Photo Wallahs

This film is an exploration of the cultural and personal significance of photographs in Mussoorie, a famous hill station in Northern India.The "photo wallahs" are the local photographers of Mussoorie, a town which once attracted Indian princes and British residents, but now caters to Indian tourists.Mussoorie has attracted tourists since the 19th century, and in this setting photography has thrived. The film discovers its subject in the streets, bazaars, shops, photographic studios and private homes of Mussoorie. In the process it compares the diverse work and attitudes of the local photographers, Mussoorie's "photo wallahs". Although photography has developed certain culturally distinctive features in India, its many forms and uses there tell us much about the nature and significance of photography throughout the world.