Filmmaker and fashion designer Vikram Phadnis became emotional as he marked the first death anniversary of his father on August 12. He shared a heartfelt note reflecting on the loss and revealed that his father’s greatest wish was to see him make his first Hindi film.
Phadnis took to social media to post pictures and reminisce about the evening his father went to the hospital and never returned home. He expressed that even though a year has passed and he has continued to work and achieve professional milestones, he still feels an emptiness inside and misses his “Daddy” dearly.
He wrote, “August 12… One year ago today, I lost my father. That evening, he went to the hospital and somehow never came back home. I still remember that night—the anxiety, the fear, and the realization that something terrible was about to happen.”
Phadnis reflected, “Sometimes I wonder… was I anxious because I was losing my father, or did a part of me already know that life would never be the same after that night? A year has passed. I have grown up. I have achieved milestones and worked hard to move forward… yet a part of me still feels incomplete.”
He continued, “My father had just one wish… to see me make my first Hindi film. He believed in that dream before I even knew how to fulfill it. And before he could witness it, life took him away from us.”
“Today, as I head to Melbourne for the world premiere of my first Hindi film, my heart is filled with emotions I cannot express in words. I am excited, I am grateful, but above all… I wish my father were here. I wish he could sit beside me and know that the dream he believed in has come true.”
Phadnis dedicated the film to , who has supported him through every challenge and stood by him during tough times. “Every frame, every word, every struggle, every sleepless night, and every small victory includes my father,” he noted.
He concluded, “This film is for my mother. But this moment… is for my father. His dream, my journey, our film. I wish you were here, Daddy. I miss you more than words can express. I love you the most.”
Vikram Phadnis is currently preparing for his “Pal Bhar Ke Liye,” featuring Saiyami Kher, Tahir Raj Bhasin, Vineet Kumar Singh, and Ishwak Singh. The film will have its world premiere at the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne 2026.
Phadnis has a long-standing association with Bollywood as a costume designer, having worked on films like “Biwi No. 1,” “Mujhse Shaadi Karogi,” “Golmaal: Fun Unlimited,” “Salaam-e-Ishq,” “Namaste London,” “Golmaal Returns,” and “Dulha Mil Gaya.” He began his directing career in 2017 with the Marathi film “Hridayantar,” featuring Subodh Bhave and Mukta Barve, marking his first step behind the camera. He followed this with the film “Smile Please” in 2019.