Popular Tolly actor Priyanka Sarkar, known for her stellar performances and stunning looks, has now posed for a glamourous, fashion photoshoot, depicting the sartorial styles of urban women in 20th century Bengal, for fashion photographer Tathagata Ghosh. “I have been doing a few commercials, and being an actor, I have always preferred performing in motion. Capturing different emotions in a still frame, on the other hand, was very interesting to do. As an actor, I tried to bring out the emotions behind the photo story in each frame that Tathagata has captured. You will see me happy in one frame, placid in another and pensive in yet another frame. It was a really interesting and unique project, shot completely in black-and-white, in a style that has not yet been done in Bengal, and I was glad to be a part of it,” says a visibly excited Priyanka, who is also currently busy shooting for filmmaker Birsa Dasgupta’s next movie.
Dress to impress: “I love casual dressing. During summers, it’s always cotton — it can be a pair of shorts or a maxi dress. But my all-time favourite outfit is a pair of jeans and a black T-shirt as black is my favourite colour. When I am happy and bright, I bring out the scarlet reds, pinks and orange tops, but usually, I love shades of pastel.”
Accessorise right: “I don’t wear a lot of accessories. I only love wearing watches, and I prefer chunky ones with leather belts. I love Swiss military watches with round dials.”
Step in style: “I am a shoe addict, and I own more than 150 pairs currently. Even two days back, I bought a lovely lime yellow pair of stilettos, as right now, I have a stiletto fetish. I have different types of shoes from pumps, sports shoes and flats to platforms and stilettos.”
Studio fix: “I am not into too much make-up, and stick to basics for my daily look. I have a dark-circle problem since childhood, and so I use a light concealer and a BB cream, as it also moisturises the skin. Mac studio fix, a tinted lip balm and mascara are my constant companions.” Mane matters “I have dry skin, so I religiously remove make-up and use a toner and moisturiser. I eat healthy, including a lot of fruits, vegetables and water in my diet. I have forgotten the last time I went for a hair spa. I oil my hair with Argan oil thrice a week, and also opt for a full-body oil massage.”
Profile: Behind the lens
Tathagata Ghosh has framed many a Bollywood star, including Manisha Koirala, Huma Qureshi and Tapsee Pannu, and his subjects from Tollywood count every major mover and shaker around — from Prosenjit Chatterjee, Koel Mallick, Nusrat Jahan, Mimi Chakraborty, Raima Sen and Priyanka Sarkar to Paoli Dam, Sohini Sarkar, Abir Chatterjee, Jeet and Jisshu Sengupta. Tathagata has created photo magic with them all, and his list of celebrity shoots continues to grow. The non-conforming photographer has always been experimental with all of his sartorial shoots.
The exhibitions of his fashion shoots since 2012, in Kolkata and Bengaluru, came in for much appreciation. “I had not exhibited in the past two years, as I was planning an elaborate photo story,” explains the 29-year-old talented Ghosh, whose exhibition Awaiting, on tales of urban women and their sartorial styles from the Tagorean era, will be on display from today until May 12, at the Indian Council for Cultural Relations. “I chose Tagore as a point of reference to depict sartorial styles of 20th century Bengal, because, in his stories, there are a lot of urban women who are strong and possess an individual fashion sense. I have tried to capture a day in a woman’s life from that era,” offers Ghosh, who chose actor Priyanka Sarkar to model for the story.
Renowned artist Abhijit Chanda has worked the make-up, while the shoot was styled by Oindrilla Bose. So, what does it take to become a leading fashion photographer, we ask. He replies, “A sense of composition is most important, apart from knowing the subject. One should also be aware of what kind of consumers he is shooting for, before deciding on creative aspects. The best thing is to start assisting a photographer, to learn the ropes of the trade,” offers Ghosh, who first picked up a camera at age six, encouraged by his indulgent grandfather.
Awaiting will be on display until May 12, at Indian Council for Cultural Relations. Details: 90383-40400.
sharmishtha.g @newindianexpress.com
@sharmidas