Chatter over a Navroz dinner on the subject of his visibly deviated septum led photographer Porus Vimadalal to embark on a photo project that he calls "The Parsi Nose.” His partner ("my husband”) Prayag Menon and he were hosting a friend for dinner back in March 2022. "During our conversation we suddenly began talking about my nose… Our friend also said that her nose isn’t exactly proportionate and how it’s the first thing people notice,” Vimadalal narrated in an email to Parsiana. It was Menon’s suggestion to do a project documenting interesting noses in our community, considering how Parsis are frequently distinguished by their noses. "I instantly loved the idea and decided that we should do this as an ongoing series,” wrote the photographer.
A coffee table book in due course would be a great way to summarize and embody the series, is Vimadalal’s wish. "That aside, I hope to have active community participation in the project,” he stated, adding that they have documented about 18 subjects so far. "We have so many people who keep reaching out to me every day through social media or email.”
Gallery Chemould/SHIFT will be displaying a few portraits from the nose project later this year, he noted, in addition to some images from another project that he shot in Udvada (in collaboration with fashion designer Ashdeen Lilaowala, model/musician Delraaz Bunshah and styled by Menon).
Top row: "nose models;" 2nd row: Porus Vimadalal; with a model while
Prayag Menon handles the backdrop
"Societal conditioning and beauty standards often make us conscious about what is aspirational beauty in terms of a nose… Noses are underrated features but contribute incredibly to one’s appearance,” stated the photographer adding that many subjects share that they have felt insecure or conscious about their noses, but hope to empower or change this view by participating in the project or dispelling a previous conditioning of what a beautiful nose is.
"Some subjects approached us asking if having only one Parsi parent would qualify them to participate, to which we have emphatically answered yes. This project is all about inclusivity.” People are invited to send images of their faces/noses and we make the shortlist. "Once shortlisted, we coordinate a time and place to photograph them,” he added.
Actor-singer Zervaan Bunshah is one of Vimadalal’s "nose models.” He told Parsiana the "endeavor helps showcase a rich nasal heritage… The celebration of a stereotype that is normally used to make fun of us is both unique and beautiful… I for one thoroughly enjoyed being photographed whilst being surrounded by other large nosed individuals.”
Vimadalal may be contacted by email at
porus@porusvimadalal.com and mobile on 9867780200.