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Dia (2020) movie poster

Timeline

Dia (2020) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Release, runtime and language
2020 · 137 mins · Kannada
Echo score 89
Directed by
K. S. Ashoka
Starring
Pavitra Lokesh, Dheekshith Shetty, Aravind Rao, Pruthvi Ambaar, Kushee Ravi

This is a romantic drama following a young, introverted college student as her predictable life is unexpectedly changed by a budding romance. She finds herself falling for Rohith, but expressing her feelings proves to be a significant challenge. The film explores the emotional journey of a young woman navigating the complexities of love and self-discovery, offering a relatable and heartfelt portrayal of finding connection.

Romance Drama Cast, crew & box office
On this page (5)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 Events in order (13)
  3. 3 Timeline questions answered
  4. 4 Movie threads
  5. 5 Every angle

Where to watch

Where to Watch Dia (2020)

Where can you watch Dia? Stream, rent or buy it in the US, including on Amazon Prime Video: current JustWatch availability with up-to-date prices.

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13 events in order · contains spoilers

Dia Timeline: Events in Chronological Order

Every key event of Dia (2020) in order, scene by scene, with when and where it takes place. Use it to untangle flashbacks, time jumps and parallel storylines, to refresh your memory before the sequel or to find the exact scene you are thinking of.

  1. Dia's Bengaluru life and unspoken crush

    Dia Swaroop is an introverted biotechnology student living in Bengaluru. She quietly harbors a crush on Rohit but never expresses it before he moves abroad. Three years later, Rohit returns to her life, setting the stage for a renewed connection.

    When
    present day (before Rohit's return)
    Where
    Bengaluru

  2. Reunion in Mumbai; Rohit's proposal

    Three years after Rohit's departure, Dia encounters him again in Mumbai where she has moved and found work. The two gradually reconnect and their bond deepens as Rohit expresses his love and proposes. Dia begins to reconsider her feelings and future with him.

    When
    years after initial meeting
    Where
    Mumbai

  3. Movie night accident and Rohit's death

    One night, as they return home from a movie, a car collides with them. Dia wakes up in the hospital to learn that Rohit has died. The devastating news shatters Dia and plunges her into profound grief.

    When
    night
    Where
    Mumbai

  4. Dia's descent and suicide attempt

    Grief drives Dia into deep depression, and she returns to Bengaluru to cope. She plans to kill herself at a railway crossing, but a phone call from Adi interrupts her fatal moment. The call sparks a fragile thread of hope in her shattered world.

    When
    evening
    Where
    Bengaluru

  5. First encounter with Adi: bag retrieval

    Dia and Adi cross paths when he retrieves Dia's bag from a thief. She is irritated by his interference and tells him to keep the bag and not to call again. This chance meeting plants the seeds of a growing connection.

    When
    shortly after the suicide attempt
    Where
    Bengaluru

  6. Adolescence to romance: growing bond

    Dia and Adi continue to meet and gradually open up to each other. Adi helps Dia articulate her past and begin to heal from her loss. Their friendship deepens into love.

    When
    weeks after first meeting
    Where
    Bengaluru

  7. Back to Mumbai; Rohit alive but brain-dead

    Dia returns to Mumbai and is shocked to discover Rohit is alive, but brain-dead. The truth emerges that Rohit's father had a friend lie to Dia so she could move on with her life. The revelation shakes her sense of reality and trust.

    When
    later
    Where
    Mumbai

  8. Dia tells Adi Rohit's status

    Dia calls Adi to reveal that Rohit is alive but brain-dead and that she was deceived to move on. Adi encourages her to accept whatever will make her happiest, even if it means choices she never expected.

    When
    soon after the revelation
    Where
    Mumbai

  9. Adi's final visit with Rohit's blessing

    Despite his mother forbidding him to see Dia, Adi goes to see her one last time. He finds Dia disheartened while Rohit appears content, and he wishes them well before returning home. The moment underscores the complexity of love and loyalty.

