Avani Rai is a Mumbai-based photographer, filmmaker, and actor with a focus on both fiction and documentary storytelling. Daughter of ‘The Father of Indian Photography’ Raghu Rai, her early exposure to photography shaped her creative journey. She is known for her photo essays on topics like the Bhopal gas tragedy, Kashmir, and the Chennai water crisis, blending art with social commentary.
Her work has been featured in publications such as Vogue, GQ, Architectural Digest, The Wire, The Platform, Sunday Guardian and Scroll. Her directorial debut, Raghu Rai: An Unframed Portrait (2017), offers a personal and historical perspective on India through her father’s lens over the past 50 years. She is also known for her work in Two Sisters and a Husband (2022), and Waack Girls (2024). Avani's preference for black-and-white photography highlights her focus on emotion and subject, especially in her documentation of Kashmir.
Her advertising portfolio includes works with brands like Pepsi, Apple, The Queenfisher, Puma, Accenture, and Dove.
She debuted in art photography with the Dot Series and explored dehumanized & traumatised spaces through her exhibition Ground Zero. Avani’s inspirations include photographic legends like Robert Capa and Sebastiao Salgado, as well as her father, whose influence profoundly shaped her vision.
Instagram: @avani.rai
Website: https://avanirai.com/