Monthly review: June 2026
June turned out to be one of those months that quietly changed a lot of things for me. There wasn’t a lot of travel like the previous few months, but there were milestones that I’ll probably remember for a long time. Let’s get started with a significant change happened to me in the month of June.
After almost three years of living in Madhapur, I finally shifted to a 1 BHK in Vidya Nagar. I had been thinking about living alone for quite some time, but somehow kept postponing it. Strangely enough, my Japan trip pushed me to stop delaying it. Once I came back, I immediately started house hunting and eventually made the move.
The last week of June was spent unpacking boxes, getting Wi-Fi installed, arranging furniture, and slowly making the place feel like home. More than anything else, I wanted to experience living by myself because I wanted to understand myself a little better. I wanted to know what routine I naturally settle into, whether I genuinely enjoy solitude, and what kind of habits I build when no one else influences my day.
The first week has been incredibly peaceful. Waking up at my own pace, arranging things the way I like, sitting in silence, and simply spending time with myself has been surprisingly comforting. That quietness even helped me get back to reading, something I’d been struggling with over the last few months.
I don’t know what this new chapter will look like yet, but I’m genuinely looking forward to finding out.
The day I shifted into my new house also gave me my first-ever scooter accident. I had booked packers and movers through NoBroker, and they packed everything at my place in Madhapur and started towards Vidya Nagar. My parents were travelling from my hometown to help me settle into the new house, so there were already a lot of things running through my mind. More than the shifting itself, I think I was nervous about what came after it. For the last three years, I had a cook, a maid, and I was staying in a well-connected part of the city. Now I was moving to a quieter neighbourhood, staying all by myself, and somewhere in my mind I was wondering how all of this would turn out. With these thoughts constantly running in my head, and wanting to reach the new house before my parents, I even skipped breakfast that morning.
While riding my scooter, I took a right turn from one of the inner roads onto the main road. It had rained the previous day, and I failed to notice a pothole. The scooter skidded, and I fell. I got bruises on my right palm and my right knee. For a few seconds, I just stood there, switched off the scooter, picked it up, checked whether anything had fallen off, and noticed the mud on my clothes and the injuries. Looking back, I don’t even know what was going through my head, but I didn’t stop. I didn’t wash the wounds, I didn’t sit down for a while, and I didn’t even think of going back. Somehow, I convinced myself that the injuries weren’t serious, started the scooter again, and rode straight to my new home.
Thankfully, my parents didn’t notice anything when I entered the house. Only after settling down did I wash the wounds and tell them what had happened. It was a strange experience because, apart from falling while learning to ride a bicycle as a child, this was my first-ever accident on a scooter. Touch wood, I hope it’s also the last. Thankfully, it wasn’t anything serious, but it definitely made me more cautious. These days, especially with the rains, I pay much more attention to potholes, slippery roads, and avoid riding whenever it rains heavily. So, in a rather ironic way, I began this new chapter of living alone with bruises on my hand and knee. For my first week in the new house, it was just me, a few unpacked boxes, a couple of wounds, and a lot of silence. Looking back now, it feels like a fitting beginning to a completely new phase of life.
Now, let’s move on to the usual things :)
Cinema
June was a wonderful month for me as a movie lover. I watched a good number of films in theatres, and I experienced cinema in all possible ways. I watched movies all by myself, watched a few with friends, and even watched one with complete strangers. Altogether, I watched six films in theatres: two Malayalam, two Hindi, one English, and one Telugu. The best part was that I didn’t regret watching any of them on the big screen.
Mollywood Times
I started with Mollywood Times, directed by Abhinav Sundar Nayak, whose Mukundan Unni Associates I absolutely loved. I watched this one with my friend Lavan. Although both of us felt the movie had its flaws, neither of us walked out disappointed. I especially liked how it explored the film industry through a character trying to survive while staying true to his own principles.
Obsession
Then came Obsession. I watched it alone during a late-night show on a working day, and surprisingly, the theatre was packed. I usually don’t prefer horror films on the big screen, but this one was completely worth it. There were moments where I genuinely got scared, and the collective reactions from the audience made the experience even better. Totally recommend it for it’s underlying social commentary too!
Lagaan
One of the highlights of the month was definitely Lagaan. Thankfully, it got a re-release in Hyderabad, albeit in only one theatre with a single show every day. I discovered songs like Ghanan Ghanan, which I don’t think I had consciously listened to before, and I was amazed at how engaging the screenplay still feels despite its long runtime. What I loved most was the rootedness of the film, the way every villager’s everyday skill slowly translated into cricketing ability. Catching chickens became catching cricket balls, casually spinning objects became spin bowling, and aiming at targets became accurate throws. Every little detail felt purposeful. I completely understand why Lagaan continues to receive so much love even after all these years.
