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Star Cast: Nagraj Manjule, Amey Wagh
Director: Vikram Patwardhan
What’s Good: Great Concept, Non-Sensational newsroom representation
What’s Bad: Nothing much, but the editing could have been better
Loo Break: It’s On OTT! Pause and go but don’t interrupt the climax
Watch or Not?: Yes
Language: Marathi
Available On: Zee5
Runtime: 118 Minutes
User Rating:
They say a picture is worth a thousand words. But can all pictures be that deep? Today, everyone has a phone with a camera. But not everyone can click a picture that speaks a thousand words. That is where professional photographers come in. While most photographers take time in setting up their subject and its surroundings, not everyone has that luxury. Photojournalists are professional photographers who do not enjoy the luxury of time and yet make their pictures tell a story. Vikram Patwardhan’s latest Marathi film, Frame, narrates the journey of two photojournalists who are at very different stages of their careers and carry different ideologies.
This movie is not your regular commercial film with Mirch Masala. You must have seen several films focused on Indian newsrooms, but this one is viewed through the lens of the photography department at a news organisation. Patwardhan avoids the sensationalising of newsrooms that is so often seen in cinema and is instead closer to the reality of such office spaces.
In the beginning, it feels like what kind of story can you even make about photojournalists, but the makers surprise you as everything comes together at the climax, making you wonder about the core dilemma the film tries to address.
Frame Movie Review: Script Analysis
The film, which is also written by director Vikram Patwardhan focuses on two photojournalists working for Pune Chronicles. Chandu Pansare (Nagraj Manjule) is the head of the photography department. He is assigned to hire one junior photographer, even though there are two vacancies in the department, highlighting the funding shortages often faced by newsrooms. We see Pansare’s dedication to the craft through his hiring process. He takes two candidates to a protest site at the Collector’s office. CP asks both photographers to cover the protest and show him the results. Both do a brilliant job, but Siddharth Deshmukh (Amey Wagh) brings a fresh perspective with his photography. He gets injured during the wild protest but manages to take a picture of himself being beaten up and secretly snaps a picture of the Collector being manhandled in the office. He bags the job.
The film then focuses on Siddharth’s growth as a photojournalist under CP’s guidance. Siddharth is told by CP that a photojournalist cannot be a good photographer and a good human being at the same time. He tells him that even in an accident, a good photojournalist must first take pictures before reaching out to help anyone in need. But that is where Sidharth disagrees with CP. This is also the film’s core theme, and the makers very smartly show the audience how a single thought can consume one’s life.
Frame Movie Review: Star Performance
The Marathi film marks Nagraj Manjule’s first as a lead actor. The filmmaker is known for hits such as Sairaat and Fandry. Reportedly, the director wrote the film with Nagraj Manjule in mind for the role of CP. Nagraj brings style and the perfect attitude as the head of a photography department, backed by experience. However, his inexperience as an actor gets exposed in emotionally charged scenes of anger. Apart from that, Manjule leaves an impact even with his silences.
Amey Wagh plays a junior photographer with very different ideologies from his mentor. Despite that, he adores and respects his senior and is a man of integrity. Amey is known for playing largely jovial roles, and watching him play a serious yet innocent role was quite a refreshing change.
The film also has a cameo by Mugdha Godse, who plays CP’s ex-wife. CP’s marriage breaks apart because of his overcommitment to his job and negligence towards his wife and daughter. He has still not been able to move on from his past personal life and chooses alcohol and cigarettes to get over it. Akshaya Gaurav plays Ragini, an entertainment reporter, who has a romantic track with Siddharth. She, too, plays her part well despite limited screen time.
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Frame Movie Review: Direction, Music
Director Vikram Patwardhan has worked with a tight and strong script. Every incident shown in the film makes sense in the larger picture and adds up towards the climax. With a runtime of less than 2 hours, Patwardhan doesn’t waste time on unnecessary elements and brings up situations that only help the plot move forward. We see the photographers cover an unfortunate suicide of a man who lost his family in a building collapse, riots and protests, and an earthquake. Every incident leaves an impact on the life of the photographers.
The climax of the film connects the dots with the previous incidents and weighs heavily on the protagonist, CP. The ending was unexpected, to say the least, and that’s what makes the entire watch worth it.
The film has a decent background score and is not much of a central focus.
Frame Movie Review: The Last Word
If you like an honest and simple story about the life of photojournalists, then this is a must-watch. The film does not follow the usual commercial masala-drama way newsrooms are presented on TV. There are no reporters in the newsroom screaming and yelling out deadlines, negotiating deals with ministers. Rather, this shows the reality of newsrooms, where layoffs are the norm, and there is a superiority complex among news teams over entertainment teams. All in all, a very real and pragmatic approach to the newsroom with a strong moral dilemma dealt without overglorification. This one is definitely a must-watch.
Frame Movie Trailer
Frame releases on 10th July, 2026.
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