Hemant Chaturvedi, it would seem, revels in shining a light on people frequently left in the shadows or arriving at places that have been left behind. After turning his back on the Hindi film industry and television where he was a highly regarded cinematographer eight years ago, he photographed British-era cemeteries across India, made a documentary on veteran cinematographers (Chhayaankan, 2021), captured 55 retired faculty members for a portrait series on the 150th anniversary of his alma mater, Mumbai's St. Xavier's College, and then, there's this ongoing, pan-Indian single-screen theatre project that is the subject of our discussion over a video call. "Yes, it would seem that I'm the guy, you know, racing the demolition team or the Grim Reaper, so to speak, to a particular place.
But it's not deliberate, it just happened, this gravitating towards people or places that are on the brink of erasure," says Chaturvedi who has filmed, among others, Company (2002), Maqbool (2003). and Brothers (2015) as also, shows like Rendezvous with Simi Garewal and Kaun Banega Crorepati.
Chaturvedi's latest project teed off in 2019, with Lakshmi Talkies, in Allahabad, a theatre built in the 1940s that was on the verge of being demolished. Since then, he has driven over 35,000 kilometres in his Force Gurkha 4X4 around the country, unearthing cinemas with streamlined Art Deco facades and forlorn, crumbling interiors, picking up echoes of the participatory process that was once part of the movie-theatre experience; and meeting a phalanx of characters with grand tales to tell of an age in which owning a cinema was a matter of prestige.
This story is from the January 2023 edition of Man's World.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the January 2023 edition of Man's World.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Why Men Won't Talk About Cosmetic Surgery
While more and more men are visiting aestheticians for invasive treatments, most are still hesitant to talk about it
How Skinny Is Too Skinny?
We're only talking about your jeans, gentlemen
STEERING PANERAI'S COURSE ALESSANDRO FICARELLI CHARTS NEW WATERS
As the vaunted brand's Italian heritage puts on a show at Geneva this spring, we take a closer look at one of the minds behind their latest launches and charismatic storytelling chops, at sea and back on dry land
TRACKING TIME WATCHES AND WONDERS 2024 SPECIAL
WHEN IN GENEVA....
20 Young Talents to Watch Out For
Till a few years ago, India's sporting clout was synonymous with cricket and restricted to a handful of names outside of it. That's no longer the case. We're witnessing a sporting revolution brewing, where a country of over a billion is finally showing its unlimited reserve of extraordinary talent, across the playing field. Leading the charge are these remarkable individuals, who are shaping the narrative for future generations and telling you that sports is serious business on home turf
SHOULDERING A BILLION DREAMS
Silver, Bronze, Gold? Will the third time be a charm for the champion shuttler?
Summer Notes
Scents that will make people ask what you are wearing!
Royal Enfield Himalayan Glimpses Of A Faster Future
The second-gen ADV excels in most departments, shows promise in a few, and raises a rather interesting question: why doesn't Royal Enfield make faster and sportier motorcycles?
My Battle With Anxiety
How It Started; How It Is Going
Newest In Niche Travel A Cool Trip To Attend Your Favourite Gig
A growing number of young Indians are traveling abroad to attend concerts, races, and various other kinds of live events