The very fact that director KS Ashoka is the man behind Dia makes it an attractive proposition. Ashoka, who gained fame with his debut venture, the horror movie, 6-5=2, experiments with a romantic drama with Dia. While not a horror flick, the movie will still have you gasping for breath in a few scenes. Watching Dia is sure to remind you of this quote often seen at the back of taxis and autos in the city -- ‘Love is slow poison’. The story revolves around a biotech student, Dia Swaroop, who is a total introvert.
Dia gets a second chance at love and life after a near-fatal accident. She is told by her uncle that her boyfriend, Rohit (Deekshit Shetty ), an MTech, whom she was head over heels in love with him in college, and to whom she could express her love only after three years, is no more. A depressed Dia, nursing thoughts like ‘Life is full of problems and pain’, shifts from Mumbai to Bengaluru for some change, and accidentally meets Adi (Prithvi Ambar), a free-spirited youth, who believes ‘Life is all about miracles and surprises’. Adi often addresses her as Dia Soup, and after the initial hiccups, they become good friends, which helps her forget past wounds.
A day then comes when Dia decides to shift back to Mumbai, and here Adi faces the issue of expressing his love for Dia, and circumstances decide how they take forward their life together. But a shocking truth comes to fore when Dia learns that Rohit is alive. The roller-coaster ride begins here, when Dia has to decide whether to stick with Rohit, who is the parents’ choice, or take forward her life with Adi. The plot comes with a lot of twists and turns, and concludes with a never expected climax.
Ashoka, who had a built-in audience from his first film, is sure to double it with Dia. Coming up with a skillfully-told love story, one that is not typical, the director creates a unique kind of euphoria with heartbreaks. He is confident in his storytelling, and the emotions of love, conveyed mostly through the three characters, are riveting. Also, Ashoka, who is the writer of the film as well, keeps it more conversation-based. The narration is brisk, and every episode, which brings out the deepest feelings through various characters, is fresh and bouncy.
Even though the film doesn’t have songs, Dia still makes for a musical love story, which remains intact with its background score by Ajaneesh Lokanath, so much so that the music itself becomes an individual character in the film. Cinematographers Vishal Vittal and Sourabh Waghmare add that perfect tone and perfectly capture the colourful and gloomy proceedings of love.
Apart from Ashoka’s storytelling, Dia is also about the cast’s great performance. It has only a few characters, and everyone, including Kushi, Deekshit Shetty, Prithvi Ambar and Pavithra Lokesh, have managed to give their best performance. The entire cast and crew have brought out the
significance of the story, and kept it close to reality. A few scenes, like the mind talk between Dia and Rohit in the elevator and how Rohit conveys his love to Dia through his sketches, are unusual.
The meeting of Adi and Dia is interesting too. It happens when the latter, who is depressed and lost in her world, doesn’t realise that her bag has been taken away by a thief. Adi runs to get the bag, only to learn from Dia that she is not interested in getting it back. The way Adi and Dia express their love for each other, is told less through words and more with emotions.
That a mother can be your best friend too, is portrayed through the bonding between Adi and his mother, whom he calls by her name, Lucky. The latter also finds happiness by gifting her son the best. The way Adi conveys the love for his mother in a letter, and the only time he addresses her as ‘Amma’ is one of the most heartwarming episodes of Dia.
The director has brought out the euphoria of falling in and out of love, and brings out the depth and impact of heartbreak, making the film a must-watch. The love story takes you on a roller coaster ride. And a railway track too has an unusual tale to narrate, and the climax makes everyone skip a heartbeat.
Dia, which is coming ahead of Valentine’s Day, is all about expressing love in a thousand ways, without even mentioning it through the three words. For all those looking to propose to their loved ones, the film gives an easy tip.