At first glance, to the uninitiated, Shashikant Dhotre's portraits would seem like touched-up photos. Going by their stunning realism, you'd think they depict the fine use of water colours, acrylic or oil on canvas. But, when you realise that they have been created with nothing but colour pencils, you don't believe your eyes. The 35-year-old is one of the youngest recipients of nearly every major award in his field, the most recent being the Maharashtrian of the Year Award and the Raja Ravi Varma Chitrakar Samman. Yet, until 15 years ago, this was not his dream.

It takes Dhotre a month to finish each drawing. Currently, he's working on his upcoming solo, where 100 of his works will be displayed