I was very reluctant to watch this movie. I first heard about it through a book review and knew it would be heart wrenching since it’s based on a true story.
The story revolves around a man, who by mistake ends up in desert. He was told that it was for an office job but ends up looking after sheep. This all happened a few years ago, in a time without phones. The narrative is beyond critique. It’s raw and real.
Prithviraj did an amazing job, clearly portraying the protagonist’s struggles. The supporting roles particularly Hakkim and Ibrahim were phenomenal. The movie really captures one key element, the presence of water. The old scenes had water (either as rain or river), while the present scenes are barren and dry.
The journey unfolds in four stages as per my observation.
#Inital Innocence: He arrives in an unfamiliar place, struggling with the language and weather, surrounded by strangers.
#Resentment: He begins to hate everything. The harsh climate, his boss, scare of water for daily activities and even the old man’s sayings.
#Tolerance: He gets used to his harsh surroundings, forming a bond with the sheep, the weather, and even the scarce water. There was a scene where he drinks water with the animals, as if he is one among them. He loses track of time, hope fading as he adopts the local attire and even forgets his own language.
#Renewed Hope: Once he meets Hakkim, things begin to change. Yet, you can see his bonds with the sheep and camels. The tears on the camel’s eyes when he was about leave. The presence of water, family and the sounds of vehicles, pushed him to move forward. When he finally reaches the city, a fellow people helps him.
There was a scene where he was not allowed to drink water by Ibrahim after finding a oasis. When I googled, it showed various risks of Hyponatremia, Gastrointestinal issues, Rehydration syndrome, Cardiovascular stress and more. This is mainly because of the imbalance in electrolytes in the body (Sodium and Potassium). It is advised to wet the lips first and then drink slowly so that the body utilizes the time to readjust itself from a dehydrated state to a hydrated one.
At the end, the trauma of meeting the cruel owner and the fear in him were very well shown even after escaping. The movie ends with him entering the flight with a smile. After the movie, I did watch the interviews given by real Najeeb and his family. His words had pain. His wife had dreams of him asking for water while he was away. His wife was still waiting for him.
This reminds me of a passage in the book “The Alchemist by Paul Coelho,” where the protagonist finds a girl and leaves for work. There was a line saying she was born to wait for him. He also mentioned having thoughts of killing the owner but worried he would end up in jail, or if he committed suicide, what would happen to his wife and kids. This gave him hope to survive.
Reading “Man’s Search for Meaning” by Viktor Frankl, I found similarities in how cruelty affects people. The hell they went through. Everyone had their family in mind, which kept them going. Man’s Search for Meaning” by Viktor Frankl, I found similarities in how cruelty affects people. Everyone had their family in mind, which kept them going. It’s nice to know that we take care of and protect our families. The problem arises when we exploit others.
The movie doesn’t just focus on the physical survival but also on emotional journey, resilience and adaptation. This may be a story for us but he has lived through it. Sometimes, the best gift you can give your loved one is just to be alive. The movie is available on Netflix, give it a watch!
Ending it with
All the lives we have never experienced are just the stories to be shared.
Cheers
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