May. 07, 2021|India
Genre:
Description: “Everyone gather around! Smile, say cheese, I need to take a photo!” These words send a shiver down my spine every time, forcing my brain to scramble for an excuse to avoid the moment. So, when Maee (Neena Kulkarni) in *Photo-Prem* hesitates to be photographed, I can only nod silently and scream inside, “I get it, girl!” But Maee isn’t a Gen-Z like me. She belongs to the era of classic film cameras. While I’ve grown accustomed to the world of aesthetically crafted candids and selfies, Maee still struggles. She gets anxious, makes a fuss whenever someone pulls out a camera, and even avoids her own daughter’s wedding to escape the photographer’s lens.
However, things take a turn when Maee attends a friend’s funeral. Stunned by a childhood photo hanging on the wall in remembrance, she begins to introspect. Maee is suddenly fearful of her own future: what if she’s remembered this way after she’s gone? How will future generations recognize her? What if everyone forgets she ever existed? Most importantly, what legacy will she leave behind? Thus begins her quest to capture the perfect photo. But for someone with a deep-seated fear of being photographed, this journey is far from easy.
Maee delves into her old photo albums, revisiting the past in search of that one ideal image. In her harmless exploration, she attends random funeral ceremonies, reads obituaries, and even visits a local photo studio to understand the process of being photographed. Enlisting the help of her housekeeper and a young neighborhood kid, Maee turns to webcam technology. She tries various poses—with props, makeup, and even the iconic wide-armed Shah Rukh Khan pose—leaving no stone unturned.
*Photo-Prem* is endearing enough to draw viewers into Maee’s world, as one can sympathize with her lack of photogenic skills. However, it falls short in justifying her sudden obsession with being photographed, leaving the narrative feeling somewhat incomplete.
Original name: Photo-Prem