Self-taught artist in Chennai’s Pondy Bazaar draws himself out of poverty, one stroke at a time – The Indian Express

Twenty-year-old M Surendhar, a final-year Visual Communication student, has been sketching portraits of people at this spot for about two weeks now and already seems like a familiar face in the area. His deft hand moves quickly across the sheet of white paper and conjures a fresh image in a matter of minutes.

The resident of Jaffarkhanpet in the city has already sketched a whole lot of people ranging from renowned WWE wrestler ‘The Rock’ to Indian superstar Rajinikanth and has kept his works on display for the public.

Speaking to indianexpresss.com, the student of Avichi Arts and Science College in Virugambakkam says he initially had apprehensions about sitting on the streets and creating portraits, but gradually began to enjoy it.

“I will be honest, I had doubts in my mind. I was scared that the police would say something or the shopkeepers would object to my work; but, thankfully, none of that has happened so far. I enjoy sitting here, interacting with the public and getting their feedback. I come from a poor background. My parents are separated and I live with my younger brother and father, who is a daily wage labourer,” Surendhar says.

A student of Avichi Arts and Science College in Virugambakkam says he initially had apprehensions about sitting on the streets and creating portraits, but gradually began to enjoy it. (Express Photo)

Every evening, he sits at Pondy Bazaar for two to three hours as customers drop by; some sit in front of Surendhar as he draws, while others use WhatsApp to send him images that they would like him to illustrate. By the time they return after shopping, the finished portrait is ready to be handed over.

“We have gone hungry for days and have even slept on the road, but I never stopped studying. My father did not want me to quit my studies. I was academically very bright and secured 492 marks out of 500 in Class X, securing second place in corporation schools across the city. Similarly in Class XII, I scored 523 out of 600. When everyone thought I would choose engineering or medical for higher studies, I chose visual communication because I never wanted to leave this art,” he adds.

Surendhar, who has been trying to perfect his drawing skills since childhood, has participated in competitions across India and has bagged several prizes. He also got an opportunity to work with bigger companies, but chose to complete his education instead.

Surendhar has participated in competitions across India and has bagged several prizes. (Express Photo)

“Many people supported me to pursue my education, so I never wanted to quit that and do something just because it will fetch me more money. I am doing work and earning money, but I am driven by the fact that it shouldn’t affect my education at any cost,” he shares.

Among his many memorable moments, Surendhar’s favourite is when he used his earnings to gift a pair of slippers and some fruits to his neighbour, whom he affectionately refers to as “paati (grandmother)”. It was a small gesture to thank the elderly woman for supporting his family during difficult times, the youth says.

Asked about the inspiration behind his works, Surendhar says that since the time he first picked up a pencil to draw, he never felt that he was inspired by someone or their work. “I draw things as per my vision. I never had this thought to be inspired by someone and I never learnt this art form from anyone. In my school days, my teacher used to teach me and after that I began to learn things on my own. Even now, I am learning. I can finish a pencil portrait (black and white) in 10 minutes and a colour portrait in 15-20 minutes. I want to do that at a much quicker pace,” he adds.

The income from his sketches – Surendhar charges Rs 150 for black-and-white portraits, which goes up to Rs 1,000 depending on the size and colours used – helps him pay for his studies and personal expenses. He also does freelance work for short films, title designs and so on, all of which together allow him to sustain his family.

His circumstances have, however, hardly stopped the young artist from dreaming big and Surendhar hopes his talent will one day help him enter the film industry where he may get to work on great projects. “Cinema has always been my passion. My father wanted to become a director, but he was not able to pursue it due to his situation. I want to achieve what my father could not,” he says.