Appavum Naanum

This series is a point of view, a personal realization captured in fragments. It starts with a memory of how I looked up to Appa as a child. When he was no longer there, I tried stepping into his role, hoping to fill the void he left behind. The more I tried to become him, the more I drifted away from myself.

What began as an attempt to honour Appa slowly turned into a quiet unraveling. The comfort of his memory became a weight weighing me down. I grew angry, not just at him, but at the version of myself that got lost in his shadow.

These photographs trace the stages of that reckoning. They move through reverence, resistance, and, finally, a place close to acceptance. It is about letting go of the perfect being and embracing the humanity, both in him and in me.

This is not just a statement. It’s my way of saying: I see you. I was angry with you. I forgive you. And, I am sorry too.

You will always be a part of me, pa…