Indian-based photographer does editorial fashion shoot inspired by rape showing a woman struggling with men as they grope her on a bus. The controversial shoot caused a disapproving outcry from social media users claiming it glamorizes the 2012 Delhi gang rape. Legal action from official may be imminent against the photographer "glorifying violence".
Photographer Raj Sheyte is the man behind the photo shoot. He appropriately titled it "The Wrong Turn." The shoot first appeared in his online portfolio and was later removed after it created controversy.
The photos showed a female model being groped on a bus by a group of men. The fashion shoot has created widespread outrage on social media sites in India, as it obviously mirrors the fatal gang rape of a young female student in December 2012, according to RT. Users on Twitter have called the fashion shoot "disgusting" and "insensitive."
The fashion community is also outraged by the photo shoot. Designer Nachiket Barve told The Times of India, "Certain things should be off limits - things like child abuse and gang-rape, as in this case. I think it's a case of really bad judgment, a loss of perspective. Some creative people, in pushing the boundaries, overstep them."
Model Amit Ranjan also told the same media outlet, "The worst part is, you're making models act as rapists. That means you're treating these criminals like heroes. That's just pathetic. You can't get away by calling that 'so fashionable'."
Even Bollywood actors and directors were disgusted by the fashion shoot. Bollywood music director Vishal Dadlani tweeted, "Did I just see a fashion-spread depicting the Delhi gang rape of Nirbhaya? Disgusting! I hope all associated, die of shame! Insensitive swine! Whoever you are... I hope you go to jail for this."
Actor Amria Puri also tweeted, "Rape is not inspiration for a fashion shoot. I don't know what the photographer was thinking doing an editorial shoot inspired by Nirbhaya"
Sheyte has not apologized about the photo shoot. Instead, he denied that he was trying to glamorize the Delhi gang rape. He told Buzzfeed.com on Tuesday, "It is not based on Nirbhaya. But being a part of society and being a photographer, that topic moves me from inside... I stay in a society where my mother, my girlfriend, my sister are out there and something like this can happen to them also."
Sheyte declared that the shoot was not for commercial gain. The clothing that the models wore were made by top designers, but they were not given credit. The fashion shoot was for the use of his online portfolio, but later blew up in his face.
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