Reader’s Digest India – August 2019

Culturescape

FOR YEARS AFTER his

death, the photos of

Kulwant Roy, a photo-

grapher who recorded

many famous Indian

leaders and freedom

fighters, remained

neglected. They were

finally unearthed by

his family friend,

Aditya Arya, over 20

years after his death.

Roy’s photographs

were taken during times

when film was in short

supply and photogra-

phers would have to

shoot in one frame,

requiring them to men-

tally compose the image

before clicking it. The

proximity of the photo-

grapher to their subject

also revealed the per-

sonal equation they

often shared.

The Argument re-

ceived attention not

only for capturing a mo-

ment in history but also

foreshadowing the

conflict between

Mohammed Ali Jinnah

and Gandhi. The speci-

fics of the exchange is

best left to the imagina-

tion of the viewer, but

the animated gestures

of the two, coupled

with Jinnah’s incredu-

lous expression, per-

fectly depicts their

stormy rapport well-

known to the public.

— BY GAYATHRI SANKAR

The Argument, by Kulwant Roy

Silver Bromide Print, Dimensions Unspecified, 1946– 47

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