secrecy, pretence and multiple identities'
I) Tell us a little bit about how the idea of the project came about.
I’d been meaning to collaborate on a shoot with Himanshu for the longest time, wherein we could explore his versatility as a performer. Plus with strong menswear designers such as Reboot and Poco & Jacky having had debuted their labels this season, I was inclined towards doing a strong menswear shoot with a strong narrative at its core.
II) What were the creative dynamics between the team like, and how did you guys go about conceptualising the shoot?
We adopted a fairly guerrilla-esque technique while shooting on the streets of Chapel road and Waroda road. The team met for the first time on the day of the shoot and were instantly in sync as far as wavelengths were concerned. Improvisation played a huge role and we kept feeding off of each others’ creative energies & ideas.
Overcoat, Poco & Jacky; Jacket and pants, Reboot by Anuj Bhutani.
III) Who were your biggest influences for this shoot, as a team?
There were a wide gamut of influences on this particular shoot. Legendary actors such as Humphrey Bogart and Orson Welles, speculated Illuminati kingpins and mythic inter-galactic space agents were the points of reference for this shoot.
IV) Himanshu - how did you choose the characters you wanted to take on for the shoot? How do you feel your background in theatre has featured into this?
In our discussions, we were inclining towards secret societies, cults, symbolism etc. So the 'characters' for this shoot had to embody the qualities of secrecy, pretence, multiple identities and so on. My background in theatre has featured into this in every way possible. Theatre is all about creating a world of make-believe, putting up a 'show' and transcending space-time constructs. This shoot borrowed heavily from such ideas.
V) Since each frame is so starkly different from another, what is it that makes ‘Pluto Nash’ a cohesive series?
Apart from the continuing colour story, that is prevalent in each frame, there is also a high sense of drama that binds each frame with the other.
VI) Tell us about some of the moods you explored.
In terms of mood, we aimed for a mix of 'mystical and sombre', keeping it rather underplayed.
VII) Tell us about your use of colours for the shoot.
Shooting on Chapel road and Waroda road, it is difficult to steer away from colour(given the rather vibrant street art that adorns the walls of buildings on the two roads). However we tried to streamline the tones we wanted to imbibe in the pictures. For me personally, the blues, browns & lush autumn tones stand out.
VIII) What is the idea behind juxtaposition in the images?
The juxtaposition by way of the imagery is meant to serve as a hyperbole, intended to drive home the point to the viewer, which in this case was that the environment influenced the story as much as the story influenced the environment (with people gathering around every time we stopped to shoot).
IX) Tell us about three primary things you kept in mind while styling for the shoot.
The three things I kept in mind while styling this particular shoot are three things I usually consider while styling a shoot for TSD Magazine – to present the subject in the best possible light, to ensure that the shoot is in keeping with the aesthetic of TSD Magazine, and thirdly to ensure that something ‘new’ is being presented/documented.
X) Tell us about the one feeling you hope ‘Pluto Nash’ can make a viewer experience.
I believe, that fashion, if done right, can be as powerful a medium as art. An editorial should have the power to go beyond the banality of fashion and compel the viewer to sit up and take notice, if even for a few seconds. I hope ‘Pluto Nash’ has the same impact on the people who view it.
Braided feather necklaces(worn on head), Dryaad by Parisa B; Sunglasses, Blur; Printed blazer and button down shirt, Reboot by Anuj Bhutani.
Images: Rohit Khanvilkar
Model: Himanshu Singh
Stylist: Vikram Hazarika Sharma
