FILTHY GORGEOUS - FROM CALCUTTA, WITH LOVE

I got the amazing opportunity to chat with Alex and Max Vadukul (yes, THAT Max Vadukul), the writer - photographer/father - son duo who set out to  Calcutta this past summer to document the somewhat lost cultural abyss that resides within the city for the travel issue of the T: New York Times Style Magazine. 

If you're not acquainted with their work, check out their websites here and here. Below are some selected excerpts from my conversation with them. This is the article, an absolute must read, both because of the stunning imagery and the excellent writing. It digs deeper and asks questions ignored so far, interviewing artists, writers, filmmakers and actors of the cultural bedrock of India.

THIS is my favorite bit, such a fun video documenting the journey. A behind the scenes look. Here are some mini profiles of the interviewed personalities including Suhasini Kejriwal, Raima Sen, Mrinal Sen, Rituparno Ghosh, etc. 

Max and Alex Vadukul in Calcutta

Q.  What your perception of India was (as a whole, not just Calcutta) prior to your first visit here. And have you, Max, ever been here before without Alex maybe as a child or..?

Alex: I had been to India before. As the piece explains, I travelled there with my family in 2005. I was younger, and thus less mature, so the trip did not have the resonance it would later. I could not connect with the huge amounts of new cultural information I was facing. My perception however was always of a strong vast and beautiful country, with a rich culture and heritage, and a very affable and intelligent people. Because of my father I did have a basic connection with Indian culture, and I was always fond of it.

Max: First time I went to India was with my brother in like 1987. In Jaipur. I was confined to a local area - on assignment - so I could only see so much. We had to pull together like 20 elephants for the shoot, a French company similar to Ikea. I just remember the colors striking me. Such extraordinary colors on everybody everyday. The curiousity of the locals in the area at that time was strange - I could almost get anybody to do anything. They were happy to try something new. It was an experience for my brother too. All in all I'd say I felt very much at home minus the comforts of life in England.

Q. Max, as someone who's been to other parts of India, how would you say Calcutta is unique and stands out?

 A: Good question. It's an intellectual powerhouse. It's a bit like Cuba really. In decay. Badly in need of fresh blood. It's also fascinating that it was the imperial capital of GB. It stands out because books, not so much technology, but books, and reading, are still very important there. It also stands out because it's very dirty, yet beautiful. It's very unexpected. So many secrets in that city. Underatted to is the cuisine of Kolkata. Not so spicy. Not so hot. Things are prepared with mustard. Classic Bengali flavors. I loved them.

A: Definitely. The decay is one of the most interesting characteristics of the city. It is harsh but beautiful at the same time, and it extends across the sprawling city. The faded quality of the city almost freezes the city in time. As Max said, Kolkata bear resemblance to Cuba in this way - or rather Cuba bears resemblance to Kolkata. The decay leaves Kolkata mysterious and open to interpretation. Big shiny corporate buildings and skylines leave little to the imagination, and Kolkata may be stronger for not having them in myriad supply.

Q: Do you think the fact that that aspect of cultural richness- the music, art, literature is sort of forgotten and not exactly mainstream adds to the charm?

Alex: I think Kolkatans are very proud of it. Some Kolkatans we encountered wouldn't let you forget it! And I think that's a great thing. As I haven't spent intimate time recently in the rest of the country I wouldn't understand how the city is percieved, but I'm sure that the city's rich culture is perhaps not as appreciated anymore. I recall running into a man from Gujrat in Kolkata. He was in town on a business trip, and seemed utterly shocked. I approached him hoping to get a comment on what he thought of the city. He bluntly said something along the lines of: "I hope I never have to come here again." I was surprised, but I also understood that not everyone has the patience to approach a city from a cultural perspective. Many simply look at something and take it at face value. In my personal opinion however, even if you don't know about the city's culture, Kolkata has lots of offer. I was really charmed by it. To the original question, I think it would be a shame if people began to overlook the city's very rich cultural heritage. But yes, the fact that the whole country is charging forwards while Kolkata is sort of pleasantly ambling along is charming.

Mrinal Sen 

Q. Who was the first personality you interviewed?

Alex:  Mrinal Sen. It was on our first day (after arrival). We were totally jet-lagged and sleepy. That sleepiness would continue for a few days, but we had to push past it and make the most of our days, exploring the city, following leads, and conducting the interviews. Mrinal was a delight to interview. A real gentleman with lots of wisdom to offer. It was a real honor for us to speak with him. He was very corteous to let us do it.

