The butterfly effect

For a rainy afternoon model and gay activist Sushant Divgikar is conservatively layered up having chosen to team his black tshirt and jeans with a militarystyle jacket Deep down Im just a regular Konkani boy he says settling into the corner most couch at Bandras Out of the Blue The 29yearold is here with photographer Monisha Ajgaonkar whom he has known for many years given their interest in queer activism So last month when Ajgaonkar approached him with a photo project titled Blossom he agreed in a heartbeat Their previous collaboration on a visual project in 2016 had fallen through The failed project was aimed at subverting popular fairy tales and featured Divgikar as Aladdin uniting with Prince CharmingBut this time they were intent on making it happen For one it was the International Pride Month Secondly I wanted to show my support to the transgender community which routinely faces violence for being who they are says Ajgaonkar who runs The Photo Diary a company that specialises in wedding photography Divgikar was an undisputed choice as muse given his ability to straddle his identity as a gay man and drag queen seamlessly and his popularity within the LGBQTI community Frankly I couldnt think of anybody else she saysDropping defensesIt was all good until they reached the studio The opening shot required Divgikar to do the unthinkable go nude I threw a fit I was not going to do this he recalls A puzzled Ajgaonkar did not know what had triggered the tantrum considering she had already emailed him the reference shots Yes I had seen them but I just couldnt believe that she really wanted me to be naked he says After going back and forth he finally relentedIn hindsight I think it was one of my best decisions he says Shot in a day over a span of six hours Blossom captures the transition of Divgikar from a young boy who is at first scared to come out of the closet to eventually embracing the queen in him According to Ajgaonkar who identifies as lesbian its a representation of what a queer person goes through The journey of self acceptance is tumultuous because we internalise so much prejudice without even knowing it While its hard for a man to come out of the closet its tougher for a lesbian she adds Ajgaonkar who grew up in a Maharashtrian family battled resistance when she came out She shot to fame in early 2018 when her campaign LforLove aimed at normalising the status of lesbians in society went viral This time I wanted to train my lens on the community as a whole through an individual she saysAs raw as possibleShot at an Andheri studio the series captures the transition of Sushant Divgikar from a young boy who is at first scared to come out of the closet to eventually embracing the queen in himFor starters she was clear that the imagery had to be raw which is why all she chose to invest in was a bare studio in Andheri The final outfit as seen in the series was created by designer Swapnil Shinde and styled by Mayuri Nivekar who did the project pro bono People who have been involved in this are those who feel for the cause We did not do this for money she saysThe initial shots show Divgikar lying on the floor with his back to the camera curled up like a foetus His face is mostly hidden from the viewer until bit by bit the veil is lifted The final shots are of Divgikar as we know him today RaniKoHENur I must admit that I initially felt awkward But when I finally made up my mind and faced the camera it was weirdly relaxing and normal he says It wasnt the first time that he was approached for a nude photoshoot There were offers in the past but he had always declined because the thought of being naked made me feel conscious I come from a community that is vain and always has its guard on So it wasnt easy for me to appear this vulnerable he says Although he claims not to have been at his fittest best at the time of the shoot he went ahead nonetheless given his rapport with Ajgaonkar His parents too were okay with his decisionAll through the shoot the only people present in the room with him were the makers of his upcoming documentarymdashdetails of which are under wrapsmdashand Ajgaonkar On my part I ensured that he looked as raw as envisioned she says Therefore no image has been photoshopped or airbrushed The curves the love handles the spots have stayed as is I didnt even wax my legs says Divgikar We need to realise that life doesnt come with Instagram filters This shoot essentially showed the authenticity of a person The inputs that came from him were more to do with the poses I was amazed that he could contort bend and intertwine his legs and yet look so graceful she laughsFor now the photos have created a stir in the community with both the photographer and muse inundated with phone calls When I made the series the idea was to upload it on social media so that theres direct connect with the audience I didnt expect it become big she saysCatch up on all the latest Mumbai news crime news current 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