    When
    one last visit
    Where
    Mumbai

  10. Dia confesses her past to Rohit

    Dia confesses her college love for Rohit and explains how she met Adi after Rohit's supposed death. Rohit listens and urges Dia to be happy with Adi, acknowledging the tangled path that led them there.

    When
    after the confession
    Where
    Mumbai

  11. Adi's mother's death and guilt

    Meanwhile, Adi's mother dies of a heart attack. He learns that she could have been saved if someone had been there, amplifying his guilt and sense of responsibility for the lives around him.

    When
    during the same period
    Where
    Mumbai

  12. Search for Adi and the road to the crossing

    Dia learns from an auto driver that Adi has gone to the railway crossing where she once attempted suicide. She and a driver search for him, fearing the worst and hoping to find him alive.

    When
    evening
    Where
    Near the railway crossing

  13. Tragic ending at the railway crossing

    Dia reaches the crossing and calls out to Adi. He looks at her with a final resolve, prays for her happiness one last time, and is struck by a train as Dia watches in horror. The ending seals a tragic, emotional sacrifice tied to their intertwined lives.

    When
    night
    Where
    Railway crossing

Last updated: February 25, 2026 at 08:21

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Timeline questions answered

Dia Timeline Explained: Your Questions Answered

When does it happen, and why in that order? The questions people ask about the chronology of Dia (2020): time jumps, flashbacks, cause and effect between scenes and the correct order of events, each answered with spoilers.

Q1

Why was Dia told Rohit had died when he was actually alive?

Rohit was declared brain dead after the car accident. Unable to know if he would ever regain consciousness, Rohit's father asked a friend to tell Dia that Rohit had died, believing it would help her move on with her life rather than waiting indefinitely for someone who might never wake up.

  • rohit brain dead
  • dia deceived
  • rohit father decision
Q2

Why did Dia try to commit suicide at the railway crossing?

After learning of Rohit's death in the car accident, Dia fell into deep depression. Overwhelmed by grief and guilt, she returned to Bengaluru and walked toward a railway crossing with the intent to end her life, unable to cope with the emptiness left by Rohit's death.

  • dia suicide
  • dia depression
  • grief
  • railway crossing
Q3

How did Dia and Adi first meet?

Dia and Adi first crossed paths when Adi retrieved Dia's bag from a thief. Frustrated and grieving, Dia snapped at him and told him to keep the bag and not to call again, but this chance encounter eventually sparked their connection.

  • adi dia meeting
  • bag thief
  • first encounter
Q4

Why did Rohit tell Dia to be with Adi?

After learning the truth about Rohit's situation, Dia confessed her entire past, from her college crush on Rohit to her connection with Adi. Rohit, wanting Dia to be truly happy, urged her to return to Adi, even though he himself had feelings for her.

  • rohit blessing
  • dia adi together
  • rohit sacrifice
Q5

Why did Adi go to the railway crossing where Dia once attempted suicide?

Adi was overwhelmed by guilt over his mother's death, believing she could have been saved if someone had been with her. Tormented by this loss and unable to live without Dia, he went to the same railway crossing where Dia had tried to end her life, planning to sacrifice himself so she could find happiness.

Foreshadowing: The crossing had already been established as the place where Dia's own suicide attempt was interrupted, creating a tragic mirror of her earlier moment.

  • adi suicide
  • railway crossing
  • adi's mother death
  • guilt
Q6

What caused Adi's mother to die?

Adi's mother died of a heart attack. Adi later learned that she could have been saved if someone had been there with her, which intensified his guilt and sense of responsibility for the people around him.

  • adi mother death
  • heart attack
  • guilt
Q7

Why did Adi's mother disapprove of his relationship with Dia?

The exact reason for Adi's mother's disapproval is not fully detailed in the story, but her strong disapproval created significant tension in Adi's relationship with Dia, adding to the emotional burden he already carried.

  • adi mother
  • disapproval
  • relationship
Q8

Why did Dia return to Mumbai after learning Rohit was alive?

