When I think of Indian culture in NYC, my mind makes an instant, automatic association with the Indo-American Arts Council (IAAC - /). Throughout the years, Aroon Shivdasani and her organization have been responsible for turning me - an Indian arts, fashion and cinema aficionado into a more knowledgeable and insightful lover of Desi heritage, humanities and traditions.

On September 3rd, the IAAC brought together two tremendous talents inside the Aicon Gallery (http://www.aicongallery.com/) on Great Jones Street, in lower Manhattan. It was an evening of easy conversation between photographer Prabuddha Dasgupta (http://www.prabuddhadasgupta.com/) and filmmaker Mira Nair, in honor of the release of Dasgupta's book of photographs on his beloved Goa titled 'Edge of Faith'.

Dasgupta, who admits to being a self taught photographer, has delved deep into the heart and soul of a Goa that is slowly, yet steadily disappearing due to the pressures of having become a 'property destination'. Meaning a place where unscrupulous developers go to buy cheap, destroy swiftly and build big. Showing a 'Goa that is very rarely seen' as Nair pointed out, his photographs are filled with the longing of ages gone by and capture the atmosphere of a place that could just as easily be in Cuba,Brazil or even a sleepy town in the south of Italy. To explain it in very simple terms, it's 'Bobby' meets 'Buena Vista Social Club' with a bit of 'Marriage Italian Style' thrown in.

When asked by Nair how he managed to get so many to open their homes and lives to his lens, in a community which typically doesn't welcome foreigners - meaning 'anyone who is not from Goa' according to Dasgupta - the talented and innately elegant photographer answered that it was a process achieved over 'many glasses of Fenny', the traditional Goan drink made from coconut or cashew fruit. About the conspicuous absence of youth in his Goan photographs, he admitted that was 'not a choice but simply what was available; the young are going ahead' while the elder generation remains behind.

Mira Nair looked stunning in a dark sapphire blue silk kurta, black churidar and ruby flats, always highlighted by her intelligence and spirit, while Prabuddha Dasgupta's glistening silver cropped hair framed his intense eyes, all the 'accessories' he needed to pull off a simple raw linen shirt and skinny jeans. His girlfriend, the stunning internationally-renowned model Lakshmi Menon, complemented his look in a long, raw linen dress with unfussy hair.

On the anniversary of the first day of shooting for the film which started it all 'Salaam Bombay' - that most heartfelt of art films - Mira Nair stated that making a commercial advertisement for her was like working on an 'anti-film. That medium to me is the anti-truth'. When she inquired with Dasgupta, he instead admitted that 'I don't make that distinction' between his more commercial work in fashion and his art books. He continued 'I need to be among people. I would collapse if I had to photograph like in the book, always'. With fashion photography, he said 'I love the fringe benefits, like travel, working with beautiful women, the exotic locations and the money' but also confessed that 'in the art community I am not liked for that'.

Dasgupta's preference for black and white is 'just about a language, I am more familiar with B & W', while he admitted his inspirations have been Henri Cartier-Bresson, Chinese and South American photography. And his philosophy in life is simple 'I have always tried to live from the heart, I believe in letting the heart lead you where it wants to go', which ultimately has led him and Menon to move permanently to a home in North Goa.

He's always been inspired by his Malayalam mother, who fell in love with his Bengali father and gave up her sculpting career for her belief in the 'power of love'. Dasgupta admits to having been very close to her and admiring her 'free spirit', which he has obviously inherited.

In attendance at Aicon Gallery were Farhan and Zoya Akhtar adding their own blend of class, grace and casual chic to the event.

Prabuddha Dasgupta's book 'Edge of Faith', which features a touching and in-depth introduction by renowned writer William Dalrymple.
(http://www.williamdalrymple.uk.com/) is now available in bookstores.

Images courtesy of Prabuddha Dasgupta.

About the author: E. Nina Rothe ran her own column at Chic Today for over a year and a half where she interviewed Sooni Taraporevala, Zoya Akhtar and Liz Mermin among many others. She currently writes for AVS TV. She has just been published in Tehelka Magazine and Bespoke as well. You can find her personal writing on her blog The Ajnabee Websites: (http://theajnabee.com/)