Woven on a tapestry of realism, Nathalia Syam’s Footprints on Water zooms in on the trials and tribulations of illegal immigrants far away from their home. The film, which premiered at the New York Indian Film Festival, had a brilliant start, winning the Best Debut Award. It has been screened at several film festivals across the globe, fetching accolades for the director and her team.
I had the privilege of watching Footprints on Water at the Atlanta Indian Film Festival, and I would say that the experience was surreal. It left me in awe of a brilliant technique of storytelling that is unbelievably poignant and engrossing.
Unfolding Raghu’s story
Nurturing a dream that all his wishes will be fulfilled, Raghu (Adil Hussain) uproots his family from India and comes to Birmingham, UK with his wife Sudha (Lena) and daughter Meera (Nimisha Sajayan). This is an escape route for him to avoid the people who are after him due to his failure to pay his debts.
The paradise initially envisioned is totally at odds from the reality that greets the trio. In place of the glitz and glamor is a life governed by dullness and squalor. It is not a palatial house but a cramped, dingy, dilapidated accommodation that serves as their home.
Raghu and his family experience jolts and bumps every step of the way in their battle for survival. He ends up working in an agency which makes fake passports, and his boss arranges for Meera to get married to a British boy of Indian descent. Despite the hardships and the fear of living as illegal immigrants, Raghu clings on to one last hope. He believes that Meera’s life will change once she is married off to that affluent family. Also, he is convinced that the money he makes in the UK will enable him to return to India, pay his debts, and lead a life of dignity. However, something unfortunate awaits Raghu.
In an argument that she has with her father, Meera loses her cool and leaves home, only not to return. Raghu looks for her desperately all on his own. He cannot seek help from the police because he is an illegal immigrant and has to be off the radar of the authorities. Disillusioned and exhausted during this search, he also discovers heartbreaking secrets about his family that he was totally unaware of.
Will Raghu be able to find Meera, and will the father and daughter reconcile? What does fate have in store for the family?
Footprints On Water will take you on a journey that is definitely gritty and intense with heart-wrenching moments that send a chill down the spine.
A fine ensemble of actors
The film undoubtedly belongs to Adil Hussain, for he carries the harrowing story’s weight on his shoulders. You will inevitably be drawn into Raghu’s world and be a part of his anguish, his sorrow, and his desperation. The dialogues he delivers and the feelings he emotes are done with a finesse that is at its pinnacle. Once again, it is a stellar performance that speaks volumes about the versatility of one of India’s most gifted actors.
Nimisha Sajayan does absolute justice to her role and is outstanding. I liked her in The Great Indian Kitchen, and she is as remarkable here in her role as Meera.
Other actors who lend able support are Danny Sura as Alexi, the conniving, evil boss of Raghu and Antonio Akeel as Meera’s ex-boyfriend Rehan. Danny is convincing, and Antonio strikes a chord with the kindness he brings to life.
A brilliant title adorns the film
Once I saw the film, I marveled at the appropriateness of the title. Akin to the impossible feat of detecting footprints on water, undocumented illegal immigrants are a group of people who are hard to be found as they stay in hiding, leaving no trace.
The Real Finds Expression In the Reel
A somber tone persists throughout the movie. There is no denying the fact that a tinge of sadness engulfs throughout, and one cannot help but feel depressed. But that itself is a testament to the directorial acumen of Nathalia Syam and the acting prowess of her immensely talented team that makes the situation feel so real.
Nathalia Syam and her sister Neetha (who has written the script) bring to celluloid situations that they have seen in their lives. She had immigrated to London with her family as a ten-year-old. While growing up, she had witnessed firsthand the plight of undocumented immigrants.
No matter how ugly the facts can be, Nathalia wanted to lay bare this stark reality. With no filters and utmost honesty, she wished to narrate the story of people who endured hardships and saw their dreams being crushed.
There is no moralizing, but the story subtly brings up the issue of how wrong it is to sometimes judge people on the basis of their nationality. Raghu, for instance, is initially suspicious of Rehan. Later he realizes that he was wrong when Rehan turns out to be the Good Samaritan who helps him in searching for his daughter.
Footprints on Water is Nathalia Syam’s debut feature film, and the story delves into a wide range of feelings. Cruelty, duplicity, anger, frustration, and even kindness are among the varied themes explored. All of these mesh together in a film with a serious, sensitive strain that is its soul. Nathalia truly succeeds in handling such a complex subject with great maturity and fine artistry. This is a director who definitely shows promise to knit meaningful content into powerful cinema.
rashmi writes 
Rashmi, your story is truly captivating, and I’m eager to see it. Immigrant narratives carry a profound resonance of their own, often veiled to the broader world, which can sometimes seem indifferent to the struggles of the marginalized striving for a life of dignity. The obstacles faced by immigrants from developing nations in their quest to belong in a world where the bar continually rises can be a daunting challenge. Your work brings to mind “Americanah” by Chimamanda, which offers a parallel account from a Nigerian perspective, delving into the realm of British immigration. This is an excellent post, Rashmi!