Puppeteer Films (2025)

09/08/2025

100 YEARS OF KAKORI TRAIN ROBBERY

Exactly 100 years back, on 9 Aug 1925, 10 revolutionaries of Hindustan Republican Association led by Ram Prasad Bismil had boarded the 8 Down Saharanpur-Lucknow passenger train at Kakori, pulled the train over at a nearby place called Bajnagar and looted the money that British were transferring in it… With the Kakori action these revolutionaries threw an open challenge to the might of the British empire… This was the beginning of a new wave of revolution which forced even the Congress leaders to shift their stance from accepting dominion status from the British to giving a call for ‘Poorna Swaraj - Complete Independence’… Remembering these revolutionaries and saluting them for their valour as well as for the sacrifices & for the unbearable pain & hardships they all endured for their devotion towards their land… Unfortunately the kind of India that they had dreamt off and sacrificed their life for hasn’t been delivered by us people and more so by our political leaders… we have wasted the tremendous and valuable contribution of these great revolutionaries and proved that we didnt deserve even a tiny bit of what all they did… My homage & respect to all of them.
Kakori, 2022; Stills From Docu Series ‘India On The Road’ ; EP - Mukul Singh ( )

09/08/2025

100 YEARS OF KAKORI TRAIN ROBBERY

Exactly a 100 years back, on 9 Aug 1925, 10 revolutionaries of Hindustan Republican Association led by Ram Prasad Bismil had boarded the 8 Down Saharanpur Express at Kakori, pulled the train over at a nearby place called Bajnagar and looted the money that British were transferring in it… With the Kakori action the revolutionaries threw an open challenge to the might of the British empire… This was the beginning of a new wave of revolution which forced even the Congress leaders to shift their stance from accepting dominion status from the British to a call for ‘Poorna Swaraj - Complete Independence’… Remembering the revolutionaries and saluting them for their valour as well as for the sacrifices & for the unbearable pain & hardships they all endured for their devotion towards their land… Unfortunately the kind of India that they had dreamt off and sacrificed their life for hasn’t been delivered by us people and more so by our political leaders… we have wasted the sacrifices of these great revolutionaries and proved that we didnt deserve even a tiny bit of it… My homage to all of them.
Kakori, 2022; Stills From Docu Series ‘India On The Road’

28/05/2025

With folded hands I bow my head to one of the main force behind the Hindustan Socialist Republican Association, the great revolutionary Bhagwati Charan Vohra on his martyrdom day... Instead of insatiable hunger for self publicity & power, if only our political leaders & head-honchos had an iota of selflessness that these revolutionaries had then that would have done a world of good for our country and for all its people.

05/04/2025

The films of ‘Manoj Kumar’ are embedded in my childhood moments. I vividly recall, as a norm before every movie screening in the outdoors on sunday night in Yeshwant Club in Indore, hurriedly buying potato wafers and a bottle of thums up and then rushing in to take our seats and wait for the projectionist to switch on the projector… A couple of such nights I distinctly remember sitting there watching his movies ‘Roti Kapda Aur Makaan’ as well as ‘Upkar’… In the hushed silence of hundreds of club members raptly glued to the screen the garden reverberated with the tunes, beats and melody of the song from Upkar ‘Mere Desh Ki Dharti Sona Ugale Ugale Heere Moti’ which went onto to become an anthem of some sorts for the entire nation… Also remember seeing ‘Kranti’ in one of the old single screen theatres during an afternoon show and coming out charged with the feeling of patriotism… The one film of his though which took my heart is ‘Shaheed’. It introduced me to the legend of Bhagat Singh and his as well as his comrades’ heroic tale… Even now when I watch the film it evokes emotions within me… So many moments from that film are etched within my mind & soul, including the songs ‘Mera Rang De Basanti Chola’ & ‘Ae Watan Ae Watan Humko Teri Kasam’… Couple of weeks back I was actually fortunate to have been able to get my hands on the original promotional lobby card of the film which is one historic memorabilia that will adorn my walls and which I shall cherish forever… I also recollect the time when I had the good fortune of briefly meeting Manoj Kumar Sir at his house when I had just made my debut and he was planning a film. It was incredible to have come face to face with him. He was extremely affectionate and warm hearted person with no airs about his stature whatsoever. He was an absolute icon and a master at his craft. It’s really hard to imagine that he was able to write, produce, direct as well as act in his films with equal aplomb…. He infused his films with the love for his land as well as nation and they will continue to live on in the sub conscience of India & its people… Thank you Sir for all the memories and moments… 🙏

