Behind a new Josef Wirsching photography tribute: ‘The vision to recognise historical value’

Debashree Mukherjee has co-curated ‘A Cinematic Imagination’ at Mumbai’s CSMVS museum and edited ‘Bombay Talkies: An Unseen History of Indian Cinema’.

Mar 2, 2024 - 03:00

Behind a new Josef Wirsching photography tribute: ‘The vision to recognise historical value’

A photography exhibition at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya marks a homecoming of sorts for the Germany-born cinematographer Josef Wirsching’s personal collection of film memories. A Cinematic Imagination displays 145 photographs shot primarily on 35mm with a Leica camera between the 1930s and ’40s when Wirsching was employed at the Bombay Talkies company founded by Himansu Rai and Devika Rani.

This beautifully preserved treasure trove of behind-the-scenes moments from shoots, publicity pictures of actors, and film production stills has never been shown in Mumbai before. They were first exhibited in collaboration with the Alkazi Collection of Photography in Panaji in 2017, followed by Chennai in 2019 and Delhi in 2020.

Wirsching shot many of Bombay Talkies’ best-known films, including its first production, 1935’s Jawani Ki Hawa. Devika Rani features prominently in the Wirsching collection, alongside other illustrious studio alumni such as Ashok Kumar and Madhubala.

The collaboration lasted until 1959, after which Wirsching worked with other filmmakers, including Kamal Amrohi. (Wirsching had previously shot Amrohi’s Mahal for Bombay Talkies in 1949).

Wirsching was shooting Amrohi’s Pakeezah when he died in 1967. Wirsching’s son, Wolfgang Peter, ensured the survival of his father’s collection until his own death in 2016. Wirsching’s grandsons Josef and Georg are now the keepers of a wondrous legacy.