‘Bachpan’: Vicky Roy’s Photoseries Underlines That A Happy Childhood Should Be Universal

For Roy, the spirit of childhood is preserved more through a culture of invention and imagination rather than through material resources.

Capturing the essence of childhood requires a compassionate lens, and Vicky Roy’s photoseries Bachpan does just that. Vicky Roy

Published on:

18 Jun 2025, 11:30 am

3 min read

Capturing the essence of childhood requires a compassionate lens, and Vicky Roy’s photoseries, 'Bachpan' does just that — depicting a childhood that, despite its tribulations, holds both sense of magic and mystery. Roy explores the psychology and cultural context behind childhood games by capturing underprivileged children at play, as they rely on themselves as a community and their inventiveness beyond toys and resources.

For Roy, the spirit of childhood is preserved more through a culture of invention and imagination rather than through material resources. Bachpan begins with the belief that play doesn’t require money or possessions, and Roy sees children creating their own communities of leisure as the purest representation of this. The series began during Roy’s travels as a personal means to reconnect with his childhood memories. Over sixteen years, from 2009 to 2025, it has gradually developed into a body of work that embodies this lasting spirit.

“Bachpan is a portrayal of rural India’s realities. But beyond that, it was also a means for me to find my childhood in it. When I saw images of children in rural India, there was an immediate connection to a distant memory of my childhood.”

Vicky Roy

Roy’s work unfolds gradually. Through years of reflection and intention, his ideas take shape. Bachpan began as individual photographs of children, but over time, and through the artist’s travels, it became apparent that childhood is rarely solitary or devoid of connection. The series grew into what it is through a deliberate effort to observe and portray children as part of a community and society.

What sets Bachpan apart is the geographical diversity of each image. Photographed across 15 states in India, the series uncovers a quiet yet powerful common thread: no matter where they are, children will always find a way to enjoy each other’s company.

Vicky Roy’s humble beginnings took him through the rehabilitation programme at New Delhi’s Salaam Baalak Trust, an NGO that strives towards the support, protection and empowerment of street children. Roy's inspiration is a reflection of his own childhood and a fascination with the resilience that childhood holds.