DEATH is strange. Stranger is the way we react to death. Depending on the equation, a simple "RIP" works in some cases, but some deaths rip apart your soul.
Suddenly, memories are jolted out of their slumber. They stretch like a cat and force you to think of the last conversation, or the last meeting. Was it nice? Did it end up in a fight? Did we argue about something? That last trip. That night out. Did we really drink that much? Was there an unfulfilled promise? What about that time when that idiot screwed me over on that deal? You are flooded with memories. Something as simple as an onion could remind you of the person.
Two photographers, both senior colleagues at some point, passed away recently while I was in the UK. The very tiny, insular and rabidly-fenced "art world" will never know about their existence so I guess for them their departure matters even less. But the Indian news industry mules were quite aware of the two.
Prashant Nadkar-My "short-fused" friend
When I was starting out, bunking Xavier's (Mumbai) to hang out with my mentor, counsellor and now friend, A Srinivas (The Indian Express), was routine. He is lovingly known as Srini or fukya-for the number of cigarettes he smokes. In an earlier life, Srini was an Amrutanjan balm salesman but he always had a penchant for weird stuff.
Once, he took me on a weekend bike trip to Murud as he wanted to photograph a bullock cart race on the beach. But I think that was just an excuse to get out of Mumbai, go to a beach and have a couple of beers! (Prashant) Nadkar, who was with The Week then, and I were both "students" of Srini. After our Murud trip, I did a few assignments for him with cut rolls handed over to me by Srini. I am guessing you know what a cut roll is.
Denne historien er fra June 21, 2023-utgaven av Outlook.
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Denne historien er fra June 21, 2023-utgaven av Outlook.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Layers Of Lear
Director Rajat Kapoor and actor Vinay Pathak's ode to Shakespeare is an experience to behold
Loss and Longing
Memories can be painful, but they also make life more meaningful
Suprabhatham Sub Judice
M.S. Subbulakshmi decided the fate of her memorials a long time ago
Fortress of Desire
A performance titled 'A Streetcart Named Desire', featuring Indian and international artists and performers, explored different desires through an unusual act on a full moon night at the Gwalior Fort
Of Hope and Hopelessness
The body appears as light in Payal Kapadia's film
Ruptured Lives
A visit to Bangladesh in 2010 shaped the author's novel, a sensitively sketched tale of migrants' struggles
The Big Book
The Big Book of Odia Literature is a groundbreaking work that provides readers with a comprehensive introduction to the rich and varied literary traditions of Odisha
How to Refuse the Generous Thief
The poet uses all the available arsenal in English to write the most anti-colonial poetry
The Freedom Compartment
#traindiaries is a photo journal shot in the ladies coaches of Mumbai locals. It explores how women engage and familiarise themselves with spaces by building relationships with complete strangers
Love, Up in the Clouds
Manikbabur Megh is an unusual love story about a man falling for a cloud. Amborish Roychoudhury discusses the process of Manikbabu's creation with actor Chandan Sen and director Abhinandan Banerjee
