"It is difficult to define Navroze Contractor because he did so many things—he was a cinematographer, an exceptional photographer, a writer, and a passionate biker,” says photographer Anuj Ambalal, curator of ‘Photography Strictly Prohibited,’ currently on view at Museo Camera Centre for the Photographic Arts in Gurugram. “He was a jack of all trades,” he adds.
Contractor, best known for his cinematography in the parallel cinema movement, worked on Mani Kaul’s Duvidha (1973), Percy (1989), and Lalach (1983). His documentary credits include Are You Listening?, All in the Family, and Famine 87.
As a photographer, “he liked to capture movement and emotion in pictures. That was what drove him,” says Ambalal. His journey began in 1957 when he saw ‘The Family of Man’ exhibition at Ahmedabad’s Sanskar Kendra. Mesmerised by its celebration of humanity, he told his mother, “I want to be a photographer when I grow up.”
The exhibition showcases over 160 photographs from 20,000 archives, spanning six decades from 1960 to 2021. Many had never been publicly displayed before. Alongside the exhibition, the book Photography Strictly Prohibited expands on his work through interviews and essays.
Curated by Anuj Ambalal, Himanshu Panchal, and Sanjiv Shah, narrowing down the selection was a challenge. “Navroze never worked in series—most of his images were standalone photographs, which made it difficult to decide whether to arrange them chronologically or thematically,” says Ambalal. “Ultimately, we chose images that best reflected Navroze’s perspective on life, making that our guiding theme.”
People as subjects
Structured thematically, the exhibition threads together intersecting concepts from his work. It includes photographs from China, taken during the filming of Dreams of the Dragon’s Children (1985), as well as his renowned jazz and wrestling series. His travel photography captures labourers in Rajasthan and Gujarat, Tibetan refugees in Ladakh, the Shaheen Bagh protests, and ballet performances in Paris and Argentina.
Despite the varied themes, one remained constant: people. His frames always included at least one human figure. “He wasn’t someone who could spend time alone,” Ambalal recalls. “Even when we travelled for exhibitions, he would always find a way to engage with people—over tea, coffee, or dinner. That’s why his photographs rarely lack a human presence.”
His lens often focused on labourers and skilled workers—construction workers, roadside key-makers, shopkeepers, welders, and carpenters. “Navroze was fascinated by those who worked with their hands,” says Ambalal. “Welders, craftsmen, masons—he deeply respected their craft, and you can see that reverence in his photographs.” From women at work in shops and men in construction sites from Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Gujarat—his photographs captured daily life with empathy and nuance. Further, his documentation of migrant communities in Ladakh and monks at Gangtok Monastery in Sikkim (1996) highlights his human-centred approach.
Jazz and wrestling
“Navroze brought his individuality into every frame,” says Ambalal. “His photography was an extension of who he was—his convictions, his empathy, his experiences.” Nowhere is this clearer than in his jazz photography. His love for jazz began in the late 1950s when he first heard it in Bombay’s thriving music scene. “He said that the first time he heard jazz, he was captivated by the sound,” says Ambalal.
His black-and-white portraits of jazz musicians transport spectators to dimly lit concert halls, capturing the essence of performance. Some of his works, now displayed at the Smithsonian Museum, preserve intimate moments between musicians and their craft. “He followed jazz bands, befriended musicians, and sought out underground performances,” says Ambalal. “He never missed an opportunity to experience live jazz.”
Beyond jazz, Contractor was also drawn to Hindustani classical and Carnatic music. His frames showcase Bhil tribal musicians from Gujarat and Jodhpur, captured in 1967 and 1975.
Contractor was also fascinated by akhara culture, documenting wrestlers at Maruti Akhada in Dharwar, Karnataka in 2013. “Growing up in Ahmedabad, there were no gyms—akhadas were the only spaces for fitness. As a child, he would watch people train in wrestling pits, and that fascination stayed with him,” Ambalal explains.
In the 2010s, he returned to Ahmedabad’s akharas, rediscovering the culture and documenting it through his lens. This journey led him to Dharwad, where he captured traditional kushti wrestling. “He was so captivated that he wanted to make a documentary. He even shot footage, but it was never completed,” says Ambalal.
A photographer for himself
Aditya Arya, founder of Museo Camera, emphasises the significance of showcasing Contractor’s work in a space dedicated to photographic history. “These images are visual archives. They capture a world that today’s generation has little idea about—how films were shot, how photography evolved. There is a historic significance in these documentary works, and it’s important to share them to keep these stories alive.”
Contractor’s photography was deeply personal. “He didn’t create images for exhibitions or commercial purposes. He shot for himself, capturing moments that moved him,” says Ambalal. “That’s what makes his work so special.”
His connection with his subjects—whether an artist with their muse or a photographer with their subject—was intimate. “If you look into the eyes of the children in his photographs, you can feel their interaction with him. That kind of connection isn’t something every photographer can achieve,” Ambalal adds.
On view at the Museo Camera Centre for the Photographic Arts, Gurugram, till March 16