09 August,2014 07:05 AM IST | | Ruchika Kher
British-Indian photographer Ram Shergill, who has captured several celebrities in his frames is now set to present his works in the city as part of his first exhibition in India. In an email interview, the London-based photographer speaks of his homecoming and the scope of photography in India
Kaleidoscopic Kiss
Q. Why did you finally decide to exhibit you works here?
A. I was asked if I would like to show my works in Mumbai. I thought it would be a fantastic idea, so here I am.
The photograph shot by Ram Shergill, titled Kaleidoscopic Kiss, which will be part of the exhibition. Pics courtesy/Ram Shergill / Tasveer & Vacheron Constantin
Q. What did you want to bring forth with this exhibition?
A. As this is my first exhibition in the country, I thought it would be fitting to have some relevance to India.
Photograph titled Floating in Couture
Q. How close a connect do you share with India and what do you have to say about the burgeoning interest in photography in the country?
A. I have a very close connection with India, as I am a British born Indian. We still have family in India. I feel that this country is my birthplace as this is where all the generations of my family have come from. As far as the photography scene is concerned, I feel the growing interest in art and photography in India is amazing. Indians are generally a very visual race; one only has to drive in India for a few minutes and a wealth of colour, drama and surprise can be witnessed at every juncture. It is a pleasure to see India embracing art and photography in such an optimistic way.
Fluid Fantasy, Nevada, USA
Q. You have photographed the who's who of showbiz. Who is your favourite and why?
A. I loved working with Amitabh Bachchan and Dame Judi Dench; both are iconic performers, and are a pleasure to
work with.
Inside the Prism
Q. When you shoot celebrities, how easy or difficult is it to fulfill their expectations while keeping your creativity intact?
A. I always feel creative with celebrities as they have multi-faceted personalities, especially as they have to put on a different face for a film or a performance. I like this complexity in humans and I feel that this multi-coloured kalaeidoscope of human nature is intriguing.
Rainbow Nation is one of the clicks that will be part of the photography exhibition
Q. Which Indian celebrity would you love to photograph and why?
A. I have worked with some of the most iconic stars of India and I would like to continue to work with them. This apart, I would have really liked to work with actors like Raj Kapoor and Nargis. I strongly feel they were true artistes and legends of their time and are even till this day.
