Krishen Khanna b. 1925 "Thou sayest so" / "Interrogation"

In 1980 Khanna exhibited at the Rabindra Bhavan, New Delhi thirteen works on the theme of Christ's betrayal, included within this group was The Interrogation/ Thou Sayest So.The titles of the current work relates to the interrogation of Jesus by Pontius Pilate, the phrase ‘Thou sayest so’ is a direct reference to the Gospel of John chapter 18 verse 37.

‘Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest so.  To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.’  The two alternative titles to the current painting thus both relate to the Biblical scene but as with many of his works the scene itself is depicted in a modern context with Jesus confronted by army officials in 20th century uniforms. As within the original Gospel story the painting questions  the nature of Truth and highlights our inability to recognise the presence of the divine within the mundane aspects of everyday life.  By giving the work a modern context however the artist intentionally blurs the boundaries of the story to allow the painting to raise  more fundamental questions about the identity of the individual in the modern world.

Khanna uses biblical references within an Indian context, their religious symbolism becomes a social concern, representing the outcome of conflict with figures of authority.  The inspiration for the Christ theme came to him whilst driving with his father up to Shimla, along the way they stopped at at dhaba for tea when Kahan Chand remarked that any of the waiters at the cafe could be a Christ figure.  In the artists own words: 'The Christ series are set here in Delhi, Nizamuddin in fact, and appear as current happenings. He is wandering amongst us or sleeping with us... I painted Jesus, not in the image given by European painters, but as one of the fakirs one sees around Hazrat Nizammuddin.' (Interview with Chanda Singh, India Magazine, September 1984). 

In the Interrogation the rugged physique of the figures with their sun darkened bodies and rough callous faces are a representation of the labour class found in the Nizammuddin Bhogal area of Delhi,  the figures of authority in military caps and Nehru topis are recognizably emblematic of the military and political establishment.  'I have used them as metaphors of authority because that is what they have come to mean in our society today'  (Sinha 2001, p. 135).  Khanna's 'Christ becomes emblematic of a resistance to persecution ...  this is neither the healing Christ, the divine worker of miracles or the haloed Son of God but the persecuted figure within an oppressive system.' (Sinha 2005, p.18.)