Photographer Rakesh Sinha, whose five-decade career has documented over 2,000 performing artistes, was honoured with the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award 2025. The award recognises his contribution to performance arts photography, preserving images of legendary musicians, dancers, and theatre actors.
From Hobby to Lifelong Mission
Sinha began photography in the early 1970s in Lucknow, then a major cultural hub. Working a technical job by day, he spent evenings capturing the sounds of ghungroos, tabla, sarod, and theatre. Initially assisting his elder brother, a professional photographer, Sinha gradually turned his hobby into a mission to preserve the golden era of Indian performing arts.
He followed artistes across cities—from Pune to Gwalior to Delhi—photographing icons such as sitar maestro Ustad Vilayat Ali Khan, Kathak dancer Shovana Narayan, actor Anupam Kher, and Kathak legend Sitara Devi. His images freeze moments of intense performance, from Vilayat Khan's mesmerising sitar recitals to Shovana Narayan's expressive bhaav and Sitara Devi's electrifying stage presence.
Technology and Artistic Vision
Sinha's journey mirrors the evolution of photography from analogue to digital. He recalls the anxiety of film rolls ending before a performance finished and the meticulous process of developing images in darkrooms. While digital technology has brought freedom, Sinha has remained devoted to black-and-white photography, believing it adds depth and timelessness to his work. Having his own processing studio allowed him to perfect exposures, and his black-and-white enlargements have been exhibited at music and dance festivals across India.
A Glimpse into an Illustrious Career
The images accompanying this article showcase Sinha's career, including a shot of Lucknow's Darpan Theatre performing 'Fando and Lis' and portraits of Shovana Narayan in motion. Each photograph reflects his dedication to capturing the essence of performance art. According to Sinha, his rough estimate of artistes photographed exceeds 2,000, spanning five decades of Indian cultural history.
