Photo Prem is a 2021 film directed by Gayatri Patil and Aditya Rathi. It stars Neena Kulkarni, Amita Khopkar, Vikas Hande, Chaitrali Rode and Sameer Dharmadhikar in pivotal roles.
The film tells the story of a photophobic woman named Maee (played by Neena Kulkarni) who is on the quest of finding a perfect photo for herself that could put up for her eulogy.
Synopsis
While attending a funeral, Maee realizes that when an individual passes away, people often look for their photo that could be put up in their remembrance. She realizes that being the photophobic that she is, she does not even have a good picture to be put up after her.
This also leads her to think that she could also be forgotten by future generations to come because without a picture they may not be able to relate to her. This makes her anxious. As a result, she sets out on a quest for overcoming her individual fear of the camera and to get a good picture for herself.
But, would it be possible for her to have a picture that she or the people that know her could ever relate to?
The beauty of Photo Prem is that the film can effectively relate to the laborious life that we all go through. The few memories that we create erase when we leave this temporary world.
The viewers never get any sense of the despair faced by Sunanda. This is mainly because she knows that she will die one day and there will be no one to remember her as she does not have any good picture of herself.
Photo Prem is not a take on an average housewife’s dreams or ambitions.
Rather it illustrates the adventures of Sunanda in a photo frame. We see different episodes and glimpses of her life in a photo studio. Throughout the film, we see different individuals taking photos of Sunanda including her husband, maid, neighbor and even an unknown photographer.
Acting performances
All the artists in the film have given commendable performances. Neena Kukarni’s stands out in her role as Maee.
Apart from that, we also see a delightful performance by Maee’s househelp (played by Chaitrali Rode) and supporting actors Amita Khopkar, Vikas Hande and Sameer Dharamadhikari, who have played their role sincerely.
Direction and Writing
The duo of debutant directors Gayatri Patil and Aditya Rathi’s deserves appreciation.
They have beautifully crafted a light-hearted comedy-drama out of the serious question of an individual’s identity without putting an intense tone to the film. In particular, the script by Aditya Rathi helps to maintain the flow of the film.
Final Verdict
Photo Prem could be described as a light-hearted comedy film that is a must watch. It is one of the rare films that leave a message even as it entertains. It does not compel its viewers to take life too seriously.
The film is streaming on Amazon Prime Video.
NOTE: THE VIEWS AND OPINION EXPRESSED IN THIS ARTICLE ARE THOSE OF THE AUTHOR.
Edited by Nidhi Sahani
