Monday, June 1, 2026

List of Some Places of Visit Around Pune

  1. Shaniwar Wada
  2. Vishram Bagh Wada Palace
  3. Dagdusheth Ganpati Mandir
  4. Tilak Smarak Mandir
  5. Ayyappa Temple
  6. Inorbit Mall
  7. Chakan Fort
  8. Induri Fort
  9. Raj Kapoor Memorial
  10. Pune Tribal Museum
  11. Shri Subramania Swamy Temple
  12. Film and Television Institute of India
  13. Premal Hanuman Temple
  14. Bhama Askhed Dam
  15. Jambhulwadi Lake
  16. Bund Garden
  17. Tail-Baila Fort
  18. Kranti Flamingo Point
  19. Gandhi National Memorial
  20. Zapurza Museum of Art and Culture
  21. Kamla Nehru Park
  22. Lal Mahal
  23. Katraj Lake
  24. Junnar Caves
  25. Chittaranjan Vatika Garden
  26. Mayureshwar Wildlife Sanctuary
  27. Pratishirdi Shri Saibaba Mandir
  28. Appu Ghar Amusement Park
  29. Seven Wonders Dream Park
  30. Joshi’s Museum of Miniature Railways
  31. Shri Mahalakshmi Mandir, Sarasbaug, Pune
  32. Amazeum Children’s Museum
  33. Ishanya Mall
  34. Lavasa International Convention Centre
  35. Peshwa Udyan Zoo
  36. Jangali Maharaj Temple
  37. Shri Wagheshwar Temple
  38. Malhargarh Fort
  39. Bagul Udyan
  40. Bhatghar Dam
  41. Saint Tukaram Gatha Mandir
  42. University of Pune
  43. Morgaon Mayureshwar Temple
  44. Empress Gardens
  45. Trishundha Ganpati Temple
  46. Dive Ghat Valley
  47. Tung Fort
  48. Kanifnath Temple
  49. Baner Hill
  50. Sant Dnyaneshwar Maharaj Samadhi
  51. Sambhaji Maharaj Samadhi
  52. Shri Someshwar Temple
  53. Osho International Meditation Resort
  54. Purandar Fort
  55. Saras Baug
  56. Gram Sanskruti Udyan Village Park
  57. Ghorwadeshwar Caves
  58. Pashan Lake
  59. Bhimashankar Wildlife Sanctuary
  60. Neelkantheshwar
  61. Seasons Mall
  62. Koregaon Park
  63. Lonavala Lake
  64. Ranjangaon Ganpati Temple
  65. Amanora Mall
  66. Taljai Hill
  67. Shri Satya Sai Pandurang Kshetra
  68. Narayani Dham Temple
  69. BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir
  70. Tulsibag Market
  71. Raja Dinkar Kelkar Museum
  72. Sarasbaug Ganpati Temple
  73. Chaturshrungi Temple
  74. Bhuleshwar Temple
  75. Pataleshwar Cave
  76. Osho Teerth Park
  77. Kasarsai Dam
  78. National Defence Academy
  79. Khadakwasala Dam
  80. Parvati Temple
  81. Mulsi Dam
  82. Aga Khan Palace
  83. Tamhini Ghat
  84. Rajiv Gandhi Zoological Park
  85. Sri Balaji Mandir
  86. ISKCON NVCC Temple
  87. Sinhagad Fort
  88. Mahabaleshwar – Panchgani
  89. Peshwa Energy Park
  90. Vetal Tekdi
  91. Osho Garden
  92. National War Memorial

Sunday, May 31, 2026

Movie Review: Chand Mera Dil (2026); and Why People Criticized Ananya Panday’s Bharatnatyam

 


I got interested in watching ‘Chand Mera Dil’ after seeing news of social media users making fun of actress Ananya Panday for her Bharatnatyam dance in this film. I thought to check why people were so agitated. After watching this film, I realized it was a case of “much ado about nothing”. Ananya Panday had danced during “fresher’s function” of her engineering college. And her Bharatnatyam was not a pure one but a ‘fusion’ to make it funny for viewers. Entire college enjoyed that dance and were astonished. So, the film never claimed that Ananya was making a classical dance performance in this film. Instead of appreciating Ananya and this film for depicting one of the Indian native dance forms, people on social media were making fun of it and it was disappointing. I would give her 10/10 for that dance. And the ‘hero’ of the film Lakshya fell in love with her seeing that dance.

In “Chand Mera Dil”, Ananya’s character is named “Chandni” which is a refreshing name in the current times. Lakshya is playing the role of Aarav, a promising engineering student who sacrifices his career to support Chandni. I don’t want to give too much spoilers, but I can tell you that I felt like quitting the film mid-way by the intermission because the film was so intense and troubling at the same time.

The theatre where I was watching the film was filled with young men and women. And a group of them were sitting in my row. Initial minutes of the film were all about love, hence everything went fine. The moment it turned into “marriage”, one girl started getting ‘triggered’. She started talking to her friends around her, started judging whatever happened on the screen, and passed comments. There was a scene after which she started shouting “loser” at Aarav, the male lead. Immediately, the picture of a typical male-hating fake-feminist came to my mind. She kept shouting at Aarav, calling him whatever bad things she could, and it went on for some time and it was so irritating to hear all that. But by the end of the film, Aarav shows real character and she went totally silent. The ending of the movie was a bit comforting and gave people hope, and hence perhaps all previous feelings were forgiven.

The movie depicts struggles and survival for young couple, but presents the whole story in a unique way, not seen before. I had become a fan of Lakshya after seeing his film “Kill” (2023) on TV, and Chand Mera Dil was his first film I watched in a theatre. Same for Ananya Panday too. After watching this film, I could realize why her critics were shouting on social media. In this film, her acting skills has shone like a moon (Chand), and she has really given a powerful and ‘complete’ performance. She is not a typical “show girl” in this film, but she has played the role of a versatile character artist. And she has given as great performance as any A-class actress would have given.

This is overall a very nice film. Although I won’t recommend this film for either people below 18 or the senior citizens too. Its target audience is exactly the age Aarav and Chadni are playing – in their mid or late 20s. Hence, overall recommended to above audience.

- Rahul