In a country where rapes, sexual assaults, molestations and eve-teasing are a part of the daily ruckus of woman’s life, there a professional fashion photographer comes up with a photo shoot inspired by a gang rape that with its inhumanity and brutality, shook the entire nation. After a year and a half of the ruthless 16th December gang rape in Delhi, people still mourn the death of the helpless victim and the plight of her family thereafter. However, for photographer Raj Shetye the topic doesn’t deserve much of compassion wherein he released an anger provoking photoshoot, ‘The Wrong Turn’, featuring models that pose in strenuous images with a pictorial representation of the inhuman act.

Uploaded a few days ago, the editorial photo shoot went viral on social media on 5th August, causing intense ridicule and uproar on facebook and twitter. Glamorising the incident in the most impervious and indecent fashion, the photo shoot comprised of pictures of the female model struggling her way out of other male models who ‘act’ as rapists in it. In the words of Raj Shetye, the photo shoot is a depiction of the women in our country, irrespective of the economic background that they come from.

Well, a completely ignorant, an unaware or a blind person would overlook the parallels between the shoot and the 16th December incident.

Following the irrational attempt, the photographer was met by flooding hate messages on facebook and outrageous twitter feeds stating the disgust and shame that his photo shoot provoked among people. However, he took the shoot down from his official website after receiving unwelcome reactions from famous celebrities and the society on the whole.

What has to be questioned after all is the fact that no matter how pinching one’s attempt can be for a certain section of the society, people can go to unprecedented extents to gain popularity. And not just fame, such incidents evoke mass anger, revolts and legal actions. Moreover, the attempt is also a blot on the fashion industry, which for numerous other reasons ceases to be a well reputed realm, specifically for the females.

To sum up, the infamous editorial photo shoot is a live, well responded example clearly exposing the fact that nothing but uncontrollable anger and legal punishments are the rewards for ridiculing the most disheartening and sensitive issues of the society.

Posted at 6.45  am