Posters for change

Hyderabad: Hyderabad-based graphic designer Punith Mahesh has won the international poster competition for the country’s biggest queer film festival, Kashish.

The 22-year-old, who is originally from Vijayawada, is elated for having been chosen the winner by fashion designer Wendell Rodricks. And the competition this year was particularly fierce with entries coming from countries such as Malaysia, Indonesia and even Estonia.

Designers were asked to interpret this year’s festival theme “Dare To Dream” and Punith struck the right chords with the judges with his free-hand style design that was based on his own philosophy of free thought. “Everybody is free minded. And everyone is free to think and that realisation is very important for us — to respect ourselves first and then consequently respect others and their choices,” he says.

The design with two human heads and the motifs of butterflies will be the look of the fifth edition of South Asia’s largest queer film festival scheduled to be held from May 21-May 25, 2014 in Mumbai.

This is not the first time that Punith has used his skill in graphic design to make a difference. “I am a graphic designer and call myself a social activist. I don’t have to be out on the streets to really make a change. I choose to make a change with posters. And as recently as three months ago, I had undertaken a campaign to promote jute bags,” he shares.

Besides being recognised for his passion and his designing skills, the current achievement will also make Punith, working as a graphic designer with an ad agency in the city, Rs 20,000 richer. The award will be given to him in Mumbai in May.