PORTRAITS

સોનાનો ભાર

Sonāno Bhār - ‘The Burden of Gold’

This project explores the cultural expectations imposed on South Asian girls and their journey toward breaking free.

Photographers notes: The car functions as a metaphor for escape and transition. The warm lighting mimics a streetlight, situating the subject in a liminal, in-between space, neither fully here nor fully free. The warm tones create a dreamy, hazed aesthetic that initially appears soft and beautiful, intentionally misleading the viewer. This contrast reflects how restriction can be romanticized from the outside, while internally it feels confining and heavy. The subject’s facial expressions disrupt the visual softness, revealing the emotional discomfort beneath the surface.