Two Indian cultural icons in their own right, DAYANITA SINGH shares an unusual guru-shishya relationship with the virtuoso ZAKIR HUSSAIN. She tells Vogue how he helped make her the photographer she is today
SHE BRINGS ME BACK TO MYSELF
Some years ago Zakir sent me a text saying he was walking through the Venice Biennale and was proud to see my work there. Being my cheeky self, I replied, “Maybe we can say I’m also a star now.” And he said, “Sweetheart, I hope you never think of yourself as a star because the day you do, it will be over.” He still teaches me. Zakir has always had an opinion about my choices and words, be it with boyfriends or photography—he brings me back to myself. He questions me enough to make me realise what it is I truly want. Somewhere, somehow, he saw that I was capable of more. That’s all I can surmise.
HE MADE ME WANT TO BECOME A PHOTOGRAPHER
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