A Click Away

Vikas Vasudev’s repertoire includes photoshoots for brands,advertisements and fashion among others. When not on assignments,Vasudev,a freelance photographer wanders away for what he calls “personal projects”. Portraits are in abundance in his travels,which include places such as Baltistan in the Pakistan-administered province of Kashmir,or more recently,Zanskar in Ladakh. Vasudev’s journeys brings him to this maiden exhibition,his four-day expedition to Zanskar,which he calls “Immanence”. Initially confused with the agony and the ecstasy of isolation,Vasudev hit a moment. “Somewhere along that journey,stumbling up the mountains,when the mid-day sun was burning a hole in my head,it hit me,that it didn’t matter,nothing did. At that moment all wants and desires had escaped my soul,my mind was completely thought-less,something I never knew was possible,” says Vasudev. His revelations merge with the people he met along the way at the exhibition.

Film Fetish

Ram Aur Shyam by Kannagi Khanna,24

Last year,Kannagi Khanna was the youngest entry at the festival,where her series called “Hollywood” had women from a slum in Ahmedabad pose with posters of Julia Roberts,Audrey Hepburn and Drew Barrymore. This year,it’s a reflection on her grandfather’s unfulfilled dreams of being in Bollywood. His brother and he dreamt of becoming actors and Khanna grew up listening to actors’ mimics and singing Bollywood songs. In this series,they pose as actors from different movies of their era. “I’m excited that he’ll be there at the exhibition,” says Khanna.

Car-o-baar

Goodbye Padmini by Aparna Jayakumar,29

The Premiere Padmini taxis of Mumbai are the focus point of Aparna Jayakumar’s exhibition. “Through the disappearing taxis,I want to tell the story of Mumbai — a city in flux,rapidly changing,ever-ready to throw out the old and embrace the new,” says Jayakumar in her note. The taxis have been ordered to be replaced with new vehicles,many of which are unaffordable to the drivers,immigrants who flocked the city for a better livelihood. In “Goodbye Padmini”,Jayakumar captures the black-and-yellow taxis against the backdrop of the cinematic,rain-dominated city,conversations between the drivers and the colourful interiors,decorated with scribbles,film posters and tiny idols of deities.

Beach Watch

Mad on Stars by Nathan G,37

Chennai’s Marina Beach is also a studio. Nathan G’s exhibition “Mad on Stars” captures these “makeshift studios”,where for Rs 25,you can click a picture with a cardboard cut-out of your favourite stars. Rajnikanth tops the list,but the lines next to cut outs of Kareena Kapoor,Asin and MS Dhoni are equally buzzing with awkward,yet star-struck Chennaites,who with combs and jewellery,beautify themselves to match up to the stars. “It’s almost as if Bollywood and Tamil film stars and Indian cricketers will wait for you in open studios on the sands of Marina beach,” says Nathan in his note.