23/03/2025

IDEA OF INDIA

At about 7.45 pm on March 23, 1931 in the gallows of the Lahore Central Jail the great revolutionary & visionary Bhagat Singh along with his comrades Sukhdev Thapar and Shivram Rajguru was hanged by the British for waging a war against their empire… On their martyrdom day, remembering their sacrifices as well as utmost dedication towards the nation and the people with gratitude… Ever since I have been working on the documentary on the life & times of Bhagat Singh as well as the revolutionary movement spearheaded under the umbrella of Hindustan Socialist Republican Association I have been on a look out for posters from yesteryears that were printed of him as well as his comrades… Finally it was my fortune that I was able to get my hands on some of the vintage prints from the 1930’s / 1950’s of these revolutionaries who in reality are our real heroes… Sharing some of those with you all to savour... Bhagat Singh and his comrades fought not just for the freedom of the country but also for uplifting the life of its people alongside creating a just, fair and equal society… Yet another year passes us by and inspite of a passage of 94 long years that dream of theirs hasnt been realised… Infact their idea of India has been junked away by today’s political leaders. These bravehearts gave their blood for the nation and for their people but in today’s India the politicians are such that they spill the blood of the people from different communities and create mayhem between them for their own power… Not only they should be ashamed of themselves as to how low they have fallen but also us people who give power to such kind of leaders and parties.

19/01/2025

FIRST AMONG EQUALS

Now that the new calendar in the tennis world has begun and the dust has settled on Nadal calling it quits let me share about my tryst with the other half of the ‘Fedal’ duo, one who is most definitely the ‘First Among Equals’… Flashback to Aug. 2010 when my close friend Mahesh Bhupathi’s film for my docu series ‘Travelling With The Pros’ was being shot in an ATP 1000 masters event in Toronto… Fortunately Roger Federer was playing too. I really wished for Federer to introduce Mahesh in the docu and sought the help of the ATP representative Nicola Arzani who fixed up the interview with him after his evening match. As time would have been limited we decided to shoot the interview with handheld camera and waited anxiously, butterflies in the stomach. Finally Federer emerged post his match, striding in effortlessly to the interview room. Nicola introduced me to him as a former player and we exchanged pleasantries. Federer was extremely chilled out, down to earth, no airs about himself whatsoever and put everyone at ease with his demeanor. Answered all the questions and even more. Me and my crew wanted to freeze this memory and he was gracious in taking a picture with all of us. Looking back, it was a treat to be able to see him practice as well as in matches upclose. Seeing him play was sheer poetry in motion and beyond beautiful. I have been fortunate to see a lot of iconic players in action live over the years - Sampras, Edberg, Becker, Lendl, Agassi, Courier, McEnroe, Borg (post his retirement), Nadal, Djokovic and Murray… Each of them are truly great but by far the most elegant player to watch and the most complete player to ever play the game in our times and maybe ever has beyond any shadow of a doubt been Federer. Thanks to my docu shoot during that tournament I was able to watch greatness from close quarters. As a former player and a tennis enthusiast we have been extremely privileged and lucky to have lived in the era of - Federer & Nadal - and been able to witness their magic on court as well as been enthralled by their rivalry and off court camaraderie…! Tennis world really isn’t the same without them.
Aug. 2010, Toronto
Stills From Docu Series ‘Travelling With The Pros’
Pictures: Hardeep Sachdev

