You can never tire of some stories. Especially when they are intertwined with the memories of childhood. My Nana’s (Ashok Misra) unfulfilled dreams of becoming an actor in Bollywood is one such story. Not a single day of my childhood in Moradabad passed without him waxing eloquent on showbiz, the films and legendary actors. Nana’s passion for the movies found wholehearted support in his younger brother, who still considers himself the most glamorous in the family. However, like the conservative middle-class father of the black-and-white Hindi film, my great-grandfather opposed the idea of his sons becoming actors. He put them in charge of Arun Press, the printing unit he’d started. But that did little to affect their love for the big screen.
Instead of the sets, Nana made the local studio his temple for acting. The photographer played the director as Nana posed as various actors during elaborate portfolio shoots. He added a touch of drama to everything he said or did. He would break into popular Dev Anand songs and shake a leg with Nani (grandmother), for whom it had become all too routine.
My granduncle’s movie fever made him spend hours in front of the mirror, inspecting his looks from every angle imaginable. Even today, his daily routine includes two hours of self-grooming.
The brothers went to film shoots in Bombay, courtesy of a distant uncle who was the celebrated music composer, Ravi. Mala Sinha, one of the leading ladies of the industry, was a regular visitor at home as well.
Many years later, the brothers went on to publish two film magazines — Arun and Saathi Digest. These magazines became popular in Moradabad and the small towns and villages around it and received photos and interviews of film stars all the way from Bombay. This way, they continued to stoke their interest in Bollywood and remained up-to-date with the industry.
Nana’s story has taught me that dreams do not always die young. This photo series is my attempt to capture the story I grew up with.
The images are inspired by different actors and the characters they portrayed in various films.
(Kannagi Khanna is a Mumbai-based freelance photographer)