Sing Geetham
Next was Sing Geetham, directed by the legendary Singeetham Srinivasa Rao. I admire him immensely for his fearless experiments and his collaborations with Kamal Haasan. I still remember an interview where he said his ignorance of what could go wrong was probably what gave him the courage to attempt unconventional films. I genuinely believe he is one of the most under appreciated filmmakers in Telugu cinema. Thanks to Nag Ashwin for bringing this project together. While I felt parts of the execution could have been better, just imagining someone writing a script decades ago for a musical with no dialogues throughout the film while still trying to keep the audience engaged is inspiring enough.
Main Vaapas Aaunga
I also watched Main Vaapas Aaunga with my colleague and friend Tanvi. I had heard beforehand that the movie was extremely emotional, so I was mentally prepared. I tried very hard not to cry because I didn’t want to interrupt my own viewing experience, but somewhere along the way, my throat tightened. My jaws literally hurt because I was trying to hold back tears. Then Tere Paas Mein played, and that was it. I completely broke down. I cried like a child. Beyond the emotions, the film left me thinking about Partition. It made me angry at history, at violence, and at how quickly humanity can disappear under certain circumstances. At the same time, it also made me realize that very soon, there may not be anyone alive who personally remembers Partition. If you know someone who lived through those days, please sit down with them and listen to their stories while you still can.
Balan: The Boy
The final theatrical watch of the month was Balan: The Boy, directed by Chidambaram, whose Manjummel Boys had given me one of my favourite theatrical experiences. I really liked this film too. There were a few places where I felt it could have gone in a different direction, but overall, it was unique, engaging, and completely worth watching on the big screen.
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Outside theatres, I also attended the Mayabazar stage play with Bunny. Every time I watch that play, I’m reminded why it continues to remain timeless and appreciate the artists performing it.
Songs
Coming to the songs I’ve been listening to this month, my playlist has been a mix of old discoveries, new favourites, and songs that stayed with me long after I watched their films. Ever since I watched Lagaan this month, I’ve been listening to its album on loop. Ghanan Ghanan was a completely new discovery for me. I don’t think I had ever consciously listened to that song before watching the film on the big screen. Along with that, Mitwa has become another song that I’ve been going back to repeatedly. It’s fascinating how watching a film in theatres can make you rediscover an album that has existed for decades.
I’ve also been listening to Tere Paas Mein from Main Wapas Aaunga. Ever since the trailer released, where Imtiaz Ali used a small portion of the song towards the end, I had been waiting for the full version. Once it was released, it didn’t disappoint at all. After watching the film, the song hit even harder emotionally, and I’ve found myself playing it quite often.
Another pleasant discovery this month was Tumhe Aaj Maine Jo Dekha from Kuch Naa Kaho, composed by Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy. I stumbled upon it through Instagram, and it instantly found a place in my playlist. I even recommended it to my sister because I knew she’d enjoy it too.
Apart from these, Innum Sollai by Ilaiyaraaja, which I had discovered during Ashwin’s wedding in May, has continued to stay with me. I still go back to it every now and then. And of course, there are always a few A.R. Rahman and Ilaiyaraaja songs playing in the background of my days.
Although A.R. Rahman and Ilaiyaraaja continue to be my comfort composers, I’ve slowly started discovering music by other composers as well. Whether it’s Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy this month or someone else in the coming months, it feels nice to step outside my usual playlist while still returning to the music that has stayed with me for years.
Books
Reading wasn’t particularly great during most of June. Until almost the end of the month, I barely touched a book because my mind was occupied with shifting houses and I realized I was going through a reading slump. I was anxious about the move, excited about starting a new chapter, and naturally, reading took a backseat.
Everything changed after I moved into my new place. One thing that immediately made me happy was discovering that Navodaya Book House, a bookstore I’ve been visiting for almost a decade, was nearby. I walked in intending to buy one or two books and, unsurprisingly, walked out carrying five or six. I don’t regret that decision one bit.
The first book I picked up was Katha Keli, a collection of short stories by Malladi Venkata Krishna Murthy. Most of these stories were written during the 70s and 80s, and they still feel incredibly fresh. One thing that amused me throughout the collection was the unusual names of the characters. They felt so rooted in that era that I often smiled every time a new character was introduced. The collection has around fifty stories, and while naturally I liked some more than the others, there were a few that stayed with me. One story revolving around betting was brilliantly written, and another on a mother’s instinct left a lasting impression. It reminded me once again why I enjoy reading short stories so much.
Health and wellness
The biggest milestone of June was undoubtedly completing my first half marathon in Hyderabad.
I’ve been looking forward to this for a long time, and I think it deserves a separate blog post because there are so many stories attached to the preparation, the race itself, and everything that happened around it. For now, I’ll simply say that I’m incredibly happy that I finally did it. It was one of those goals that sat quietly in the back of my mind for months, and finally crossing the finish line made it all worthwhile.
