Say thank you to the universe for every day! February 21 was the day of remembrance of the actress Nutan, who died on February 21, 1991, i.e. 22 years ago. I came across an article about her in a social network, and from this article I learned about this film. How does the great actress of the past feel about this film? And such that in this film the debut of her granddaughter (daughter of her son, actor Mohnish Behl) Pranutan Behl (sometimes her surname is written as Bahl, and here on the KP, it is generally indicated as Ball). Pra - in the name Pranutan denotes "reborn" or "reborn", i.e. it turns out - Pranutan, denotes "reborn Nuthan", I think that Mohnish, thus naming his daughter, thus perpetuated the name of his mother - Nutan
The film "Diary", became for Pranutan debut, her very first role in cinema. I liked the work of Pranutan in this film, it is clear that the talent of her father and her grandmother passed on to her, although it is difficult to judge from the first role, but her play was very natural. And she's beautiful. Even if I had seen this movie without knowing whose daughter and granddaughter she is, I would have guessed it anyway. She can guess the features of her father (especially in her smile and eyes), but the features of the famous grandmother are also present (nose, face shape, hands, especially fingers, and most importantly sensuality and sophistication).
Her partner Zahir Iqbal, also debutant, for the first time on the screen. Outwardly, he reminded me very remotely of the South Indian actor Arya (face shape, eyes, smile). I even thought it was Arya's son or younger brother. Why would he (if he were the son or brother of Arya) make his debut in Bollywood and not in the South? It turned out that Zahir, has nothing to do with Arya, he is the son of some friend Salman Khan (by the way Salman producer of this film). So it turns out that in this story their first roles were played by young actors debutants, who are members of the family of long-known and beloved Bollywood actors (one daughter and granddaughter, and the second - the son of a friend).
The story begins with the fact that, after leaving the army, Kabir becomes a teacher in a small school located in a house on the water in the Indian wilderness, on the border of Kashmir. This elementary school was built by his father, a teacher, in a tiny village half in the water (people live in houses standing in the water on stilts, with scaffolds, and move on boats and rafts along the river), although some houses stand on the ground, near the very edge of the water. The school has no running water, no electricity, no mobile phone, and in the only container of drinking water, a frog lives. In this village there are only 7 school-age children, it is for them that the father of Kabira built this school on the water (children are brought by boat every morning, and in the evening picks up, takes home). After all, even though there are only 7 children, they are also citizens of their country, residents of India, as well as all other children, and have the same right to education. Both the father of Kabira and himself consider it their duty to work in this school (after all, it is on such enthusiastic altruists that the universe holds), and to give these children a way into life so that they can learn further, and not take the path of crime and violence.
At first, Kabir cannot cope with the students, they simply do not perceive him. Fortunately, he finds the diary of a teacher who taught at school before him. The diary becomes a guide on how to deal with seven restless students. And reading the diary Firdaus, Kabir quietly falls in love with this girl (or rather in her image), without even seeing her once.
I have always been interested in the motivation of people who went to the wilderness and found themselves there. In human altruism, of course, I believe, and even support. During the Soviet years, our young people also went to remote villages, virgin lands, and the construction of the BAM, because they believed that they would not only see significant changes for the better in these places in a few years, but would actually bring these changes. And in India, life is changing much more slowly than even here, in Russia, and in such remote places as shown in the film, it seems, and completely “frozen”.
"Diary" - the story is bizarre in the best of ways. The novelty of a love story involving two people who have never met or seen each other. The isolation of the school forces Firdaus and Kabira to accept what is really important to them and direct them towards each other. Then there is the magical setting of the school, floating on a lake covered with water lilies and surrounded by mountains. The boatman who ferrys Kabira to the school explains that the unreliable cellular network only works “when the weather is good and peace reigns,” alluding to long-standing instability in the region.
Although the film is not political, it depicts the suffering of the people who live there. Director Nitin Kakkar tells this touching love story set in a troubled region, paying homage to the main narrative, providing a thoughtful context for his surroundings. Because of the predominantly Kashmiri composition, children are simply charming, the focus is on their innocence, mischief and aspiration for education, support for each other and friendship.
Manoj Kumar Hatoi's camera work is a pleasure for the eyes. The breathtaking visuals of wooden houses, poetic lakes, cozy boats, chinar gardens create an elegant, mystical mood. In general, the landscapes shown in the film, stunning beauty: majestic mountains with small towns and wide rivers with original locals make you admire the footage, thanks to the excellent work of the operator.
Of course, the main thing here is the feelings and relationships between people. Musical compositions perfectly convey the mood of the film and complement the narrative.
A large part of the film is reflections and memories worth attention (a kind of psychological reflection), when the teacher tries to find an approach to children, but at the same time immersed in reading the diary of an unfamiliar girl, more and more knows her soul and aspirations, and at the same time knows himself.
In this film, despite the simple plot, where there is not much action and special effects, nevertheless, they catch a deep relationship between the characters.
10 out of 10
P.S. Every day, thank the universe for every minute it lives, for what it gives you, and for what it leaves behind. Darkness cannot be overcome by darkness, it can only be overcome by light. - Firdaus.