Collection: Chingaari Strikes Back
About the Collection:
Chingaari Strikes Back is an ode to the long-forgotten art of the matchbox label.
As a child, I collected matchboxes, fascinated by the tiny worlds they contained. Far beyond their practical purpose, they served as miniature canvases that are filled with illustrations, slogans, portraits, humour, and storytelling. What was once an everyday household object also became a site of creativity, transforming the ordinary into something memorable, collectible, and deeply human.
While matchboxes continue to exist today, much of the visual richness that once defined them has gradually faded away. The bold imagery and imaginative narratives that made them so distinctive have largely been replaced by standardised branding. This collection emerged from a desire to revisit that lost art form and reimagine its possibilities through a contemporary lens.
The title carries a dual meaning. Chingaari - a spark - is both a reference to the matchstick itself and to an inner spark: a force of individuality, resilience, curiosity, and feminine energy. Across the collection, living subjects drawn from the natural world are reimagined as protagonists of their own stories. Through humour, symbolism, and playful visual narratives, they challenge familiar assumptions and inhabit spaces where identity can exist beyond expectation.
By bringing together nostalgia, nature, and storytelling, Chingaari Strikes Back celebrates a fading visual culture while honouring the enduring spark that continues to ignite new possibilities.
