THREE FILMS, JOURNEYS

For the past seven years Purandar Chaudhuri has been straddling the world of films and occupying a senior managerial position at a coffee chain. His three films, screened for the first time in Delhi, explore themes of migration, ageing, and the search for meaning in everyday life.

- PANKIL JHAJHRIA

A still from the film, Impressions of Mingling

A poet may write a poem, a painter may paint. Film is the medium I understand, so I respond through cinema, said filmmaker Purandar Chaudhuri.

Three films — Dhushor (2023), Tremors (2025), and Impressions of Mingling (2026) — centred on themes of migration, travel, ageing, and survival, are his responses to the human condition.

'A Voyage to Permanence', a multidisciplinary exhibition, featuring screenings of the three films alongside alternative photographic prints of stills, opened at the Visual Arts Gallery of India Habitat Centre on Wednesday. Curated by art historian and critic Johny ML and presented by gallerist and art consultant Jooby Yohannan, the exhibition wrapped up yesterday.

Chaudhuri is a self-taught filmmaker. He currently works with Cafe Coffee Day in a senior managerial position and has been associated with the brand for nearly three decades as part of its founding team.

The exhibition opened with stills from Impressions of Mingling, evoking stories of migration and survival away from one's homeland. Most of the photographs are selenium-toned kallitype prints on paper, lending them the appearance of vintage photographs. The series was shot across three cities — Delhi, Mumbai, and Kolkata.