23/11/2024

OUR RAFA MOMENT

I was shooting for my documentary series ‘Travelling With The Pros’ in which I was documenting my close friend Mahesh Bhupathi’s ( ) journey during the Roger’s Cup Masters Event in Toronto in August, 2010. I wanted to interview Rafael Nadal with regards to his thoughts about Mahesh. ATP rep Nicola Arzani ( ) asked me to interview him after his warmup practice just prior to his match. We waited patiently till he finished his practice and after that as he was walking out the tournament official took me near the court and requested him for the interview. At first Nadal was taken aback as he wasn’t aware about any interview being part of his schedule but after doublechecking with the official he immediately relented. What I experienced about Nadal, who was already an icon then and at the top of his game, was that he was extremely gracious, humble, down to earth and totally unassuming. He was a lesson as to how to remain grounded in spite of achieving unparalleled greatness. I am not into taking fan pictures but I did want one with him. But since he was due to play a big match on the centre court I didn’t want to take anymore of his time so held myself back from asking him for a picture. Luckily my photographer friend Hardeep Sachdev, whom I had taken along to put together a coffee table book on the docu series, clicked this picture of mine while I was interviewing Nadal along with my cinematographer Devendra Golatkar and presented us ‘Our Rafa Moment’. He also shot some pictures of Nadal practicing as well as during the match… We all have been extremely lucky to have been able to watch this genius compete with tenacity and ‘give it all you got attitude’ point after point and match after match. This is a thank you from our side to for all the joy, excitement & memories that he has bestowed upon all of us…
Aug. 2010, Toronto
Stills From Docu Series ‘Travelling With The Pros’
Pictures: Hardeep Sachdev

18/10/2024

REAL HEROES

We all live in a world which focuses all their attention on the rich & the famous, the business barons, sportstars, moviestars, celebrities and the influencers… They are the ones who are perpetually under the spotlight, celebrated and revered… But if you look carefully they are not the only heroes around us… Infact in our everyday life we come across a plethora of real heroes who have left their mark and imprint on the society. They have done a huge service to the nation which is far more than the combined contribution of a lot of these mega stars… I was fortunate enough to interact with some of these real life heroes during the filming of my docu series ‘India On The Road’. It was my absolute privilege to have had the opportunity of interviewing Prof. Malwinder Jit Singh Waraich Sir who has dedicated his life for the cause of the revolutionaries who gave their all for our nation to the point of even sacrificing their lives… He has been the flag bearer in documenting their lives. If not for Professor Sahab lot of our revolutionaries would have been erased from the public consciousness, discourse, languished in the forgotten corridors of history and faded away into oblivion. Through his pen and his words as well as through his passionate quest the life & times of different revolutionaries and revolutions have been kept alive - from Ghadar movement and its founders Sohan Singh Bhakna and Kartar Singh Sarabha to Bhagat Singh, Chandrashkear Azad, Bhagwati Charan Vohra, Jatin Das, Jaidev Kapoor, Shiv Verma and a lot many more… He has been the foremost voice and authority on Bhagat Singh and it was an honour for me to have had the chance to interview him and know from him about the life & times of the Martyrs of Martyr ‘Shaheed-E-Azam Bhagat Singh… If any of you have interest in knowing about those times and about these remarkable people and revolutionaries do read Prof Sahab’s books….
Chandigarh; BTS Stills From Docu Series ‘India On The Road’; AD: Ameya Jare; EP: Mukul Singh

28/09/2024

Remembering the great revolutionary Shaheed-e-Azam Bhagat Singh on his birth anniversary… He was a visionary as well as an intellectual giant and dreamt of an India which was free of injustice and inequalities… Also strived for a society wherein there was an overhaul of the existing system so that the power goes into the hands of the working class which dominated the population rather than it being controlled in the hands of a few… When he was hanged by the British for waging a war against their empire, he was just 23 years and 6 months old, yet he left behind a huge legacy of his writings and thoughts… Attaching some pertinent one’s… Among other things, he strongly advocated that religion should not be mixed with politics… Unfortunately in today’s India that is precisely what our political leaders are using to wield power into their hands and the masses at large have fallen prey to their play… High time the people realise that this cocktail of religion and politics will lead India to doomsday!

