Play

The foreign tourist’s version of India often serves up clichés, even though it’s all breathtakingly new to the visitor. Neal Howland could have fallen into the same trap. All he could tell his friends on social media was: “In a land of sensory overload I’ve seen, heard, touched, tasted, and smelled more than I ever thought possible.”

Realising that words had “failed him”, Howland chose to use a language he felt he was better at – visual storytelling.

Of course, his short film, titled India, does not capture the whole of the country and even seems to romanticise an exoticism. But its beauty lies in the skilful camerawork and editing, involving stunning montages of overcrowded markets and serene landscapes, cutting through tombs, arches, stairs and narrow lanes all in split seconds.

For those who haven’t travelled to Jaipur, Udaipur, Agra or Old and New Delhi, this video is pure joy to watch. And for those who have, here’s a new lens to see them through.