Sonakshi, Luv and Kussh launch platform for emerging painters

Sonakshi, Luv and Kussh Sinha say they have always connected to art in various forms

Veteran actor Shatrughan Sinha’s children Sonakshi, Luv and Kussh Sinha have teamed up to launch ‘House of Creativity’, a platform to allow budding artists from all over India to showcase their talent in painting.

In a candid chat with Metrolife, the Sinha siblings talk about their individual artistic journey, the effect of the pandemic on the art industry and much more.

What was the inspiration behind launching a platform for Indian painters?

Luv: Our family is known primarily as a film and political family, but there is another side to our family that not many were aware of. Each of us has always been drawn to art in some form or other. While my sister is extremely talented at painting, my brother is a great photographer and even I’m really passionate about photography. Love for art is one thing common among all of us and that drove us to create a platform to celebrate the artists in India.

In many ways the art world is quite exclusive, so we wanted to break that barrier and give fellow artists a platform.

Sonakshi, how has the response been on your artwork since ‘House of Creativity’ was launched?

Sonakshi: The response has been surreal so far. Many people have come forward and shown their appreciation. Personally, it has been an incredible experience for me because I just sold my first painting, so that was a big deal for me.

As I’m already established in the film industry, many did not take this artistic side of me seriously but the platform gave me an opportunity to put this side of me out there and showcase my art.

In what way do you think the pandemic has changed the art scene in the country?

Luv: Artistes everywhere have been hit pretty hard and the market is pretty slow right now. But I believe, the pandemic gave people the time and opportunity to experiment and as a result when we were scouring artists for our platform, we came across so many new artists, experimenting with new mediums. It truly helped us bring variety to the platform.

What does art mean to you and what role did it play in your life during the pandemic?

Kussh: For me, photography is a mode of communication where I don’t have to speak at times. It lets me express what I’m feeling and capture moments that may never repeat again. It really helped me centre myself, especially during the pandemic.

Sonakshi: Art is something I’ve been connected to since I was very young, it has always been an outlet for me. When there was so much uncertainty around, it was my art that kept me calm. During the pandemic I turned back to it in a very big way.

Do you see a parallel between the art you make and the films you are a part of?

Sonakshi: The one parallel I definitely see is that they are both quite diverse. They’re both a colourful bunch where I don’t just follow a single path. In both fields, I like to experiment with new roles and mediums and I think you get to see that in my work.

Luv: I also believe we find inspiration from the art we surround ourselves with. For me, I draw a lot of inspiration from actors and directors in all industries.

On the work front, what is brewing currently?

Sonakshi: I’m waiting for the release of a series I did with Reema Kagti, that should be out later this year. I also just started shooting for a horror-comedy, ‘Kakuda’. It’s my first in the genre so I’m very excited about that.

Kussh: Currently I’m working on a feature film. There’s also a book that I have bought the rights of, so I’m in the process of developing that into a web series.

Luv: I’m committed to a thriller web series and an official remake right now. They are yet to be announced but I’m currently working on those two.