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In His Pursuit is a heart warming tale of photographer KR Sunil, who goes in search of a boy whom he had read about years ago in the newspapers.
In His Pursuit is a heart-warming tale of a photographer who goes in search of a boy whom he had read about years ago in the newspapers. The documentary traces KR Sunil’s journey in search of Hareesh, a young boy of 12, who loved football. His father, a truck driver from Tamil Nadu, used to travel to Kerala on work and Hareesh would wait for him to listen to the stories he would tell about the place. He wanted to go to Kerala with his father and get boots, jerseys and a football, which were not available in his village. So, on one of his trips, his father took Hareesh along.
Unfortunately, they met with an accident at Kuthiran, near Thrissur, and Hareesh lost his legs. He was admitted to a hospital in Thrissur and as he recovered from the surgery, Hareesh was devastated by his loss. He would never be able to play football again.
During every football season, Sunil remembered this child, whose dream was to become a footballer. Before the 2018 Football World Cup, however, he decided to go in search of Hareesh. “He used to be in the newspapers every other day during the time of the accident and some how, this boy never left my memory,” says Sunil. Though it has been over three years since he began an informal search for Hareesh, this year, he decided to intensify it.
Sunil spoke to the doctor at the hospital where Hareesh underwent the surgery. The doctor happened to remember the boy and told Sunil that Hareesh’s father was, at that time, supplying cement to a property developer in Thrissur. Thus, by speaking to people and networking, Sunil found his way to Madurai, where Hareesh currently lives.
A college student now, he stays at the hostel (Don Bosco), and stays at his uncle’s place as well, since his father is often away at work. “He was taken by surprise that someone had gone in search of him after an incident so many years ago, but he shared his hopes, dreams and aspirations,” Sunil says. Hareesh even showed Sunil a couple of photographs of him on a bike he had uploaded on Facebook and Instagram. “He had photoshopped his legs in them. He is just a boy, who has the hopes, dreams and desires of an average college student. Though Hareesh did try using prosthetic limbs, they were painful and didn’t help him. He has done research on the kind of prosthetic limbs he would need. The kind that would help him walk and run. But that would need at least 15 lakh Rupees,” says Sunil.
The documentary, which was shot by a team of Sunil’s friends and directed by Kiran Keshav, uploaded on YouTube, touched a chord with the people. Offers of help poured in from various quarters and Sunil is still receiving calls. “The 17-minute documentary received more response than was expected. People shared the emotion that was conveyed through it.”
Sunil has been a photographer for over 20 years. After studying sculpture at the Government College of Fine Arts, Thrissur, he veered to photography and specialises in portraits. Self-taught, he works on the belief that the subject is more important than the photograph, often going in search of his subjects, keeping in touch with them. “It is the emotions in the person that I actually see through my lens,” he says.
Sunil is the recipient of the India Habitat Centre’s grant for his photographs on disappearing ponds. His series on the coastal village of Ponnani, showcased at the Kochi Muziris Biennale 2016, received encouraging feedback. He is currently working on a photo series based on the lives of Chavittunadaka artists and the impact of climate change on their lives. The show will be part of the Aazhi Archives exhibition "Sea a boiling vessel", which starts in Jew Town, Mattancherry on Tuesday, 13th of December 2022.
He finds extraordinary stories in ordinary people. Believes, you should be one of them; for that you should be the kind that loves humanity. He doesn’t carry fancy cameras, that would separate him from them.
If there’s anything that I have stolen from my grandmother’s shelf of knick-knacks is a spoonful of pickle and some sweet and sour sarcasm. And yes, thanks to that I landed a job as a writer in a magazine.
You wear a saree only when you become a woman.” It sounds like a sentimentally wise thing to say, but let me break it down to you. In other words, it also meant, “When you’re ripe enough for the marriage market.”
Chilean poet and featuring artist at the Kochi Muziris Biennale 2016 on the possibility of an artistic response to the human crises of our time, including the refugee crisis surrounding the conflict in Syria. The sea, which became a grave for hundreds of people, including children.
Theyyam is a vibrant and colourful form of ritualistic worship that is deeply rooted in the culture and traditions of Kerala, India. This living tradition involves elaborate rituals, music, dance, and vibrant costumes that bring to life the divine spirits being invoked.
A new beginning is always infused with hope. Life is full of moments that we believe to be beginnings only because of the presence of hope. A physical symbol of these moments of hope is the flower. The films attempts to capture the emotion of these beginnings.
Dravidian Catharsis is the fruit of this deep immersion in the culture, the theatre, the traditions, and the soul of this mythological universe of the Tamil people. The powerful presences of spirits and living gods are embodied under masks.
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Ryuichi Sakamoto passed away this year on 28th March leaving behind a legacy of innumerable musical compositions that'll keep him alive in countless hearts across the world. However, I'll always be haunted by the fact that I couldn't let him know that I'm still alive because of his music along with many more.
Search for the questions to the answers written on the skin...and i asked. am i connected to the deep inside you? with the invisible roots from the layered skin of you? all the energy you transfer to the heart of your thoughts?i asked again am i still connected?
01: Ayurveda in Travancore Kingdom
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IN OUR VEINS FLOW INK AND FIRE
This edition of the KMB 2022 embodies the joy of experiencing practices of divergent sensibilities, under conditions both joyful and grim. There is optimism even in the darkest absurdity, and this is what leavens the direness of our time.
KR Sunil goes beyond his frames to explore and discover soulful human stories. In this journey, he pursues a long forgotten life, that of a Tamil boy who endured the worst in a journey to Kerala. As the World Cup fever peaks, here is a story.
Presenting to you the most exciting project that we have worked on this year! A short film shot entirely on phone, this project has been a dream & after a lot of anticipation & hard work from all of us here, we are super duper excited to finally bring this to you!
Nitesh Noor Mohanty is a visual artist who works at the fluid intersection of arts, culture, communication, media and self-reflection. His theoretical interests are also wide, often inquiring about the roots and fundamentals of art history, storytelling, and philosophy.
Life & Times of Amrita Sher-Gil
Amrita Sher-Gil, considered the mother of Indian modern painting, became known as the Indian Frida Kahlo. With her paintbrush she explored the sadness felt by people, especially women, in 1930s India, giving voice and validity to their experiences.
