's body and bring it to Omar, whose world comes crashing down in an instant.
Omar returns home where his family and friends see him struggling following his wife's death. They suggest that he undergo therapy and he takes on their offer. He then goes on an eclectic journey guided by the therapist who decides on a novel way to handle Omar's trauma.
During his therapy session, Omar is guided to multiple alternate realities where he meets Reem in various avatars. In one reality she is married to someone else, in one she is an actress, and in another, she is a waitress. He also comes across another woman, Malak, in these sessions who talks to him about the stars and their alignment suggesting the possibility that soulmates exist and his soulmate was actually Reem. The exercise is a bit too exhausting for Omar who then has an angry outburst. This prompts him to meet up with Reem's father and beg for his forgiveness.
The father initially dismissed him but then sees how broken Omar is and realizes they are the ones who miss Reem the most. He decides to forgive him and they make up. This put Omar in a better mind frame and he is ready to confront Reem in his mind.
In the final world in his mind, Omar meets Reem as a waitress. She asks him to wait till her shift ends. Meanwhile, he meets Malak as well who explains the logic of soulmates again, this time using zodiac signs. He feels a connection to Malak but hurries to meet Reem anyway. She lets him know that they are not meant to be. This helps Omar realize that his love for Reem must then be redirected towards Malak whom he realizes is a friend of his sister. After the session, he asks his sister about Malak but she has no idea what Omar is talking about. He does not lose hope in his search for Malak and he sees a doppelganger and asks to meet up with her. When he does meet her, she seems displeased. At the same time, we see Reem is sitting at a different table at the same cafe.
This could be interpreted as the possibility that what we thought was the beginning of the film was actually the end and Omar's love story began with Malak and not Reem. It is a loop that explores love and its possibility across many worlds. It could also be interpreted that Reem was keeping a watch over her soulmate or had passed on the baton to Malak.
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