New York City-based Gregory Crewdson is known for his theatrical ‘choreographed’ photographs which explore American life and psyche in their dream-like quality. Seemingly ordinary individuals are captured by his lens in ambiguous and often disquieting situations. Beneath the Roses brings the photographer’s work to India for the first time at Sakshi Art Gallery (Nathalal Parekh Marg, Colaba, Mumbai; Tel. 022-6610 3424) from October 8 until the end of the month.

An Actor’s Inspiration

Concept, interpretation and direction by Bikram Saluja. Photographs by Ronny Sequeira and Hardeep Sachdev

Tennis player-turned-model-turned-actor, Bikram Saluja, has just launched a photographic endeavour that interprets Michael Corleone (Al Pacino) from Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather and Robert De Niro in Martin Scorsese’s Raging Bull in an Indian context through the medium of still photography. He says, “As an actor, I had started to feel like a puppet, where nothing was in my control – I wanted to do something that would let me hone my craft as well as express myself as an artist. I didn’t want people’s perception and the system to dictate what I should do or where I fit in.” He is trying a novel approach: putting film on paper, combining two mediums and mixing them to the point where there is no distinction left.

The picture-series from the book can be seen in the form of a photo exhibit at Tao Art Gallery (165 Dr. Annie Besant Road, Worli, Mumbai; Tel: 022-24918585) from October 12 to 23. After which, the exhibit moves to PVR Phoenix Mills and PVR Juhu and then onto Delhi and Bangalore. The book will also be on display at Crossword book stores.

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