15/08/2024

NATION BEFORE ALL

I had just finished shooting for the day at the Kargil War Memorial in Drass for my docu series ‘India On The Road’ when I saw a family come in who were from around Drass-Kargil area… The father asked both his sons to salute and they did so diligently… Luckily I had the camera in the hand and immediately clicked these candid pictures of the kids saluting and paying their respect to the martyrs as well as the Indian flag… I wonder as kids we are so diligent and reverent towards our nation but what happens when we grow up… Why can’t we hold this reverence for our nation and have the nation come before anything else… Why is it that we stop thinking about the nation and keep our own ulterior motives above all… Why is it that we let the countless sacrifices of our forefathers and our martyrs who gave their all for this nation go to waste… Why is it that we shortchange our nation and not think about it first and are concerned to stand behind parties and politicians who for their own power hollow the hell out of the nation… Why is it that we are so blinded and reverent towards these politicians who sell the nation and its well being for the sake of their own power and greed… Why is it that we can’t see through it all… Why is it that we will continue to play fools… Wake up and see what is good for the nation… Wake up and put the nation before all because a nations’s destiny rests with us all…Happy Independence Day!
Kargil War Memorial, Drass; Stills From Docu Series ‘India On The Road’; AD: Azaan Shah

26/07/2024

GRATITUDE

Today as the nation celebrated the 25th anniversary of victory in the Kargil War, lets remember with gratitude all those brave soldiers from different wings of the Indian army who fought gallantly in the war in the treacherous mountains of Drass, Batalik, Mushkow, Kaksar, Chorbat La and Turtuk… Gratitude and remembrance for all those who laid down their lives in this pursuit and for their families as well who have suffered immensely with their loss… Nation and we the people are forever indebted to you all. Lest We Forget 🙏
Sharing some images that I was fortunate enough to capture while I was filming for my docu series ‘India On The Road’ in Drass.
Drass, Ladakh; Stills From Docu Series ‘India On The Road’; AD: Azaan Shah
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29/05/2024

DARING SON OF INDIA

Bhagwati Charan Vohra was the comrade of Bhagat Singh as well as Chandrashekhar Azad and played an instrumental role in the freedom struggle under the umbrella of their revolutionary party Hindustan Socialist Republican Association (HSRA). In spite of being from an affluent family, with his father accorded the title of ‘Rai Bahadur’ by the British, he chose the path of revolution. While studying in National College in Lahore he became close to Bhagat Singh. In 1926, along with Bhagat Singh, he formed the Naujawan Bharat Sabha to galvanise the spirit of freedom among the masses. They went from one village to another in Punjab, using a magic lantern, narrated the tales of many revolutionaries who had laid down their lives for the nation’s freedom so as to inspire the villagers. To inculcate a feeling of oneness & belonging to the same nation they held community kitchens where people from different caste sat and ate together. His wife was the great revolutionary Durga Bhabhi who too was an integral part of the HSRA. While Bhagat Singh and most of his comrades were in jail, on Dec. 19, 1929, alongwith Chandrashekhar Azad as well as Yashpal, he had tried to blow up the bogey of train carrying British Viceroy Lord Irwin. To save Bhagat Singh from being hanged, he and Azad had schemed his audacious escape from the jail. For the escape plan, he was testing the bombs on the bank of the Ravi river near Lahore on May 28, 1930 when unfortunately the bomb exploded and he attained martyrdom. Shiv Verma, a comrade of Vohra, wrote in his memoirs, “Bhagwati Charan was one of the tallest intellectuals of HSRA”. It is a shame that such men who have laid down their life for freedom of India are not accorded their due place in a free India and people have simply erased them from their imagination. Despite this, till India is there, Bhagwati Charan Vohra’s name and exploits will be imbedded in its very heart & soul.… My homage to this brave and daring son of India.
Lucknow, Durga Bhabhi’s School Library, Sept.2022; Stills From Docu Series ‘India On The Road’; EP - Mukul Singh

Puppeteer Films

09/08/2025

09/08/2025

28/05/2025

05/04/2025

23/03/2025

19/01/2025

23/11/2024

18/10/2024

28/09/2024

15/08/2024

26/07/2024

29/05/2024

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