HONEST: Portraits of Character by Atul Kasbekar

Some of the most memorable faces in Indian cinema are not always the ones at the centre of the frame. HONEST: Portraits of Character, a solo photography exhibition by Atul Kasbekar, turned the spotlight towards the extraordinary supporting and character actors whose performances have shaped the stories we remember. Presented at Jio World Plaza in Mumbai from June 5 to July 5, 2026, the exhibition brought together 56 large-format black-and-white portraits, each presented completely unretouched and unphotoshopped.

The idea behind the series came from the quiet moments on a film set — those few seconds before “action” or immediately after “cut”, when the performance falls away and the person behind the character comes through. Atul Kasbekar captured that vulnerability with an intentionally stark, stripped-back visual language, allowing every expression, line and detail to remain exactly as it was. The portraits featured some of Indian cinema’s most versatile performers, including Naseeruddin Shah, Satish Shah, Gajraj Rao, Deepak Dobriyal, Ranvir Shorey and Lilliput. Adding another layer to the experience, visitors could scan a QR code beside each portrait to hear an audio guide narrated by Kasbekar himself, offering a more intimate entry into the stories behind the photographs.

More than a portrait exhibition, HONEST became a celebration of the faces, personalities and performances that often quietly hold Indian cinema together — giving character actors the kind of attention and space they so richly deserve.