Photobook Award 2016 | Photojaanic


We are pleased to announce the result for the Photojaanic Photobook Grant 2016.The grant has been awarded to the project – Life after Ritwik Ghatak – by the grandaunt-grandniece duo Surama Devi and Nabarupa Bhattacharjee. We received some high quality proposals from a spread of backgrounds and topics. We are grateful to all the applicants for sharing their ideas with us and look forward to supporting them in the future.

The selected photobook project will explore the memories of 90-year old Surama Devi, wife of filmmaker Ritwik Ghatak. The authors seek to understand the presence and impact of Ritwik Ghatak in their lives long after his death. Ghatak (1925 – 1976) was a Bengali filmmaker and scriptwriter known for his contribution to independent cinema in India, and is considered a legend in the Indian film industry. One of the pioneering directors along with prominent film-makers Satyajit Ray and Mrinal Sen, Ghatak’s cinema is remembered for its meticulous depiction of social reality.

This grant will provide an opportunity for youngsters to engage with their history and for their elderly collaborators to re-visit and share their memories. They can trace their cultural, social or family history. This grant will support making of such a book.

Ghatak’s personal life is known to be turbulent. His alcoholism forced his wife to separate from him and take on the hardships of bringing up their three children. Despite the separation, Ghatak continues to impact and influence the life of his family. Naparupa will explore this aspect through the memories shared by Surama. While a lot has been written on the life and work of the filmmaker (including two books by Surama Devi), this photobook will be a first to present a photo based narrative about Ghatak.

Learn more about the project here: newvision.io/photobook-grant/