HYDERABAD: Sometimes, it is hard to look back at our own country without perspective. But photojournalist-author Prashant Panjiar has seen the unseen through his lens. In his book, That Which Is Unseen, he has compiled backstories through photographs he had captured between 1984 and 2001.
The book, released at the Indian Photo Festival launched at the State Gallery of Art, Madhapur, on Thursday, has backstories about the dacoits of Chambal, terrorism in Punjab, the 1984 anti-Sikh riots and their repercussions, refugees, communal conflicts in India, liberalisation, and the lives of the poor and marginalised.
“Until now, it was only my friends and close associates who knew about the stories behind these pictures. Because the stories were interesting, I started jotting them down and finally decided to publish them,” Prashant said. “Some of the pictures were unpublished. They were controversial and taking them was not easy. Many of the films had to be deleted as they were distorted, but a few stayed in tact,” he added.
For Prashant, an independent photographer and curator, the scariest thing was not living with dacoits like Phoolan Devi or Malkhan Singh Rajpoot, but capturing mob violence. “On one hand, I had to make sure that the cops do not get hold of me or else they would snatch my camera and beat me up. At the same time, I also had to save myself from the angry mob. Luckily, it was always a close shave,” recalls Prashant.
However, the dacoits had a very strict moral code — like respect for women. He found some of them friendly. “But this is just my experience,” he added. The seventh edition of the Indian Photo Festival will host a series of events related to photography and editing till December 19. The exhibit has over 1,500 photos by 450 photographers from across 35 countries on display.
What: Indian Photo Festival
Where: State Gallery of Art, Madhapur
When: 10 am-8 pm, till December 19 (including Sundays)
Talks and slideshows: 6 pm-8 pm