Patna: The capital of Bihar, Patna was brought to a standstill following three days of heavy rain that have flooded homes and hospitals. Many areas are still submerged in chest-deep water.
In the midst of this, a fashion student’s photoshoot on flooded Patna roads has become the talk of the town. While many have praised her for bringing out the woes of the residents through the photoshoot, many trolled her for romanticizing the situation for her photoshoot.
Photographs of Aditi Singh, a student of the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), posing on the waterlogged streets of Patna, haves gone viral. The photos were shared on Instagram and Facebook by photographer Saurabh Anuraj.
Titled ‘Mermaid in Disaster’, they show Aditi Singh in a red dress, smiling as she is photographed in the flooded streets of Patna.
Mr Anuraj, while sharing the photographs on Saturday, said that they only wanted to show the condition of the city.
“Photoshoot bas Patna ke current situation ko dikhane ke liye kiya gyaa hai isko galat way me na le (This photoshoot was done to show the current situation in Patna. Don’t take it in the wrong sense),” he wrote on Facebook.
The photoshoot has collected over 10,000 ‘likes’ on Instagram, collecting mixed responses.
While some have praised Aditi Singh and Saurabh Anuraj for trying to show the situation in Patna, others have criticised them for romanticising the floods to their own advantage.
“After you’re done with the photoshoot, do find some time to help those in need,” wrote one commenter on Instagram. “You cannot romanticise or glorify a natural calamity,” said another.
Others defended the photoshoot.
“Love the concept,” wrote one person. “Why is everyone agitated on seeing this photo? Don’t critise on blind sentiments,” another asked.