35MM FILM—21-23 BOM
GHODA
BAZAAR
When I was a boy, I used to go to a beach in Versova, Mumbai. In a city filled with constant development—bridges and trains crisscrossing the skies—Versova Beach felt like a world of its own, and it soon became my escape. A time capsule that stood strong in a rapidly changing world. The horses were a source of comfort for me.As I grew a little older, I realized the passengers wanted their bang for their buck, the horses just wanted rest, and the riders simply wanted to get paid. All three were searching for freedom on this one beach, where many visitors came to escape the weight they carried—though unsure whether they would find that freedom here. The horses, arguably the least free of all, ended up representing freedom itself for their “benefactors.” I suppose that was a time when I felt like the only person happy to be there—and miserable when I wasn’t.