One thing that made the experience even more memorable was Tejas. Although he had registered for the 10K event, after finishing his own race, he waited for me near the finish line with his camera. He recorded videos and clicked pictures of me finishing my very first half marathon. Looking back, I’m really glad he was there because those moments are now captured forever.
Apart from the half marathon, fitness looked a little different this month. A few days before race day, I started experiencing knee pain, so I consciously decided to skip the gym and prioritize recovery. At that point, nothing mattered more than making it to the start line.
After completing the race, I felt like I had earned a few days of doing absolutely nothing. I rested, enjoyed the feeling of finishing my first half marathon, and slowly allowed the knee to recover. Before I could properly get back to the gym, I met with the scooter accident that injured my knee and my palm. That, combined with some travel, meant gym took a complete backseat this month.
I managed only a couple of gym sessions, attended two yoga classes, and did a 5K run before the half marathon, taking my monthly running distance to around 26 kilometres.
I also participated in the Thalassemia Awareness Back-a-thon organized by Blood Warriors Foundation at Gachibowli Stadium with my friend Pranay. The concept was interesting: we walked backwards for around 350 metres while spreading awareness about thalassemia. Before the walk, the organizers explained what the condition is, how it can be detected, and why awareness matters. It felt meaningful to spend a Sunday morning learning something new while also participating in the event. I also met my friend Ajit Sai Krishna there, through whom I had first heard about the event.
Food
There are two places I definitely want to mention this month.
The first is Little Italy. My friend Pranav came over, and we decided to head there for dinner. Having lived in Germany, he had travelled to Italy and tasted authentic pizzas, so I was curious to know what he would think. We ordered garlic bread and a pizza. Easily one of the best pizzas I’ve had. We spent the evening talking over good food, and I know I’ll definitely return there someday.
The second food adventure happened with Bunny after watching the Mayabazar play. We were craving Japanese food because we kept reminiscing about Coco Ichibanya from Japan. We searched Google Maps hoping to find something similar but couldn’t. Eventually, we settled on a restaurant associated with Seven Sisters. The food wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t what we were craving either. Sometimes you don’t miss Japanese food, you simply miss that one particular meal you had in Japan.
One more random thing I did this month was chocolate-coated almonds. I was craving them one day, but instead of buying a packet, I thought I’d try making them myself. I bought Amul dark chocolate, roasted some almonds, added a little salt, melted the chocolate, coated the almonds, and let them cool. They didn’t look store-bought, but they tasted wonderful. Maybe because I had made them myself, they tasted even better.\
Also this month, in terms of meeting people, I ended up meeting quite a few, both familiar faces and complete strangers. One interesting thing I did was attend a Reddit meetup in Hyderabad. It felt both strange and good at the same time. Before going there, I asked myself, “When was the last time I was in a room filled with complete strangers?” I think the answer was my Bhutan trip. After that, I don’t think I ever put myself in a situation where I knew absolutely no one. So, in a way, this meetup was also about stepping outside my comfort zone because I’m not someone who usually walks up to strangers and starts conversations.
I’m only a passive Reddit user. I don’t actively post or comment much, but I happened to come across this meetup announcement. It was held at Haiku Café in Banjara Hills, and I thought, why not? The food was good, but more than that, I enjoyed meeting people from completely different walks of life. One person owned a clothing store, another had recently returned from the US after completing medicine, someone else ran their own architecture firm, a few people were into software, a couple of them were into research, and many others had their own unique stories. It felt nice just sitting in a room where everyone had a different profession, different hobbies, different interests, and different perspectives on life. I also happened to meet a few people with whom I shared common interests, so hopefully I’ll get to meet them again sometime soon.
One final thing that I’d like to talk about is my father’s retirement. After serving in the Revenue Department for 39 years, he retired on 30th June. Watching him sign his retirement papers, listening to my mother and sister speak with tears in their eyes, and then trying to lighten the atmosphere with a few jokes during my own speech is a memory I’ll always cherish. He has spent almost four decades dedicated to his work, often leaving home before I woke up and returning after I slept. Now begins a completely different phase of life for him. I sincerely hope this phase is filled with travel, peace, good health, and everything.
Also, on the day of retirement, we all went to Ranganatha Swamy Temple in Sri Rangapur near Wanaparthy. I’ve been there during my school days and now it feels the same, the same vibe, warmth and breeze.
June was a rollercoaster of emotions. I ran my first half marathon, moved into a place of my own, watched some wonderful films, met new people, spent time with family, witnessed my father’s retirement, and slowly settled into a different phase of life. Looking back now, June feels less like a busy month and more like the beginning of a new chapter.
