11/02/2025
"1 hour, 1 look, and a lesson in adaptability. 🎭📸"
Early in my career, I had the honor of photographing the legendary Naseeruddin Shah for an M Magazine cover, styled by .desouza, at NCPA Mumbai. It was a tight schedule—he was deeply involved in rehearsals for the Motley Festival, one of the biggest theatre festivals back then.
Initially, we were allotted an hour, including his interview. But as rehearsals ran longer, my available time kept shrinking. By the time he stepped in front of my camera, the sunlight had changed drastically, and I had to rely entirely on instinct, experience, and understanding of light to make it work.
No second outfit changes, just one look—blazer on, blazer off. But in those few minutes, his presence, depth, and strength in front of the camera were unmistakable. Sometimes, it’s about making the most of the moment you’re given.
Rather than sharing the digital images, I’m posting the magazine printout—for two reasons:
A) I had the opportunity to work with Naseer sir again later (a story for another day), but this particular cover holds something special—his autograph. If you look closely, you’ll see the signed copy, a keepsake I’ve treasured ever since.
B) The brilliant layout and design by and Azad Mohan made it look like a meticulously planned shoot.
Sometimes, the final presentation gives a whole new life to an image. Let me know what you think!
