Seeing the unseen

Published by
Proma Chakraborty

This exhibition has captured the struggles of people living on the fringes of society with photographs so powerful you will feel connected with their reality

Shiju Basheer’s photographs narrate their own stories — capturing the struggles of people from across the world, his collection is set to be exhibited in a series titled Unscripted Lives. Basheer began his journey in the field of photography in 2005. He worked as a freelance documentary maker in Dubai for 15 years, which took him to several places across the world. “I like to travel extensively and was lucky enough to traverse India and several countries across Asia such as Indonesia, Vietnam, Nepal and some in Europe, Middle East and Africa,” says Basheer.

As a self-trained photographer, he draws inspiration from moments of innocence, and sheer beauty and at times even the harsh realities of life. “Some faces evoke pain, solitude and emptiness. Such rare moments always compel me to capture and preserve their uniqueness.”


With 40 such pictures, the title of the exhibition — Unscripted Lives — aims to draw attention to the forgotten souls around the world and their lives that depict the invincible determination to struggle and survive against all odds. “A picture normally invokes feelings, but it’s your own feelings which often give depth to what you are watching. There are many things in life that catch your eyes but only a few will catch your heart,” he says.

Every photograph has several stories behind it. “Usually I choose pain, agony, helplessness and solitude as my favourite subjects,” Basheer explains. This can be seen in most of the shots of the faces he has captured. The eyes seem to be telling the viewers their life stories — tales of struggle and tragedy.

Currently working as a photojournalist in Kerala, Basheer has always felt an intense desire to unravel the hidden stories of the world. Unscripted Lives has also been published as a coffee table book. He is planning on publishing another book Stolen Faces and Countless Tales, by the end of this year.

Proma Chakraborty

Published by
Proma Chakraborty
Tags: photography

Recent Posts

‘Shirtless’ protest: Not legitimate dissent, blatant assault on public order, says Delhi court

The magistrate said the probe reveals that multiple associates could be absconding, which could tamper…

February 22, 2026

LPG explodes during operation to douse house blaze; cops, fire personnel among 13 injured

The cylinder blast injured six police and fire personnel deployed at the house where a…

February 22, 2026

Woman, daughter murdered in southeast Delhi, bodies stuffed in bed box; neighbour absconding

Multiple operational teams have been deployed to probe the case. Crime and Forensic Science Laboratory…

February 22, 2026

1,850 missing mobile phones recovered as Delhi Police focusses on victim-centric policing

The initiative focused on a victim-centric approach and aimed at strengthening public trust through proactive…

February 22, 2026

Terror conspiracy in Delhi: Bangladeshi nationals among eight arrested

Six of the suspects have been arrested from different parts of Tamil Nadu and will…

February 22, 2026

Air quality in Delhi poor

The weather department has predicted a mainly clear sky during the day with the maximum…

February 22, 2026