MUMBAI: An Indian photographer has sparked outrage with a fashion shoot that depicts a woman being harassed on a bus by a group of men, echoing a fatal gang-rape that shocked the nation.
The project by Raj Shetye called "The Wrong Turn" appeared in his online portfolio in recent days before being taken down, according to media reports on Wednesday, but the photographs have been carried by various other media outlets including the website Buzzfeed.
They show a female model in high-end fashion looking harassed on a bus in various poses.
In one image she is on the floor with a man standing over her, one shows her struggling with two men gripping her arms, and in another two men pin her down on the seats.
Shetye told Buzzfeed that the shoot was not based on the fatal gang-rape of a student on a bus in New Delhi in December 2012, which sparked outrage across India over levels of sexual violence against women.
"But being a part of society and being a photographer, that topic moves me from inside," he said.
"I stay in a society where my mother, my girlfriend, my sister are out there and something like this can happen to them also."
Mumbai-based Shetye could not be reached by AFP to comment on the story.
The parallels in the photoshoot drew anger on social media, with Twitter users describing the images as "shocking", "disgusting" and "mind boggling".
The 2012 attack saw a gang of six rape a 23-year-old physiotherapy student including with an iron rod after she was tricked into boarding a private bus on the way home from the cinema with a male friend.
The woman died 13 days after the attack from her injuries, after being airlifted to a Singapore hospital for specialist treatment.
"This is in no way meant to glamourise the act, which was very bad," Shetye told BuzzFeed by telephone.
"It's just a way of throwing light on it."
The 2012 attack shone a global spotlight on India's treatment of women and led to tougher laws to deter rapists, although frequent reports of attacks continue to emerge.
COMMENTS (12)
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What's ironic is that Indians probably think this is their way of "modernizing" . In the process of "Americanizing" themselves, the Indians have truly lost their cultures and became what I like to call "the wanna-be anglo-saxons."
@Sam:
This is not what I meant.
What I was trying to say that the photographer said in one comment that this photoshoot is not related to Delhi case. But later on he also says that this photoshoot is a way to "throw light on it (rape case)". And this is what I find contradictory.
all those india haters trying to score point for action of some loon in a country of 125 crore remember this. ..when ever wrong is committed our society is up in arms to condemn it and even bring change in legislation to improve situation. ... Thanks Fully we are not impotents like you great pakistanis who remain mute when mob burn alive 3 innocent ahmadis, garland killer of punjab governor.... Difference is the path we have chosen.... While indian society is at fight with injustice and evil in society to move towards humane future, you guys are moving backward to medieval time through bigotry.
@Abhishek: Throwing light, or shedding light means to bring attention toward or create awareness of. It is not a positive term, and it is not synonymous with glamourizing.
ET - you really have strange news policies! You found this news worthy enough to print - but not the fact that the two Indian officials arrested in Glasgow (and which you also printed gleefully) were released the very next day due to the Scotland police not having a case to present! And they are now being sued for wrongful arrest. You didn't find the time/ space to print that?
ok - what about NDTV's expose of a video showing Hamas preparing to fire rockets from within civilian areas? The whole world is buzzing with that news, yet you could not publish it? The only news you find worthy to print from India are the negative ones?
And you call yourself a NYT clone? Shameful!
@just_someone. You're right, as long as there is a widespread public outcry, India is indeed shining. Once 80% of the population supports a medieval mindset, India won't be shining. Get it?
@sharabi:
It is disgusting. But there is nothing to take action about.
First of all, this was published on someone's personal portfolio.
There everything ends. Besides, the photos can be interpreted, but there's nothing obscene in themselves.
Most importantly, this guy seems like an attention hog immature lunatic and not in anyway a serious photographer.
Best he is ignored rather than given attention.
Disgusting, she is enjoying such poses, GOI must take strict action against this, this mockery comes in the same category
India Shining!
So this is the "rape is a fashion in India", Modi and his BJP were talking about.
There are times when the artist-type get it all wrong........
"Shetye told Buzzfeed that the shoot was not based on the fatal gang-rape of a student on a bus in New Delhi in December 2012" and later he says:
“This is in no way meant to glamourise the act, which was very bad, It’s just a way of throwing light on it."
Contradiction, I read.