For as long as love stories have existed in Bollywood, Hindi-language films have always depended on the famed status of its recurring onscreen romantic pairs.
If you looked for a list of them, you'd find the globally recognised and commercially viable pairing of Raj Kapoor and Nargis between the 1940s and 60s, Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol across the 90s, and more recently, Ranbir Kapoor and Deepika Padukone across the 2010s.
Auron Mein Kahan Dum Tha, written and directed by Neeraj Pandey (A Wednesday!), features one such recurring, albeit highly underrated, onscreen pair.
Auron Mein Kahan Dum Tha
Starring: Ajay Devgn, Tabu, Shantanu Maheshwari, Jimmy Shergill, Saiee Manjrekar
Director: Neeraj Pandey
Rating: 2.5/5
Starring Ajay Devgn (Shaitaan) and Tabu (Crew) in their 10th film together since they were first cast 30 years ago in the Mahabharata-inspired action drama Vijaypath, the film traces the tumultuous lives of star-crossed lovers Krishna and Vasudha.
Having finally been released for good behaviour after serving 22 of his 25-year sentence in prison, Krishna (Devgn), who is set to leave Mumbai forever, decides to spend the evening with Vasudha (Tabu) as we uncover the events that led to, and aftermath of, him serving time.
Pandey has tackled a heist movie, three action thrillers and a sports biopic throughout his 16-year career.
With Auron Mein Kahan Dum Tha, the writer-director takes a stab at a love story that brings a lot of his trademark writing flourishes, key among which is a non-linear narrative where he keeps the cards close to his chest until the right time comes.
Compared to their presence in his more action-focused work, they're not entirely adequate here, but they still help to engage viewers enough throughout its 144-minute running time.
And a lot of why it works is because of its leading pair, who bring a lot of understatement and gut-wrenching sincerity to Pandey's melancholia-tinged story.
Playing the protagonists' younger versions are Shantanu Maheshwari (Gangubai Kathiawadi) and Saiee Manjrekar (Dabangg 3), both of whom are excellent in their lighter, more lovestruck moments.
But their admittedly fantastic emotional range cannot make up for a very long, drawn-out moment set to MM Kreem's Ae Dil Zara that feels excruciatingly slow and threatens to completely derail the narrative flow.
The silent devastation that both Devgn and Tabu express in the film's present-day sequences, however, makes up for many heavy-handed attempts by its makers to signal its viewers to be very sad or scared, including, but not limited to, Kreem's background score.
The same for Kathikuloth Praveen's editing, which, while competent throughout, does tend to overplay its hand a lot and could have helped to subvert its erratic flow.
Thankfully, the film has a lot of heart and plays its cards mostly well.
Carefully lacing the narrative with some much-needed melancholia, Pandey manages to take a lot of advantage of his writing – especially in the many quiet exchanges between its older leads towards the end, which could turn its viewers into emotional wrecks.
The writing feels poetic, almost like a classical Hindi-language novel, and is more often than not able to deliver on its style with a firm conviction.
Auron Mein Kahan Dum Tha isn't the slam-dunk it needed to be.
The film is Pandey's return to feature-length filmmaking six years after his last critically and commercially underperformed effort, 2018's Aiyaary.
In spite of its drawbacks, though, it contains more good than bad throughout its running time, remaining eminently watchable for its bleeding-heart sincerity, if nothing else.
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
Essentials
The flights
Etihad and Emirates fly direct from the UAE to Delhi from about Dh950 return including taxes.
The hotels
Double rooms at Tijara Fort-Palace cost from 6,670 rupees (Dh377), including breakfast.
Doubles at Fort Bishangarh cost from 29,030 rupees (Dh1,641), including breakfast. Doubles at Narendra Bhawan cost from 15,360 rupees (Dh869). Doubles at Chanoud Garh cost from 19,840 rupees (Dh1,122), full board. Doubles at Fort Begu cost from 10,000 rupees (Dh565), including breakfast.
The tours
Amar Grover travelled with Wild Frontiers. A tailor-made, nine-day itinerary via New Delhi, with one night in Tijara and two nights in each of the remaining properties, including car/driver, costs from £1,445 (Dh6,968) per person.
RACE CARD
6.30pm: Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (Dirt) 1,200m
7.05pm: Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (D) 1,900m
7.40pm: Handicap (TB) Dh102,500 (D) 2,000m
8.15pm: Conditions (TB) Dh120,000 (D) 1,600m
8.50pm: Handicap (TB) Dh95,000 (D) 1,600m
9.25pm: Handicap (TB) Dh87,500 (D) 1,400m
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
APPLE IPAD MINI (A17 PRO)
Display: 21cm Liquid Retina Display, 2266 x 1488, 326ppi, 500 nits
Chip: Apple A17 Pro, 6-core CPU, 5-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine
Storage: 128/256/512GB
Main camera: 12MP wide, f/1.8, digital zoom up to 5x, Smart HDR 4
Front camera: 12MP ultra-wide, f/2.4, Smart HDR 4, full-HD @ 25/30/60fps
Biometrics: Touch ID, Face ID
Colours: Blue, purple, space grey, starlight
In the box: iPad mini, USB-C cable, 20W USB-C power adapter
Price: From Dh2,099
What is the FNC?
The Federal National Council is one of five federal authorities established by the UAE constitution. It held its first session on December 2, 1972, a year to the day after Federation.
It has 40 members, eight of whom are women. The members represent the UAE population through each of the emirates. Abu Dhabi and Dubai have eight members each, Sharjah and Ras al Khaimah six, and Ajman, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain have four.
They bring Emirati issues to the council for debate and put those concerns to ministers summoned for questioning.
The FNC’s main functions include passing, amending or rejecting federal draft laws, discussing international treaties and agreements, and offering recommendations on general subjects raised during sessions.
Federal draft laws must first pass through the FNC for recommendations when members can amend the laws to suit the needs of citizens. The draft laws are then forwarded to the Cabinet for consideration and approval.
Since 2006, half of the members have been elected by UAE citizens to serve four-year terms and the other half are appointed by the Ruler’s Courts of the seven emirates.
In the 2015 elections, 78 of the 252 candidates were women. Women also represented 48 per cent of all voters and 67 per cent of the voters were under the age of 40.
TRAP
Starring: Josh Hartnett, Saleka Shyamalan, Ariel Donaghue
Director: M Night Shyamalan
Rating: 3/5
The low down on MPS
What is myofascial pain syndrome?
Myofascial pain syndrome refers to pain and inflammation in the body’s soft tissue. MPS is a chronic condition that affects the fascia (connective tissue that covers the muscles, which develops knots, also known as trigger points).
What are trigger points?
Trigger points are irritable knots in the soft tissue that covers muscle tissue. Through injury or overuse, muscle fibres contract as a reactive and protective measure, creating tension in the form of hard and, palpable nodules. Overuse and sustained posture are the main culprits in developing trigger points.
What is myofascial or trigger-point release?
Releasing these nodules requires a hands-on technique that involves applying gentle sustained pressure to release muscular shortness and tightness. This eliminates restrictions in connective tissue in orderto restore motion and alleviate pain. Therapy balls have proven effective at causing enough commotion in the tissue, prompting the release of these hard knots.
Auron Mein Kahan Dum Tha
Starring: Ajay Devgn, Tabu, Shantanu Maheshwari, Jimmy Shergill, Saiee Manjrekar
Director: Neeraj Pandey
Rating: 2.5/5
