At Piramal Gallery, NCPA, I revisited Bombay’s cultural past through the lens of twin photographers Debolina Mazumdar and Monobina Roy — accompanied by storyteller Joy Bimal Roy, whose memories breathed life into every frame on the wall - Vinta Nanda.

The exhibition Twin Sisters With Cameras at Piramal Gallery, NCPA Mumbai, showcases the extraordinary works of photographers Debolina Mazumdar and Monobina Roy — twin sisters whose black-and-white photographs from the 1930s to 1960s capture a world of rare grace and authenticity. Curated with care, the show celebrates an era of natural light, progressive upbringing, and the quiet revolution of women behind the camera. Accompanied by Joy Bimal Roy, son of Monobina Roy, I was immersed not only in the images but also in stories that revealed the depth of artistry and culture that defined a generation.

A Soft Afternoon of Storytelling

The afternoon of delightful storytelling by Joy Bimal Roy found itself resting in the crest of an oncoming sunset — that gentle moment before twilight when light still caresses the world in gold.

It was poetic justice that we were surrounded by photographs shot in natural light, their warmth undimmed by time. The framing was simple, elegant, and unobtrusive — white frames against white walls — allowing the viewer to be pulled entirely into the photographs themselves.  

What struck me most was the meticulous curation — the groupings, the storytelling, the care with which these images were handled. Each frame offered a window into the life and times of a family that was well-travelled yet rooted, unflinching in its authenticity.  

The Progressive Legacy of the Twin Sisters

What deepened my admiration was learning about the history behind the twin sisters — how progressive their upbringing was, and how unusual it was for women in their time to hold cameras and master the craft. Their story revealed much about the milieu that raised them and, later, their children — including Joy Bimal Roy — in an atmosphere of refinement, art, and quiet rebellion.

Each photograph spoke volumes — of the people, their poise, and a culture that balanced tradition with evolution. It reminded me of a certain demographic of India that, during the early 1900s, advanced effortlessly into modernity without losing touch with its roots.

Today, that very class — educated, culturally sophisticated, yet deeply Indian — stands accused of elitism for not succumbing to the noise of popular culture. Shouldn’t such authenticity be celebrated instead?

Photographers Respond to the Grain of Truth

One of the visitors, photographer Gaurav Chhugani, shared with me how the exhibition had left a lasting impression. “I’m trying to figure out how to make the photographs I take as authentic as these — as real,” he said. “This grain is impossible to achieve in today’s digital age.” His words echoed the sentiment of many of us who stood quietly before each image — awed by their honesty, their stillness, their grace.

Also present were Joy’s friends — pianist Jay Parte and his college mate from Sydenham, Divyakant Khatau. Parte was fascinated by the compositions and the precision of light. Joy explained that his mother and aunt never took photography lightly. Their father, a tutor in Varanasi, had a home lab as early as the 1930s, and it was there that the sisters learned to develop photographs.

Joy recalled how his mother would wait for the right moment, ask her subjects — often her children — to “take the light upon themselves,” and then click the shutter. The result: near-perfect black-and-whites that speak like poetry in still form.

A Golden Evening at Gaylords

As the visit drew to a close, Joy shared a message from friends who had visited the exhibition earlier: “We drank in the quiet beauty of each photograph, marvelled at the shades of light and the moods of the moment that the twins captured so artistically. Your mother and maasi have endowed each picture with essential humanity.”

Our own afternoon ended where old Bombay still lingers — Gaylords. Over club sandwiches, cold coffee, tea, we toasted the past. Buying fresh bread, lemon tarts, and chocolate éclairs, from the bakery to take home felt like a ritual, a tribute to the Bombay of our childhoods. The day came full circle — a journey through history, art, and memory — with the lingering scent of photography’s golden age. 

The exhibition Twin Sisters With Cameras is on view at Piramal Gallery, NCPA Mumbai, until 26th October 2025. Step into it — and you’ll find not just photographs, but fragments of India’s finest light.