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Seeing red
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A recent photo-exhibition displayed the colours and moods of Indian weddings
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The Red Letter Day” is a collection of 60 colour and black and white photographs, on the theme of weddings, recently mounted at Alliance Francaise. Shot by the couple Ronicka Kandhari and Vickrant Mahajan the photos are an insightful perspective on The Great Indian Wedding.
The photos reveal a telling intimacy. Shot at the weddings of friends it is evident that the subject and photographer share a relationship. The relationship renders the photographer into a fly on the wall. Kandhari and Mahajan succeed in capturing genuine moments of joy, anticipation and even sorrow. Mahajan says, “Our work is not documentary. I try to bring out the subtle nuances.”
The exhibition is a result of three years’ work between the husband and wife team. Calling themselves “creative photographers who think on our feet,” Mahajan is attracted to weddings by “the riot of colours and the pageantry in your face.” Having originally met at a photography class six years ago, it seems providential that Kandhari and Mahajan are a photographer couple today. Mahajan explains their technique, “We work only thematically. We collaborate completely. I photo edit. She colour edits.”
Through suggestion
Interestingly, the photos are not all portraits. Instead the bride is created through snapshots of her mehendi decorated feet, bangled hands or her maang with tilak. She becomes mysterious and thus coveted through photos, which suggest her beauty instead of simply displaying it. She is shot through reflections, from the side, from behind and through the veil.
Wedding paraphernalia like the simple conch or even the chuda become nearly poetic in their photos. But some photos are essentially lifestyle shots, where individuality loses out to glamour.
A noticeable absence in the collection is the groom! He appears only briefly. Asked about this Mahajan, replies with a laugh, “It is a realistic feature that women lend themselves more to a beautiful photograph…”
These photos are of the big fat Indian wedding and royalty bordering on opulence are taken for granted. Some of the photo captions would benefit with some pruning.
Mounted in Delhi for merely two days, the photographers preferred a “discreet viewing of their work”. But plans are afoot to take it to Dubai next April. Talks with a gallery in Mumbai are also on. Their next book is on children.
NANDINI NAIR
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Friday Review
Bangalore
Chennai and Tamil Nadu
Delhi
Hyderabad
Thiruvananthapuram
|
