From Bond to Bachchan: A new show in Delhi peels back the many layers of these two icons through art

The two C’s—cricket and cinema—bind India like nothing else. These mediums have no bearing on age or class; instead, they serve as levellers to shape collective consciousness and identity. 

Cinema, in particular, is a window into different cultures. During a movie screening, the viewer dissociates from reality for a few hours, immersing themselves in the lives of characters that unfold before them. 

While many actors, with their charm and stellar performances, have left an impression on the audience, there are a few icons who are universally loved and respected.  

The two names that instantly strike are James Bond (a popular Hollywood character played by a number of actors including Sean Connery and Daniel Craig) and Indian superstar, Amitabh Bachchan. Their larger-than-life personas, played up by the ‘angry young men' tag, invite feelings of intimidation and admiration in equal measure. 

The popular Masha Art Gallery in New Delhi has launched a group show, Bond to Bachchan, not just to capture the charm, curiosity and gravitas these two icons hold, but also their ‘softer side’. 

Part of IAF Parallel (parallel events that run alongside the annual India Art Fair), the showcase at Taj Mahal, New Delhi brought together 21 artworks and 15 artists to project the enigma of Bond and Bachchan, who united masses under one banner. 

Curated by independent critic-curator Georgina Maddox, the show at Masha Art Gallery’s flagship space presented an imagery of these icons beyond their tough exterior. But there was also so much more to witness about cinema through the ages. 

“As a curator, I have always been interested in the coming together of art and cinema, having studied both,  I have always felt that the two disciplines overlap at many points—be it arthouse cinema or popular culture,” Maddox tells YS Life. 

She invited artists to reinterpret Bond and Bachchan to bring a variety in understanding and the portrayal of the tropes of the masculine, the feminine and all that lies in between. 

“Even within the roles played by Bond and Bachchan, there has been much repositioning of the angry young man, the superhero and the man who knew too much,” she adds. “The artists have exposed the vulnerable side of this male trope and have spoken of social realities that contrast sharply with it.”

Besides, Maddox believes cinema, like all things in life, is a double-edged sword. It is this aspect that she wanted to explore with the exhibition. 

Translating cinematic culture through art 

While cinema has a mass appeal, art has often been viewed as elite and even exclusionary of the masses. With this exhibition, Masha Art Gallery and Maddox want to bring together these two worlds and have them interact with each other. 

“While some of the artists have gone the route of offering a tribute, others offer complicated understanding of the ideas of heroism, masculinity as well as the gender stereotypes that exist around the construction of popular icons like James Bond and Amitabh Bachchan,” highlights Maddox.

As I made my way into the gallery, my eyes caught sight of an artwork by Asit Kumar Patnaik titled ‘Radiant Truth’. Inspired by the cult film Satyam Shivam Sundaram, the painting explored themes of beauty, love and acceptance through Patnaik’s semi-realistic figurative style—reinforcing that beauty is skin deep. 

A few steps ahead, a striking sculpture by Puja Kshatriya unfolded the layers beyond the glamourous lives stars lead. Titled Koyla’s The Black Gold, the presence of gold and black embodied the duality of glamour and struggle. Unsurprisingly, her inspiration for this piece was Bachchan, whose true beauty has always laid in resilience.

There was also Agneepath by artist Shiffali Wadhawan that had multiple elements, each making a strong statement. Inspired by Bachchan’s brooding character, Vijay Dinanath Chauhan, the painting featured his caricature on a TV screen. The dominant colours in the artwork–red and orange symbolise struggle and burning resolve, while wooden puppets are his fan base that have fueled his growth. 

Playing with imagination is an art, and Tapasya Gupta has mastered it with his sculpture Quantum Of Balance, which reimagines Bond as an ordinary human navigating the complexities of the mundane. While one of his hands holds balloons, the other has a professional docket–showing how even someone like him has to balance his official and personal commitments! 

Besides, there were also other artworks like The Many Faces of Big B by Vivek Nimbolkar that celebrated Amitabh Bachchan’s cinematic journey through illustrations from films like Coolie, Sholay, Deewar and more. 

Women embodying independence 

It was not just the men occupying space here. The show also turned the spotlight on pivotal roles played by women—from Madhubala to Zeenat Aman. 

For instance, Ankur Rana’s Smoke Up Bolly pays homage to Aman and her confidence to be the femme fatale without any inhibitions. It showed the legendary actress wearing large sunglasses, a snapshot from her famous song Dum Maaro Dum. The smoke rising from the pipe in her hand symbolises her golden heart and her immense contribution to cinema. 

There was also Surita Tandon’s Queen of Hearts dedicated to the eternal beauty, Madhubala. In this mixed media composition, the actress appears as Anarkali. There were also multiple newspaper clippings around the central image, reflecting her reign as the queen of Indian cinema. 

What next? 

While this preview, as part of IAF Parallel, has been running at Masha Art Gallery, DLF Emporio from January 27, until February 8; visitors can also head to the India Art Fair in Okhla between February 6-9 where Masha Art Gallery will make its debut with a solo exhibit by new media artist Jenny Bhatt, carrying forward the same theme. 

However, this show will be integrated with interactive digital installations, augmented reality (AR), and mixed media works. 

“I am displaying AR-activated Pop Art at the show. Of these, my favourites are Mr. Cool, The Big B Avatars and The Bond Avatars. I love Mr. Cool for it’s bold, pop composition and colours and the mischievous expression on James Bond’s face,” Bhatt adds.

The colour palette Bhatt has used holds special significance. “I have developed this very specific palette of bold pop colours over many years. And in fact I spend hours mixing the colours in the paintings until I have the tones just right,” she says.