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The Class of 1991’s Julia (Indrani) Pal-
Chaudhuri is a prolific and talented
photographer and filmmaker. To
date, her work has been featured in
28 exhibitions around the world, her
recent films have won 24 awards and
she has published a book of celebrity
images,
Icons
. Equally notable is
Indrani’s ability to use her talent
to further the social causes that
interest her and to tell the stories of
people who are often overlooked by
society.
Photography has been important to Indrani from
an early age. Because she emigrated from India with
her family when she was six years old, she did not
see extended family or friends until after high school.
During this absence, photographs linked her to her
family and to her past. She soon started to seek out
opportunities in the field. She was modelling by age
14. Between graduating from Havergal and starting
her studies in anthropology at Princeton, she took
two years to become a professional photographer.
Part of what drew Indrani to film and photography
was a desire to understand people and how they
live. Her interest in anthropology came in part from
her social science studies with Ms. Somerville. Her
anthropologist’s unique perspective on different
cultures complemented her work in photography.
“People’s decisions are reflected in the way they
present themselves and organize their social
environments,” explains Indrani. “Photography can
visually represent these decisions.”
Indrani sees filmmaking as a
powerful medium for sharing ideas
about our identities and what is
important to us as a global society.
She believes that it is tremendously
important for women to play a role in
capturing and presenting these visual
images. “The male gaze dominates the
film industry, controlling 90 per cent
of U.S. and Canadian content,” says
Indrani. “This dramatically skews not
only the way women are represented,
but the way we see ourselves and our
role in the world.”
Indrani uses her role as a filmmaker to give a
voice to individuals and communities who are not
always heard. Before university, she co-founded the
Shakti Empowerment Education School, a women’s
empowerment school for children and their mothers.
As a fashion and celebrity photographer, however,
her work was disconnected from the social causes
that she valued. Recent projects have enabled her to
bridge this gap. Her film and stills campaign –
Digital
Death
for Keep a Child Alive – featuring 25 celebrities
posed in coffins, raised more than a million dollars
to fight AIDS in Africa and India. She directed
Girl
Rising India
, in which Bollywood stars highlight the
importance of female empowerment in India.
Today, Indrani is working on several feature films
centred on powerful women overcoming obstacles.
She finds it exciting to be making these kinds of films
at a time when audiences are hungering for stories
about women.
Giving voice
JULIA (INDRANI) PAL-CHAUDHURI 1991
Profile by Jessica Parry 2007
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