Actor and Director Anupam Kher Inaugurates Parallel Retrospectives of Padmashri Ratan Parimoo & Naina Dalal at NGMA
The National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA), Mumbai, in association with Gallerie Splash, is presenting two landmark retrospectives of legendary artists Ratan Parimoo (89 years) and Naina Dalal (90 years). Ace actor Anupam Kher lit up the occasion as he inaugurated the shows, graced by the presence of artists Ratan Parimoo and Naina Dalal, along with diplomats, curators, and leading figures from Mumbai’s art fraternity, including Daniel Quer Confalonieri (Consul General, Embassy of Argentina), Farhana Ahmed Chowdhury (Deputy High Commissioner, Embassy of Bangladesh), IAS Nidhi Choudhari (Director - NGMA Mumbai), Curatorial Advisor for the two retrospective shows Girish Shahane, Gallerist Jinoy Payyappilly and independent curator and art historian Gauri Krishnan, among others.
Opening on a light-hearted note, Anupam Kher began his speech, remarking, “I feel very fortunate to have been invited to Ratan ji’s and Naina ji’s exhibition showcased here at NGMA, Mumbai. Back in the day, when I was looking for work, I would often come to NGMA - for the air-conditioning (smiling), and to admire the paintings of great artists like Tyeb Mehta and Akbar Padamsee. Their works reflected their life journeys, and at drama school we were taught to learn from painters and their art, so these visits meant a lot to me.”
Speaking about the artists, he shared, “The quiet strength they possess, and their love story… what a beautiful love story it is! They transported me into their world: Ratan ji growing up in Kashmir, moving to Baroda, meeting Naina ji as a young artist, then both journeying to London together and painting side by side. From a cinematic point of view, it’s extraordinary. Even the way they worked - each painting in different rooms, expressing their own visions, then returning to the world with their art, is profoundly moving. I feel enriched today for having been part of this event; I leave here a richer person for having met them.
The retrospective of Padmashri awardee Ratan Parimoo (titled Pioneer Abstractionist) - painter, art historian, writer, and pedagogue, revisits his abstract works from 1958 to 1973. This rare gathering of more than 40 paintings, drawings and prints charts his early explorations of line inspired by Jain and Egyptian art, his embrace of gestural abstraction, and his constant experimentation that redefined the language of painting in India.
Running alongside is Naina Dalal: The Silent Fire Within, a sweeping retrospective of over 150 drawings, paintings, and prints by one of India’s pioneering women artists. Born in 1935 in Vadodara, Dalal’s career embodies resilience, experimentation, and an unwavering commitment to creativity across painting and printmaking. From her training at the Faculty of Fine Arts, Baroda, to advanced studies in London and New York, she mastered etching, aquatint, collagraphy, and lithography, pushing technical boundaries while infusing her works with quiet intensity. Her art reflects a deep engagement with social realities, especially the condition of women across history, their struggles and emancipation, often presented with sensitivity and quiet strength.
The parallel retrospectives stand as tributes to lifetimes devoted to art, scholarship, and truth, and visitors have a rare opportunity to witness this until the 12th of October, 2025 at the National Gallery of Modern Art, Sit Cowasjee Jahangir Public Hall, MG Road, Fort, Mumbai.