How losing his father to COVID pushed this 18-year-old TN youth to become a documentary photographer
Documentary photographer Richard Vijayakumar is known for capturing the pain of a mother, who lost her son due to caste differences, a child fighting for her life with a Rs 16 crore medication, and a poignant image of an elderly couple living on the streets of Chennai due to inter-caste marriage. He speaks with DT Next about his photography journey and how personal loss motivates him to assist those in need
Richard Vijayakumar(L) and the photos he clicked
CHENNAI: A young, enthusiastic, and vibrant Richard Vijayakumar’s beautiful world was shattered during the COVID-19 pandemic. “My father was a photojournalist, and he passed away because of the coronavirus when I was in Class 10. That’s when the fear of death pushed me to travel and document the lives of people,” begins Richard, who is currently pursuing his degree in visual communication in Chennai.
A self-taught photographer, Richard’s life took a drastic turn after his father’s loss. “I spoke to him 30 minutes before his death. After his cremation, I dreamed that he was alive. When I woke up, I couldn’t differentiate between the dream and reality, and I hoped that my appa’s death was just a dream,” the 18-year-old reflects.
His father’s loss drove Richard to seek a new environment, leading him to move to Chennai. “I accepted the reality and the realisation that anything can happen at any time deeply settled within me. That’s how I started travelling to various places, meeting many incredible people, and listening to their impactful stories,” he shares. The creator within Richard compelled him to document these stories and showcase them to the world. “It was a gradual process. I began with photography, then moved on to documentary work, and now I am directing a short film with a meaningful topic. Although the format changes, my journey and search for purpose remain the same,” he adds.
The short film currently in production features a child actor battling a rare neuromuscular disorder, which has a treatment costing around Rs 16 crore. “She is fighting for her life and may not have more than six months,” states Richard. He observed that audiences often aren’t ready to engage with the raw, unfiltered realities of people’s lives without some form of spectacle. This insight inspired him to develop the short film idea to capture attention while addressing a profound and poignant issue.
Richard has documented various events, but one memory stands out vividly: a mother in Tamil Nadu, who was grieving on the ground after her son was beaten to death due to caste differences. “I captured that moment in Class 11,” he shares. His first documentary was about Seetha, a cremator in Salem who has buried over 20,000 bodies. “When I asked Seetha akka if she believes in ghosts, she said she doesn’t want to debate their existence but isn’t afraid of them - she fears humans,” Richard recalls. Seetha, one of the few female cremators, had requested a two-wheeler, and after our documentary aired, someone bought her one. “That’s when I realized the profound impact art can have on people’s lives,” he adds with pride.
Another impactful documentary covered a child who bleeds continuously from even minor cuts. After the clip was released, Health Minister Ma Subramanian announced that the government would cover her medical expenses, and both Chief Minister MK Stalin and Minister Udhayanidhi met the girl in person. Richard also documented the aftermath of a caste violence attack on siblings, Chinnadurai and his sister. “At the hospital, despite the severity of the situation, the siblings were playing as if nothing had happened. That was an inspiring moment for me,” he smiles. While documenting Salem’s nightlife, Richard captured a trans woman enjoying the rain under an umbrella. He believes his role as a creator is to highlight the beauty in people that often go unnoticed. “I’m fascinated by the love story of an elderly couple in their 80s who live on the road due to an inter-caste marriage. In a time when love is often taken for granted, their relationship feels like a poem to me,” says the documentary photographer, whose role model is his father.
Udhayanidhi Stalin, MK Stalin and Richard with the child whose medication is undertaken by the government
Though his personal life is marked by darkness and emptiness, Richard aims to be a beacon of hope through his work. “Filmmaker Balu Mahendra once said that a creator’s feelings and emotions are very sharp. Similarly, the void inside me drives me forward,” Richard reflects.
“For independent filmmakers like me, securing funds for short films on sensitive issues is the biggest challenge,” concludes Richard.
