There's Hema Malini, Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan- frozen for posterity in a light box.

Welcome to British photographer Catherine Yass' exhibition of film portraits titled (quite aptly) 'Star'. The portraits of six of India's best and brightest are captured through the novel method of installing transparencies in light boxes. Gaze on the beauteous Hema Malini, dignified Amitabh Bachchan, feisty Shah Rukh Khan, gorgeous Madhuri Dixit- Nene, pixie-like Karisma Kapoor and brooding Sanjay Dutt.

The photographs capture the stars with layers of contradiction. What's real, what's make belief, how much is the private star and how much is the public 'face'? Most of the actors have been shot in film costume (check out Shahrukh as Emperor Asoka or Hema Malini as Goddess Parvathi) and on location.

Most of these stars have been captured on daguerreotype hundreds of times, they are used to the flash of the camera....so what makes this any different? There is an intangible quality to the mood and expression captured that makes Yass' work unique. There is none of the Pavlovian response to the 'Smile, click' work here. Instead, there is a subtle blend of psychological drama, fantasy and an odd disjunction of space-time, person- persona overlaid by a patina of bright colour. These in turn reflect the chaos and brightness of Bollywood.

The portraits were commissioned by the British Council in November 2000. 'Star' won an award in the 10th Indian Triennial held earlier this year in New Delhi.

The exhibition, which was on view in New Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai will show at Kolkota and Jaipur.

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