Ecstatic with the success of his debut web-show, Human, writer-filmmaker Mozez Singh has shifted gears for a second to give us a beautiful, evocative book on the pink city of India called Jaipur Splendor, powered by Assouline. The photobook is punctuated with Jaipur’s monumental history, culture and vibrance of colours. Mozez has tried to encapsulate the vastness of the city in one place by researching far and wide. We are in conversation with him to know more.
How was Jaipur Splendor conceived?
Jaipur Splendor is Assouline’s idea. Martine Assouline contacted me from her office in New York and asked me to send her some of my previous writing samples. She read those and offered me the book. Assouline has done some fabulous books for their Travel Series. Jaipur Splendor is a part of this series and their first book from India. I was thrilled and honoured to be asked to do this project. I’m a voracious reader and collector of coffee table books, so to get the opportunity to create one was just brilliant. Especially an Assouline book as their books are glamorous, sexy, cool, hip and wow. And I loved working with Assouline. They are aces at their game.
Could you take us through your creative process behind the book — the writing and curating of images?
The first part of this process was the creation of the data base of photographers who had shot Jaipur fantastically. I spread my net far and wide for this. I spoke to photographers all the way from Japan to Jaipur, and everywhere in between, and then went through their catalogs of Jaipur photographs. I went through a gazillion Jaipur photographs. I only wanted to send Assouline the best of what I had found. It was difficult to make so many choices, but it had to be done. The book had to have exceptional photography. Making these selections was time consuming and laborious, but also exciting. I got to witness some true genius through the works of so many amazing photographers. The writing began after this was done. I wrote many drafts because it is my first book and I wanted to get it right. I’m a script writer by profession, so writing comes naturally to me, but writing a book was a whole other trip. I hated every draft I had done because it didn’t feel right. And then suddenly it clicked. And I was putting this book together while I was directing my series Human. I would shoot all day and then come home to work on the book. I don’t remember sleeping for months. But it was all so creatively intoxicating that sleep was the last thing I wanted. I had the best time working on all these projects.
What kind of challenges did you face with the creation of this book?
There were three main challenges — making sure that I managed to get my hands on the best Jaipur photography, then curating the best of the best for the book so that I could send those to Assouline who would make the final selection, and then writing this book in the crazy busyness of my life and writing it well. It’s all easier said than done.
What do you hope people take away when they view this book?
I hope people are as intoxicated by Jaipur as I am. It’s a spell-binding city, full of charms, mysteries, discoveries, beauty, and so much rich pulsating history. It’s a very special place. One of its kind. I cannot compare it to any other city in the world. It straddles the past and the future with aplomb and grace. And I have met some incredible people from Jaipur during the making of this book.
Lastly, what’s next?
More films, more series, more documentaries and hopefully more books too. I love it all so, bring it on!
This article is an all exclusive from our March EZ. To read more such articles follow the link here.
Text Hansika Lohani Mehtani
Date 14-03-2022