January 04, 2026

PHOTOGRAPH - MOVIE (2019)





 Photograph (2019) tells a quiet, understated story about Rafi, a struggling photographer at the Gateway of India, and Miloni, a middle-class girl visiting the city with her family. Their lives intersect when Rafi clicks her photograph, but she leaves without paying or collecting it. Determined to return what is rightfully hers, Rafi eventually tracks her down and hands over the photograph.


As they begin to meet occasionally, Rafi persuades Miloni to pretend to be his girlfriend in front of his grandmother, who is eager to see her grandson married. What begins as a harmless deception slowly evolves into a subdued emotional bond between two deeply introverted individuals.


The film unfolds at a very slow pace and concludes without a clear resolution, leaving the audience uncertain about the characters’ future. While the realism is evident, the storytelling often feels stretched and repetitive, resulting in a sense of monotony.


A particularly puzzling aspect is Miloni’s character arc. As a reserved yet ambitious young woman pursuing a professional accounting career with a promising future, her emotional inclination toward Rafi—a man with limited means and uncertain prospects—remains insufficiently explored. Both protagonists speak very little, and while silence is clearly a narrative choice, it sometimes replaces depth rather than enhancing it.


Overall, Photograph strives for subtlety and realism but falls short in maintaining narrative engagement. Despite its sincerity, the film’s dragging pace and lack of a definitive conclusion leave the viewer questioning the purpose and payoff of its journey.


December 31, 2025

SINGLE PAPA

 





Single Papa is an absolute delight and a refreshing addition to family entertainment. The series beautifully captures the emotional journey of a young man whose deep love for children defines his life. Despite a failed marriage and multiple family challenges, destiny leads him to embrace life as a single father, a role he grows into with warmth, resilience, and grace.


Spanning six well-paced episodes, the show is filled with engaging twists and turns that keep the narrative lively while never losing its emotional core. What truly elevates the series, however, is the outstanding performance by Kunal Khemu. He is simply brilliant—effortlessly natural, deeply expressive, and completely convincing. Every frame he appears in feels authentic, as though he is not acting but living the character. His love for the child comes across so genuinely that he consistently steals the show.


While the entire cast does full justice to the storyline, the highest praise undoubtedly belongs to Kunal Khemu. Even without drawing comparisons to his earlier work, his acting skills here are strikingly evident. This performance sparks genuine anticipation to watch his continued evolution in future projects, and one certainly hopes to see much more of him on screen.


Single Papa is a must-watch family entertainer—heartwarming, engaging, and emotionally satisfying.

For its storytelling and, especially, for Kunal Khemu’s stellar performance, no rating feels more appropriate than a perfect 10/10.


December 24, 2025

HOMEBOUND




Homebound” a film from Dharma Productions, comes as a refreshing and unexpected surprise at a time when many new releases rely heavily on violence and unrealistic, AI-driven visuals, often at the cost of a strong storyline.


The film tells the story of two friends facing harsh realities shaped by poverty, social marginalization, and religious and ethnic discrimination—issues that remain deeply relevant in today’s society. Their struggles intensify during the COVID-19 pandemic, when sudden government-imposed lockdowns strip daily wage workers of their livelihoods. The narrative effectively captures the mass migration of the poor from cities to their hometowns, often undertaken across extremely difficult and exhausting terrain.


The love track in the film sensitively portrays the emotional challenges and uncertainties faced by today’s youth. The story remains engaging throughout and holds the viewer’s attention until the end, although the climax feels somewhat slightly unrealistic.


Overall, Homebound stands apart from current filmmaking trends. Performances by Ishaan Khatter, Janhvi Kapoor, and Vishal Jethwa are sincere and impactful, making the film a worthwhile watch.


The filmmakers deserve appreciation for attempting a meaningful and socially relevant project—one that prioritizes awareness and realism over box-office formulas, especially in the context of the COVID-19 crisis of 2022–23.


December 15, 2025

WAHEEDA REHMAN

 


Born:February 3,1938

At Kamini Kaushal prayer meeting on November 18,2025.

Veteran actress Kamini Kaushal passed away on November 14,2025

December 14, 2025

VYJAYANTHIMALA


 Born: August 13,1933

 Biography: Bonding - A Memoir

Bonding - A Memoir

Vyjayanthimala is a name etched permanently in the memory of Indian cinema. For anyone who has loved Hindi films, she stands as one of the rare actresses who truly ruled the industry from the late 1950s through the early 1970s—a period regarded as one of the richest eras in Indian film history.


What makes her legacy remarkable is not merely her beauty or screen presence, but the consistency with which she delivered memorable performances alongside every major star of her time. From Dilip Kumar, Dev Anand, and Raj Kapoor to Raaj Kumar, Rajendra Kumar, Sunil Dutt, and Dharmendra, she shared the screen with all, and her films with them found both critical and commercial success. The list is long and glittering.


Among her many achievements, one film remains especially close to the hearts of cinephiles: “Ganga Jamuna.” I often call it her signature film. What astonished audiences then—and still impresses viewers today—is her effortless command over the Purbi (Bhojpuri-inflected) dialect, spoken with a fluency so natural that it’s hard to believe she was not a native speaker. Her performance in the film stands shoulder-to-shoulder with that of Dilip Kumar, which is no small compliment given the legendary intensity he brought to the role.


A professionally trained Bharatanatyam dancer, Vyjayanthimala brought to the screen a rare synthesis of grace, discipline, and emotive precision. Her classical grounding gave her a refined edge over many of her contemporaries—an elegance in movement, a poise in expression, and a command over rhythm that elevated even the simplest scenes. Whether in dramatic roles, romantic pairings, or elaborate dance sequences, she radiated a sense of artistry that set her apart.


In every sense, Vyjayanthimala was not just a star—she was an artist of exceptional calibre, whose contributions helped define the golden age of Hindi cinema.

From her autobiography:


 My life has meandered like an unbroken stream right from my formative years. Its course has been steady, though uneven at times. When people wonder and ask me that I am still dancing at this age, I tell them, “What has age got to do with it? You simply keep counting your years. You should be ageless and timeless. You beat age and age would never be able to beat you.” As Mark Twain said, "Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don't mind, it does not matter." All that regard and respect that comes your way is owing to your experience. I just look back and thank the One who makes me dance. Perhaps, today I am giving my best. Those who come backstage tell me that now in my seventies I’m even dancing better than in yesteryears. They don’t say, “Is umar mein yeh kya Bharatanatyam karegi?” (What Bharatanatyam would she do at this age?) That’s the bottom line: you either use your mind or you lose it. My best award is what people have bestowed on me — their immense affection.”

ASRANI

 



BORN: January 1,1941

Died: October 20,2025