The self-taught painter began designing jewellery and plucking on his guitar, not knowing which stream of art he wanted to pursue. However, after his first solo show, My Secret Chapel (held at designer James

Fereira’s 180-year-old Portuguese Villa), it became clear where this 30-year-old was headed. His second solo premieres at Trafford House, a late 19th century Dutch Colonial Building on March 16. It will then move to Gallery Art Resource Trust, where it will be up till March 22.

Ambience is important for Bhonsle—it should complement the theme of the work; he consciously steers away from conventional show venues. He also believes that by drawing attention to such heritage structures, they can be celebrated and preserved as a legacy of our rich history.

“I was born into a Christian family. As a child, I was fascinated by the image of Christ and the Virgin glimpsed in the stained glass windows and the altar cornices of a church. The narratives of my Bible class have also been imprinted on my mind. Even though today I see myself as spiritual rather than religious, this is still a vital fount of inspiration,” says Bhonsle.

He even adds a few contemporary touches: His Christ has an eight-pack abdomen. Another painting titled, My Six Goldfish, features a guardian angel that is a subtle self-portrait: Note the curly hair and limber body. “The autobiographical works are an entire series that are woven from my own life. I had six goldfish. They suddenly died because the oxygenation machine conked off. I could not get it out of my mind and this is a tribute to them,” says the artist.

The eight-pack Christ has nothing to do with Shah Rukh Khan, he assures. It actually talks about the trauma of Christ and the tensile body that emerges as a result. Even the ode to the Virgin Mary is layered with complexities. “In Christianity, we put so much emphasis on virginity but one forgets about the actual religion.

In my paintings you see young girls praying to the Virgin and asking her to purify them through a shower of stars and raindrops,” reveals the artist. “These are not just decorative elements but personal narratives.

It’s not screaming from the top but for those who understand it.”