PIXELS OF PERSPECTIVES

How can imagery and photography change viewers' outlooks? A discussion held as part of Chennai Photo Biennale delved into this topic with three creators

- DIYA MARIA GEORGE

The image of Peter Rabbit — tiny paws tucked into a blue waistcoat — has enchanted children for over a century. Filmmaker Faraz Ansari still finds magic in that visual. "I grew up reading Beatrix Potter's books, and Peter Rabbit is such a powerful and charming visual. It's incredible to think that a woman in the late 1800s or early 1900s decided to dress a pet rabbit in a waistcoat. It's absurdly adorable, and it gives future generations of children something to dream about," he said.

The power of imagery — how it shapes stories, emotions, and representation — was at the heart of the panel discussion, The Cinematic Lens: Emotion as an Essence of Visual Narratives. Held at The Park, Chennai, as part of the fourth edition of the Chennai Photo Biennale, the conversation brought together filmmaker Faraz, visual artist and photographer Taha Ahmad, and Malini Jeevarathnam, founder of Veytikaari Productions. Moderated by The New Indian Express' executive editor (Entertainment) Sudhir Srinivasan, the panel explored the intersections of cinema, photography, and identity.

From photography to film Where do cinema and photography meet? The discussion kicked off with this question, and for Taha, the answer was deeply personal. "I started photography during my second year of college. I fell in love with a girl who was into fashion photography, and that's how it all began. I had no prior exposure to the visual medium —I initially wanted to be an illustrator. But when she invited me to one of her shoots, I saw it as an opportunity to get closer to her. That's how I started assisting a photographer named Sandeep Biswas, who worked with the UN. Through him, I was introduced to humanitarian photography."