Spielberg, Nehru jacket & Search for 53 years-old photograph (on the occasion of Spielberg’s birthday on December 18).

Pune, India : World-renowned film director Steven Spielberg will complete 75 years on December 18th 2021. Seema Khandagale, a fan of Steven Spielberg’s film from Pune India ,is looking for a 53-years-old photograph with a link between India and Spielberg. Speaking on the occasion, Seema Khandagale, who owns Shree Communication, a public relations and social media firm in Pune, said, that in second lockdown of covid 19, I read the biography of Spielberg, written by film writer Joseph McBride. It was mentioned in the book that 23-years old Spielberg was wearing nehru jacket for the premiere of his first film, ‘Amblin’ on 18 Dec 1968, which happens to be his birthday also. This got me curious about the fact that the most successful film director in the world prefers Indian costumes on his most important day of his life. From day onwards I started trying to get a photo of Spielberg wearing a Nehru jacket.

Seema Khandagale further said that the second reason for trying to get this photograph was that Spielberg’s film ‘Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom’, which was released in the eighties, was based on the background of British India. Many Indian critics and film lovers believe that the film portrays Indian people and culture in a very wrong way. But I wanted to show the love that Spielberg have for India and its culture by showcasing this photo.

I have tried many times to get this rare photo. For that, I contacted the people associated with the film Amblin. Also contacted the film and media department of the Museum of Modern Art in New York, which is considered a hotbed for still photos of hollywood and world films. But could not find the photo anywhere.

So I wrote to Spielberg’s office late last month asking for the photo. But since Spielberg is involved in the marketing and post-production of his upcoming film West Side Story. So the issue of the photo is still pending. I wish I could get this rare photo in the near future and so I can share it with Indian film lovers wished seema khadagale.