The Smile

The photograph was taken in 2008, on the streets of Kolkata, during a quiet walk through the city. It was a cold winter morning. The old man sat by the roadside, unhurried and withdrawn, having spent the entire night there with almost nothing to keep himself warm.

Perhaps no one had ever stopped to photograph him before—not photographers, not social card agencies, not anyone who might notice his existence. As I crouched down and moved closer to frame him, he grew wary. His eyes reflected suspicion, as though something unwelcome was about to unfold.

Sensing his unease, I spoke softly: “Dariye maat, sirf ek picture lena hai”—don’t be afraid, I just want to take a photograph.

The words eased him. His body slowly relaxed, and I smiled, trying to reassure him with my presence, with the quiet intention that there was nothing to fear. It took nearly ten minutes for his guardedness to dissolve. When it did, shyness replaced suspicion.

In that moment, a gentle smile appeared—small, fleeting, yet profound. Within it lay an unexpected calm, a fragile happiness. That subtle expression, born of trust and human connection, became the soul of the photograph.

© Magicshutters © Dibyendu Dutta