After discovering that Rohit was actually alive but brain-dead and that she had been deceived to help her move on, Dia returned to Mumbai to confront the truth. She called Adi to share everything she learned, and her conversations with both Rohit and Adi led her to eventually choose her path.

  • dia mumbai
  • rohit brain dead
  • revelation
Q9

What happened on the night of the car accident?

After returning from watching a movie together in Mumbai, Dia and Rohit were struck by a car. Dia woke up in the hospital to learn that Rohit had died from the accident, devastating news that sent her into profound grief.

  • car accident
  • rohit death
  • movie night
Q10

Why did Adi encourage Dia to be with Rohit despite his own feelings?

Adi was torn between his growing feelings for Dia and the complicated situation. He urged her to find happiness with Rohit, even as he struggled with his own emotions, showing his selflessness despite the pain it caused him.

  • adi sacrifice
  • adi blessing
  • dia choice
Q11

How did Adi help Dia recover from her grief?

As Dia and Adi kept crossing paths, she gradually opened up about her past and the weight she carried from Rohit's death. Adi was gentle and steady, helping her articulate her feelings and begin to heal, which evolved their connection from friendship into love.

  • adi healing
  • dia recovery
  • grief support

Movie threads

More Movies Like Dia, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes Dia tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Tragic Romance Movies with Unrelenting Despair like Dia

Romantic dramas where love is intertwined with profound tragedy and loss. If you were moved by the profound sadness of Dia, this collection features movies like it that explore romantic tragedy, grief, and despair. Discover similar Bollywood emotional dramas and powerful stories of heartbreak where love cannot conquer all.

  • tragic
  • heartbreaking
  • despairing
  • melancholic
  • emotionally draining
  • romantic tragedy
  • Tone: melancholic, tragic, despairing
  • Pacing: steady, deliberate
Why these movies?

The story pattern: Stories in this thread typically follow a linear emotional descent, beginning with a hopeful or tender romance that is irrevocably shattered by a tragic event, often death or suicide. The narrative builds towards an unequivocally sad ending, emphasizing the characters' inability to escape their fate.

Why they belong together: These movies are grouped by their shared commitment to a melancholic tone, heavy emotional weight, and a plot structure where romance is a precursor to profound tragedy. They deliver a consistently draining, high-intensity experience focused on themes of love and loss.

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2020
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2016
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2002
A Death in the Gunj movie poster

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2016
Anna Karenina movie poster

Anna Karenina

1997
More Than Blue movie poster

More Than Blue

2009
The Broken Circle Breakdown movie poster

The Broken Circle Breakdown

2013
Nakhakshathangal movie poster

Nakhakshathangal

1986

Movies about Introspection and Emotional Trauma like Dia

Character studies focused on internal struggles with depression and recovery. For viewers who appreciated the introspective depth of Dia, this list features similar movies about quiet emotional crises, depression, and self-discovery. Find more powerful stories of suffering and moving relationship dramas that focus on internal struggles.

  • introspective
  • depressive
  • emotionally draining
  • psychological
  • self-discovery
  • internal conflict
  • Tone: introspective, depressive, emotionally heavy
  • Pacing: steady, character-driven
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative pattern revolves around a single protagonist's internal journey. The external plot is often simple, serving as a catalyst to explore complex feelings of isolation, depression, and the challenge of connecting with others while carrying emotional baggage.

Why they belong together: These films share a focus on character interiority, a steady, contemplative pacing, and a heavy emotional weight derived from realistic portrayals of trauma and mental health. They prioritize emotional authenticity over complex plotting.

Dia movie poster

Dia

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Interior movie poster

Interior

2018
Blonde movie poster

Blonde

1000
Atrangi Re movie poster

Atrangi Re

2021
My Rainy Days movie poster

My Rainy Days

2009
Colour Photo movie poster

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Memories movie poster

Memories

2013
Iratta movie poster

Iratta

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Every angle

Dia (2020) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

Everything about Dia in one place: what happens in the plot summary, the timeline in chronological order, the characters and meaning and a spoiler-free summary. What's After the Movie adds the cast, box office and post-credit scenes.

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