Years ago, hand-painted posters gave the first glimpse each new movie, before fading off with the advent of the era of digital prints. Decades later, the lost art of hand-painted posters is making a comeback. Imtiaz Ali’s Rockstar and Akshay Kumar-starrer Rowdy Rathore both have hand-painted posters as their publicity material. And giving it a thumbs up and a happy nod of approval are not just the audience, but also those who have been working towards reviving the art.
Delhi-based designer Nida Mahmood, who took up the initiative to rehabilitate Bollywood’s poster painters who suffered due to the technological revolution, is appreciating the concept. Nida tells us, “I’ve been working on this for more than three years now and I’m more than excited to see these big posters on the streets. People will definitely relate a lot more with them. These are posters that require a lot of effort and intricate details about colour contrasts. Every colour in these posters tells a story, conveys an emotion.”
Needless to say that what makes these posters stand apart from the digitally printed ones, is the play of colours. “The colours did all the magic in those days. The young generation today must see how the artists in those days worked. I’m glad that many of the artists who lost a livelihood will now earn well. Although many of us keep doing something or the other around this theme from time to time, only Bollywood films can give these artists a much wider platform,” says artist Sharmistha Dutta who recently displayed a digital art show celebrating old Hindi movies and taking a closer look at the lost art of hand-painted posters of the bygone era at the Bagel’s café in the city.
Fans are waiting to see more hand-painted posters on the streets. Seen as a revival of old times, the colour, texture and expressions on the faces holds the key for most fans. “It’s the passion for the art of hand-painted posters that draws me. These posters bring characters to life. From the wrinkles on the face, the cleverly chosen colours to suit the skin tone, to the expressive eyes, you can’t create the same magic even with the best of technology,” says Mihir Gulati, a musician.