Just got the second monograph from Nazar Foundation - Adil Hasan’s, “When Abba Was Ill”.
The cloth binding of the book gave a warm feeling when I first took it in my hands. The small blurred image on the cover creates a personal touch, instantly making you feel up-close with Abba.
Your Abba (father) is the one who helps you walk when you are a toddler. He gives you the courage to face the world, helps you discover yourself, makes you familiar with your roots. Always protecting while guiding you on the path you fit the best. But then you grow up and suddenly he leaves you all alone.
While browsing through Adil’s book, I was haunted by the beautiful memories of my father. As I dug deeper, it seemed like poetry filled with glimpses of Mahmood Hassan’s last days. The images are soft, intimate and tell a story which makes you feel close to the gracefully passing moments of Hassan’s life.
The images talk about a father-son relationship. They capture the silent pain of the moments and at the same time bring up the question “why should I fear death?” It seems that this image making process brought the father & son closer than ever.
Adil used to visit his father in Jamshedpur during the last six months of his life. He took these images with his old film camera. The images transported me to the very personal space of his life. It seems that the process of filming his father has served as a distraction from the hard reality of terminal illness.
Although, Indian photography has seen personal stories in past but only a few photographers have explored death. Adil Hasan’s, “When Abba Was Ill” will definitely add a new feather to contemporary Indian photography.
Book Details:
When Abba Was Ill by Adil Hasan
Hardcover
106 pages
Published by Nazar Foundation