Like many other sports, men tend to dominate the world of bodybuilding, but for a small group of women in India, lifting weights and chiseling their bodies undermines more than just athletic competition.
In a continuous series of images with the title Not what you sawphotographer Keerthana Kunnath documents a growing community of female bodybuilders in Kerala. Set against common backdrops such as beaches, the exterior of a traditional Indian home and lush, green foliage, the collection highlights an alternative vision of beauty, grounded in immense feminine power.
Since the series began, Kunnath has met about a dozen women who participate in the sport. However, her first encounter was with popular athlete and trainer Arathy Krishna, whom she came across while researching the Indian art of marriage known as Kalari. This led the photographer to a small group of female bodybuilders spread across the country.
“My first encounter was through social media and through some fitness coaches who train some of these girls,” Kunnath adds. “Later, I went to the competitions to support (them) and also to meet more bodybuilders.”
In Not what you sawBroad, athletic shoulders and muscle-packed thighs alternate with more traditional garments and gauzy, feminine fabrics, chosen in collaboration with stylist Elton John. Beauty ideals in India often focused on slim bodies, fair skin and long hair, and as Kunnath explained We Present Last year, challenging stereotypes and defying gendered expectations has had far-reaching consequences for those who play the sport. She says:
Many of them come from families who cannot or do not want to support their interest in sports due to social restrictions or financial concerns. They must regularly deal with the complex physical and emotional aspect of building and maintaining their physique, while battling deeply ingrained expectations of what a “woman” should look like and what they can pursue as a “respectable career.”
Posed flexing their biceps and accentuating their impeccably sculpted curves, the women radiate not only strength and pride, but also joy. Shining light on a broader range of experiences is a key element of Kunnath’s practice, which often focuses on underrepresented and norm-defying communities, especially across South Asia.
Kunnath currently works between London and India, and next month her work will be on display at Fuji’s House of Photography in London and the Royal Photographic Society in Bristol. Follow her latest projects, including additions to Not what you saw and a new series dedicated to her grandmother, op Instagram.
