Relationships Over Chai
Publication Design / Photography Zine
A hand-bound photography zine that uses the ritual of making chai as an analogy for building relationships, combining documentary photography, editorial storytelling, and personal reflection into an intimate printed publication.
Role: Designer, Photographer, Writer, Editor
Tools Used:
Adobe InDesign, Binding
Brief
Some conversations happen without words. Relationships Over Chai explores the quiet language of everyday rituals, using the process of making chai as an analogy for building relationships. Every ingredient, pause, and step becomes a reflection of patience, understanding, balance, and care.
Captured through documentary photography, the zine invites readers to find meaning in the ordinary and recognise the small gestures that shape lasting connections.
About the Zine
Each copy was hand-bound using brown thread, allowing the physical construction of the publication to reflect the care invested in its making. The imagery documents the authentic process of brewing chai, reinforcing the project's emphasis on everyday rituals and tangible, handcrafted storytelling.
Bombay Zine Fest
Relationships Over Chai was exhibited at Bombay Zine Fest 2025, where it became part of conversations around independent publishing, storytelling, and self-expression. Sharing a deeply personal project with readers and fellow artists reaffirmed the power of zines as honest, accessible, and deeply human forms of communication.