Max: He is from a bygone era. It's gone. He looked to me like somebody completely cut off from the modern world, living through his memories. After all, that's all you have. He represents the best of India: he was a great host, polite, patient, also strikingly handsome with his silver hair. If anybody thinks about an Indian gentleman, he's who I think about.

Alex: Also, Mrinal was interesting for us because he is very passionate about Kolkata. He says he's never been able to leave the city for more than ten days. He has a very close - and touching - attachment to the city. I respected that. It reminded me of New Yorkers.

Q: Interesting parallel. Okay, Mrinal Sen's work is largely either very politically inclined or artsy, exploring the worse aspects of the new Indian middle class (at the time). Did you get a chance to see any of his work and how did you identify/what did you think?

Max: We saw Bhuvan Shome, his classic. It's an excellent work. I wish we'd seen more, however. One of our subjects, Suhasini Kejriwal gave us a great book about his work. When I have the time I'll make sure to watch more. From the little I saw, however, he fits the movies he makes.

Artist Suhasini Kejriwal 

Q. Out of all of your subjects, which would you say struck you the most as inherently unique to Bengali culture?

Alex: That's a hard question. I'd say all of the subjects displayed the warm hospitable traits of Bengali culture. All the subjects had a bond with the city, including Amit Chaudhuri, who is not originally from Kolkata. Personally, however, I'd have to say Mrinal Sen and Tanya Sen struck me as particularly "Bengali." It's interesting too, as they are on completely opposite sides of the age spectrum. Tanya represents the young Kolkatan - a combination of old and new culture - and Mrinal is a proponent of the city's robust cultural history. So meeting them was very informative in that sense, but then again, all the subjects taught me different things about the city and about Bengali culture, so it would be tricky to set any of them apart. 

Max: There were all different. It's not a simple matter of black and white. I don't think there's one person I photographed who didn't display the common Bengali traits. I'd have to say Mrinal Sen, however, perhaps because he's lived such a long life. He's accumulated so many experiences and memories. Tanya was very Bengali. 

Q. What were your favorite parts of Calcutta? Any little places you especially came to like to visit?

What do you take away from this experience?

Alex: I found the whole city stimulating, but I had particular fondness for College Street. All those bookstores and small publishers. Even if the area isn't as exciting as it once was you can still sense the rich intellectual culture that was once there - especially so at the Coffee House. I loved it there. I can still remember the taste of the coffee. You see lots of regulars, some who have frequented it for years, and they all have stories to tell. I also loved the Someplace Else Pub on Park Street. As you can see in the video that accompanies the article online, I had the lucky pleasure of playing on their stage. Tanya Sen invited me up. I also enjoyed the Ballygunge neighborhood. As I said, it was all exciting for me. One more: the Arsalan restaurant. I had the most incredible biryani at Arsalan. I'd heard about them from countless locals and didn't understand the fuss until I finally tried it.

It was an interesting assignment. I don't think Max and I really knew what to expect. Even though we'd been to India before, Kolkata was something different. It just swallowed us in. We were surrounded by new experiences. We just had to let go and be willing to absorb as much as we could. In regards to reporting, I was thrown into a completely new environment, so it was exciting to gather all this new information. Every interview was an experience. Working with Max created interesting chemistry, but as I'd expected, we got along very well. I don't think I've ever spent (in recent years) that much time in his constant proximity, but we didn't try to kill each other, so I think that's a good sign. We probably came back closer than we were before.

Max: I must say I quite liked Someplace Else - it was a place where I could find a bit of the West meets the East. I liked College street. I liked the Coffee House. I was fascinated by the Queen Victoria Memorial. I really loved the area near the Howrah Bridge, where I photographed the Kusti wrestlers. And I loved the Peter Cat Restaurant - the funny decorations, cartoons on the napkins, and the sizzlers.

Aside from getting to experience the city, it was very interesting working with my son. I was suspicious at first. I'd never seen him work, and as a father you always think of your child in a certain way, but that was all quickly put aside. Our relationship was very professional. It was a great boding experience, too. He's far more adventurous than I am in in trying new experiences, so that pushed me. I look forward to hopefully working with him again, perhaps in India. And of course, I very much fell for the city. I made lots of friends there. The other great thing is I know I'm going to go back there.

Raima Sen in her family home 

Musician Tanya Sen

Follow Alex & Max on Twitter: @alexvadukul and @maxvadukul 

(All images property of New York Times and Max Vadukul) 

Arushi x

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