Impressions of a lifetime: Bhavna Jasra

By gathering emotions in a frame through impressing prints that could be cherished for a lifetime, Mumbai-based Bhavna Jasra aims to reach millions in our country. Her concept ‘First Impression’ involves taking 3D hand or foot impressions of people and framing them to last forever. 

Many get the impressions of their children framed; “Your children will grow very fast so preserve all the memories be it hand or foot prints or pictures. It will be a pleasure to watch all of these when your child grows up,” she says.    

Excerpts from an interview

When did you get the idea of taking hand prints and framing them?
I was pregnant with my daughter Tia, which was 15 years ago. I travelled to London to shop for my baby where I happened to chance upon this concept. I thought to myself that this concept is so new to India and we are the people who celebrate every little thing right from the birth of the child, wedding and sastipurti of an elder. For us memories are very important and if such a concept exists it has to come to India because it is most appropriate for people like us who are emotionally charged. That’s when I learnt the art and launched it 15 years ago.

Can you pen down few famous personalities that you have taken prints of?
They are thousands I have done and that include Aamir Khan, Akshay Kumar, Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, Dhoni, Ambanis and in Hyderabad I have done for Pinky Reddy’s grandson and the list goes on.

Can you share some experiences of prints that you framed?
I really enjoyed doing Prime Minister Modi’s hand print, because it was a huge opportunity for me to interact with him. While I was taking the hand print of the Prime Minister, a person standing beside him happened to comment - ‘Modi ji yeh toh Congress ka hath banvarahi hai’ - because we were doing his palm print.

Then I answered - ‘Congress ka hath mein ungliyan judi hoti hai, main toh aapka aashirwad dene wala hath bana rahi hoon’. When Modi ji placed his hand to give the print he looked at the gentleman who commented and said, ‘Yeh aaj ki Bharti nari hai; iss se soch samajh kar sawaal kariye’. This incident made it special for me. The interesting thing is that I have taken impression of every cricket captain, who till date have lifted the world cup for their county.

What is the cost of these frames?
Our range starts from 50,000 because it has a metallic finish.

What is so different about your frames?
I have different varieties of frames with different patterns. Few of the frames have writing beside the impressions and few have photographs placed.